The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen) novel Chapter 1978

Alaric locked eyes with Georgia, the weight of their shared history pressing down between them. He did not want Hertha caught in the crossfire of their feud.

His face turned stormy, his gaze fierce and red-rimmed as he stared at Georgia. "So, what's the big plan, Georgia? Marrying me despite thinking I'm the bottom of the barrel. Seems like a raw deal to me. And since you're so smitten with my cousin, well, he and Ms. Suttner haven't tied the knot yet. You could still make a play for him!"

Even in his anger, Alaric's voice was steady, almost pleading for Georgia to back off.

He was at his wit's end with Georgia.

As long as she left him alone, he was willing to swallow his pride.

Hertha, standing beside Alaric, heard everything. Was he really pushing his cousin into the line of fire?

Georgia was taken aback, struggling to process Alaric's words.

She had braced for a tempest, for Alaric to lash out with venomous words.

Instead, he coolly suggested she chase after his cousin.

Georgia was left speechless, all her prepared retorts suddenly irrelevant.

"Alaric, you know full well your cousin and Ms. Suttner are engaged. Why would you suggest I go after him? What's your angle?" Georgia demanded.

"And I should ask you the same! You know my heart belongs to Hertha, yet you persist. Have you no pride?" Alaric's tone grew harsher.

He had once cared about maintaining a good relationship between their families, but now, seen as nothing more than a leech in their eyes, what did he have to lose?

"Alaric, I was engaged to you first!" Georgia cried, tears streaming down her face.

It was like publicly declaring their relationship in front of an audience.

Georgia felt the impact of this display, stumbling backward, tears flooding her face. Her earlier attempts at seeming fragile, squeezing out sympathetic tears, couldn't compare to the genuine heartbreak she felt now.

Because these tears stemmed from genuine despair.

Alaric's words had never hurt her before, as she knew his relationships with other women were just for show.

But today, he openly admitted his true feelings for Hertha among all the women he'd been with.

Against genuine affection, all other considerations seemed worthless.