The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen) novel Chapter 1535

Thalassa and Alaric were crammed together in the elevator, descending swiftly when it halted at the 10th floor. The doors slid open to reveal two young kids, flanked by a pair of women.

One of the women, in her twenties, was strikingly beautiful with a gentle smile gracing her lips.

The other, about fifty, was immediately recognizable to Thalassa as Bridget!

At her feet were the two little munchkins, Julian and Helena!

Seeing Bridget, along with Julian and Helena, made Thalassa's heart skip a beat, her breath catching in her throat.

Oh boy, she had managed to keep Alaric from noticing the kids' stuff, but now there was no avoiding him meeting them face-to-face!

Would the kids recognize her, calling her Aunt Thalassa?

Her heart was racing with nervousness.

Just as she was wrestling with her anxiety, she caught Bridget's warm smile directed at her, about to say something. Thalassa's breath stalled, her mind swirling with apologies.

Hertha, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for Alaric to bump into the kids...

Before Bridget could speak, the younger woman beside her apologized with a laugh, “Sorry, we were actually headed to the 20th floor, meant to only press the up button, but the kids, being their playful selves, hit the down button too.”

The woman had barely finished speaking when Julian and Helena craned their little heads, glancing over at Thalassa and Alaric.

Thalassa felt her heart leap into her throat.

Just as the kids were about to lock eyes with her, the elevator doors closed, cutting off their gaze.

Thalassa glanced at him, noting his calm demeanor, his fox-like eyes slightly downturned, seemingly unbothered and certainly not suspicious.

Thalassa felt a bit more at ease.

Hertha’s kids had distinctive features; the girl had eyes resembling Alaric's though not strikingly similar, and the boy had Hertha’s eyes but Alaric’s nose - not immediately recognizable as belonging to either parent unless one looked closely.

Alaric likely wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that they were his.

But just moments ago, things were too close for comfort. Had the kids called her Aunt Thalassa, asking her to take them to their mom Hertha, she’d have been at a loss for words.

“Though, I must say, those kids looked familiar,” Alaric mused, stroking his chin, his suspicion rekindling.

Thalassa’s heart, just settled, clenched tightly once again.