Chapter 770
The man was dressed in brown slacks and a cream-colored shirt, his short hair dyed a chestnut brown. He had a youthful appearance, but his amber eyes were filled with melancholy.
He walked over to Alaric and Hertha and stopped next to them, “Mr. Falconer, what a coincidence. You’re here for a drink too?” He directed his gaze towards Alaric.
“Leopold, it’s been a while,” Alaric greeted Leopold Sinclair.
As he spoke, his eyes flicked briefly towards Hertha, who was clinging to his arm like a needy kitten.
Noticing the confusion in his gaze, Alaric’s stern expression softened slightly. He chuckled and explained to Leopold in a teasing tone, “She’s just a little tipsy.”
By this, he meant that he wasn’t interested in Hertha. Instead, she was the one clinging to him due to her disturbed state of mind.
Although Alaric had a reputation for being a ladies’ man, he knew better than to mix business with pleasure.
He had no interest in Hertha and certainly didn’t view her as a plaything.
Leopold examined Hertha carefully upon hearing Alaric’s explanation. She was clinging to Alaric; her face buried into his arm, eyes closed, lips slightly pouted. She hunched and was completely attached to Alaric.
She was clearly under the influence of alcohol and looked addled.
Leopold reached out to pat Hertha’s shoulder gently.
Hertha turned her head towards him; her eyes glazed over with drunkenness.
“Hertha, you’re here drinking alone? Didn’t Thalassa come with you?” Leopold asked.
He and Hertha, along with Thalassa, were college mates. Back in the days when he was dating Thalassa, Hertha often tagged along on their dates. Leopold and Hertha were quite familiar with each other.
Half-closing her eyes, Hertha squinted at Leopold through her haze. Recognizing him, she lifted a finger to point at him accusingly, “Leopold, it’s all your fault! If you hadn’t treated Thalassa so poorly and hadn’t broken up with her, she wouldn’t be in such a terrible
state now!”
Hertha was well aware of Thalassa’s predicament. She knew how Thalassa was being dominated by Lysander, being used as a tool for his venting.
The thought of it always filled Hertha with immense grief.
Upon hearing Hertha’s accusation and Thalassa’s plight, Leopold’s heart ached. His already melancholic eyes filled with sorrow and
pain.
“Hertha, you’re drunk. Let me take you home,” Leopold offered as he tried to hide his own pain. He reached out to support Hertha.
Just as he touched her, she pulled away, “Don’t touch me. I’m not going home. I’m going to offer myself to Alaric. I want to go with him…
Alaric and Leopold exchanged glances. Exasperated by Hertha’s drunken rambling, Alaric gently pried Hertha’s hand off his arm, “I’m only helping you because you’re Thalassa’s friend. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
With that, he pushed Hertha towards Leopold, as if getting rid of a hot potato, “You take her home. I’m out!”
Before his words even settled, Alaric turned on his heel and left, as if afraid of getting entangled with Hertha again.
“Hey, Alaric, don’t leave!” Hertha called after him and prepared to give chase.
Leopold stopped her, “Don’t bother. You can’t handle him. You should stay away from him in order to protect yourself.” Leopold advised her wisely.
Alaric’s ‘remarkable achievements’ were known in the business circle.