Chapter 1146

"Hertha, go on in. You'll be staying in this room tonight." Beatrice led Hertha to a door on the second floor, her smile warm and maternal as she motioned for Hertha to enter.

"Thank you," Hertha replied, fighting off the discomfort in her body with a brief response.

She had planned to head home after dinner. Alaric had even agreed to drive her back after their meal.

But who could've predicted that right after they ate, she'd be overcome by an intense heat, her body drenched in sweat, her clothes clinging to her skin?

The sticky discomfort made waiting to get home unbearable. She longed for a shower, and as luck would have it, Beatrice had offered her the use of one and a room to rest. It seemed quite reasonable as an arrangement out of respect.

Staying the night didn't seem like a big deal to Hertha, especially since it was just a guest room, so she agreed.

Entering the luxurious room left Hertha momentarily dumbfounded. The quality of the decor was unmistakably upscale, a stark contrast to the ordinary.

The Falconer family had spared no expense, even in their guest rooms, their wealth evident in every detail. Truly, they were a family of means.

Hertha took a brief moment to examine her surroundings before urgently seeking out the bathroom.

The sweat was pouring from her, and she desperately needed to freshen up.

The bathroom was easy to find, just around the corner from the entrance. The door was ajar, and Hertha pushed it open, intent on reaching the shower. She took a few steps forward when she suddenly realized there was someone in front of her, and it was a man!

The man was shirtless, his lean and attractive upper body clad only in dress pants. His chest was lean but firm, his skin taut, exuding a wild beauty laced with a masculine allure. His stomach was devoid of any excess fat, toned just right, his arms long and strong.

It was the type of physique Hertha liked, not overly showy but radiating a masculine charm, both enchantingly beautiful and robustly male.

Hertha's heart raced at the sight, her cheeks flushing as she gasped, rooted to the spot.

Hearing the noise, Alaric turned to look at Hertha. His narrow, phoenix eyes captured her in a glance.

He saw her standing there, eyes wide as bells, her expression a mix of surprise and panic.

With a playful lift of his eyebrow, Alaric teased, "Are you joining me for a bath?"

Despite her instant attraction to Alaric, she had never seen him shirtless before.

Now, with her body already ablaze with heat, sweat constantly emerging, both her body and heart aflame, her heart threatened to stop, her breath caught, her eyes fixed on Alaric. Reаd at