Chapter 1674


    With her mother''s anxious and hopeful gaze bearing down on her, Hertha guiltily looked away and hurriedly shoveled food into her mouth. She was at a loss for what to say.


    She had kept the truth from her parents because ric hadn''t met the kids yet. She thought once ric saw the children, he''d surely suspect they were his.


    But reality yed out far differently than she anticipated. Upon meeting the two kids, ric flew into a rage, infuriated, convinced the children were hers with another man.


    And now, Helena, out of the blue and from who knows where, had picked up the word "Daddy" and shockingly asked if that stern uncle from earlier was their father.


    Hertha was truly at a loss for words.


    If she confirmed it, her mother, Kimberly, would immediately seek out ric to inform him, pushing Hertha and ric to provide aplete family for the children.


    But Kimberly didn''t know that ric was promised to Georgia, and three years ago, Hertha had seen ric and Georgia in apromising situation, a memory she couldn''t shake.


    Hertha, from a humble background, felt she couldn''t possibly match up to ric, a man from such a wealthy family. Angelina had made it crystal clear three years ago.


    Two million dors were paid not just for her past with ric but for her future silence as well, instilling in her a sense of her ce.


    "Hertha, the kids are asking you something,e on, speak up," Kimberly urged, seeing Hertha focused solely on her meal, her anxiety palpable.


    Kimberly had asked Hertha the same question before, to which Hertha denied ric being the father.


    But now, with the kids posing the question again and witnessing Hertha''s evasive demeanor, Kimberly harbored hope.


    Hertha struggled internally but


    quickly masked it with a smile, feigning calm as she told Helena,


    "Helena, you''re still young. Whoe


    you''re older, I promise to tell you who your dad is. Let''s not randomly pick dads for now, okay?"


    Her words effectively denied ric''s paternity.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Helena''s face fell at the response, her spoon slowing in her bowl.


    Julian, too, had been watching Hertha with hopeful eyes, but they dimmed at her words, his spoon aimlessly stirring his food.


    Kimberly''s budding hopes were dashed, her demeanor deted as she served Hertha more food, "Eat up."


    Hertha quickly returned to her meal, falling silent.


    That night after Kimberly and


    after Kimberly and


    Ashton took the kids away, Herthet


    was left alone, curled up on


    , enveloped in meet


    She dialed Thssa, pouring out the day''s events.


    "What? ric thinks the kids are yours with another man?" Thssa was incredulous.


    "He didn''t say it outright, but that


    was the implication," Hertha admitted, her fear of ric discovering the truth about the children shing with the profound disappointment that he didn''t care. In his eyes, what was she? Fickle, flirtatious, carelessly jumping from one bed to another, even having children out of wedlock and continuing her reckless ways?


    No need to wonder, Hertha knew exactly how ric saw her.


    A wave of sadness washed over Hertha, leaving her feeling destely cold.