chapter1559

Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he made a promise to her, swearing on his life to protect her. After that, they would be even, no debts between them.

Their story had ended three years ago, on a day soaked in blood...

Yet, he still harbored the foolish hope that Thalassa would change her mind and agree to marry him...

Hertha returned to her parents’ house. Kimberly and Ashton were busy playing with the kids.

"Julian, Helena, are you guys hidden yet? Grandma's done counting and coming to find you," Kimberly said with a voice full of tenderness and warmth.

"We're hidden.” "We're hidden.” The two little ones replied with their soft, cute voices.

Hertha looked towards the source of the voices and saw one little tyke trying to squeeze under the sofa, failing miserably with his little bottom sticking out.

Anacther was hiding behind the curtains, shoes peeking out, thinking he was completely invisible by pressing further into the drapes—a classic case of 'if I can't see you, you can't see me.’

Cnly kids could be so innocently clueless. Of course, Kimberly immediately saw through their amateurish hide-and-seek tactics, barely containing her laughter.

Just as she was about to seek them, she caught sight of Hertha walking in. Instead of continuing the game, she said, "Oh my, Julian and Helena are so well hidden, Grandma can't find you anywhere.”

While saying this, she gestured to Ashton, whispering, "Keep an eye on the kids." Then she turned to Hertha with a serious expression and beckoned her over, lowering her voice, "We need to talk. In the study!" Hertha knew by her mother's demeanor that she was in for a lecture, a reckoning for past deeds.

She glanced at Ashton, stuck out her tongue playfully, and followed her mother to the study.

Kimberly closed the door and slapped her onthe arm, frustrated, "Hertha, how-have I always taught N you? To keep yourself respectable, to understand the importance of self- worth, to protect yourself. What have: ayou done? You went and got ySHirself pregnant before marriage, and now the kids are growing up without a father!”

Hertha pouted, rubbing her sore arm, "Mom, it's not what I wanted... If I had a choice, who would want this..."

"What do you mean you had no choice! Spencer was a catch, if you had married him, you and Spencer's kids would be two by now, and they wouldn't be fatherless!" Kimberly couldn't get over the past.

Her anger made her chest heave, speaking in a low tone to Hertha. She kept her voice down, not wanting the children to overhear; after all, they were innocent.

Hertha said, "Mom, you don't understand. When you all wanted me to marry Spencer, I was already pregnant. If I had married him without telling him the truth, wouldn't that have been deceiving him? It wouldn't have been fair to him."

"What? You were already pregnant at that time?" Kimberly was astonished, this was completely unexpected

"You, you've really done it now!" Kimberly was both furious and at a loss for words to scold Hertha

Hertha quickly.stepped forward, gently pa ting-her back, trying to calm her Mom, please dontbe mad. tstbeen three years. I didn’t” trouble you with my pregnancy; knowing you wouldn't forgiverme. That's why I never even told'you about giving birth..." to

Her parents, both retired civil servants, came from a very traditional background.

They would never have accepted her being pregnant out of wedlock and choosing to keep the baby, so Hertha had kept it a secret from her parents from pregnancy to date.

"You..." Kimberly turned sharply to Hertha, seeing her stubborn and unrepentant demeanor, she was both heartbroken and angry.

Hearing that Hertha had gone through childbirth alone, Kimberly's heart bled for I her, sighing with a mixture of pain and affection, 'Oh,< Hertha, if we hadn't met today, were you planning to cut us off for geod? Nat even contacting us for, something as big as giving birth, how could you make us so heartbroken..."