Chapter 1230
“Seriously, Hertha? This is what you dragged me out for?” Alaric asked with a raised brow, his casual attire contrasting sharply with the urgency in his voice.
“What else? My bestie gets bulldozed by that jerk Lysander, and you think I’m just gonna let it slide?” Hertha retorted, her fiery spirit matching her fiery hair.
“If you hadn’t dragged her to that blind date, she wouldn’t be in this mess,” Alaric pointed
out.
He knew Hertha was kicking herself over the whole situation, yet he couldn’t resist poking at her sore spot.
Hertha’s breathing deepened, and with a flicker of her eyelids, she shot him a glare that could freeze hell over. “I get jittery on dates, okay? She’s my one and only best friend. Who else was I supposed to bring along, you?”
“Why would you get jittery?” Alaric pressed, his tone turning serious.
“Isn’t it obvious? Because it’s terrifying! I’m not some heartless playboy like you!” Hertha snapped back.
Alaric had a reputation for being a heartbreaker, a smooth operator who’d charmed his way through a string of romances. His sweet nothings were legendary, at least until he got what he wanted. Then, poof! Like a magician’s act, the sweet talk vanished.
Hertha had witnessed first-hand his prowess in wooing women as well as his ruthless
side.
Just like Lysander with Thalassa, all take and no give.
Hearing her blunt words, Alaric felt a twinge in his chest, as if shards of glass were lodged in his heart, causing a mix of pain and frustration.
Hertha’s nerves over the blind date were because she cared too much, worried about being rejected or ending up alone.
Why get worked up over something bound to fail?
In her eyes, her true love was Spencer. For him, she’d pinch pennies and skip meals.
For Alarie? She saw him as a fool. Once she had her cash, she’d spend without a second thought.
Alaric’s hands clenched on his knees, his usual sultry, slanted eyes now stripped of their charm, replaced with a simmering anger as he stared at Hertha.
No woman had ever infuriated him like this.
Hertha felt the shift in the air, and it scared her. The powerful stance she was known for
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Chapter 1230
softened, and with a blink, she stammered, “What… what are you going to do?”
He wouldn’t really hit her, would he?
The usually fearless Boss Lady Hertha was now intimidated by Alaric’s wrathful gaze.
Just as she was about to make a run for it, Alaric spoke up, “Well, I wish you luck on your blind date, hope you find true love! Bartender, bring us ten bottles of whiskey!”
His voice was stern as he ordered, his face a mask of severity.
Whiskey that was no light drink from the bar.
–
His words congratulated Hertha on finding love, but his eyes were full of anything but joy.
Hertha, who had been about to stand, sat back down, frowning at him. “What do you need the liquor for?”
“To celebrate your dating success, and to your future with the man of your dreams. Or are you scared to drink with me? Afraid you’ll mistake me for your beloved in a drunken haze?” Alaric raised an eyebrow, his last taunt a probing one.
She had once doggedly claimed to adore him was it all for the two million bucks?
Was it his family’s wealth she was after, not him as a person? Was their supposed love at first sight just an act?
Deep down, Alaric held out hope, hoping it wasn’t all about the money.
Stung by his last remark, Hertha felt as if he’d jabbed a hidden vulnerability, one she desperately wanted to keep from him. To hide it, she straightened up, her voice fierce, “Let’s drink then, I’m not afraid of you! Don’t worry, even if I do end up drunk, there’s no way I’ll end up confessing my love to you!”
Alaric’s eyes, once filled with a glimmer of hope, dimmed with pain as he looked away. The bartender set down ten opened bottles of whiskey on their table.
Grabbing a bottle, Alaric poured a glass for himself and then for Hertha. The battle of wills was about to begin – over a game of drink and unspoken truths.
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