Logan and Albert sat down at the long dining table.‘Where’s Arlie?’ Logan asked.‘Still at school.’ Albert tied the bib around his neck.His hands, which used to be able to hold a sniper rifle for hours without moving, weren’t as steady as they used to be.Logan frowned.He checked his watch. ‘It’s twenty minutes past seven. What school would keep a five-year-old at this hour?’Albert’s lips twitched, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. ‘Maybe if you’d been more involved, you’d know.’Logan’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing slightly. ‘I am involved, Grandpa.’Albert snorted softly. ‘Involved in your businesses, perhaps. But what about in Arlie’s life?’Logan’s fingers tapped rhythmically against his glass. ‘He’s my son, of course I care.’Albert’s gaze didn’t waver, his tone tinged with challenge. ‘Care enough to know that he’s been showing a real talent for math and science? Or that he’s taken up fencing, and music?’Logan’s eyebrows knitted together as he absorbed this information. ‘F
Dr Booker’s voice held a note of sympathy. ‘As you know, the average lifespan of a patient with a pacemaker is eight to twenty years. Albert is in his fifth year now, so, you know…’Logan knew the implication of the doctor’s unfinished sentence.‘But here’s the thing,’ Dr Booker continued, his tone measured, ‘if Albert’s spirits are up, if he’s got something to look forward to, that might extend his time with us.’Logan nodded, his voice sombre. ‘I see. Thank you, doctor.’The doctor’s tone softened. ‘Of course, Mr Wilde. If you have any more questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.’Logan thanked the doctor again and then hung up.He walked to the window and gazed out.Albert was shuffling about the garden with the help of a walker.Sunny, perched on the old man’s shoulder, occasionally flew off to sample a petal or a worm, which would inevitably earn him a scolding from Albert. ‘You’ve already had your dinner!’‘Dinner! Dinner!’ Sunny bobbed his head as if agreeing with h
Alessia’s heart swelled with a mix of pride and apprehension as she watched her son prepare for the interview with the admissions committee.Ms Carter had mentioned that the process involved faculty members interacting with him and evaluating his skills through various assessments and auditions.‘Good luck, Milo,’ Alessia whispered, giving him an encouraging smile.Milo flashed a quick grin before sitting down, leaving Alessia to wait outside.She fidgeted with her hands, nerves creeping back in.Ms Carter noticed her restlessness and approached her. ‘Don’t worry, Miss Jansen. Milo’s a bright and charming boy. He’ll do just fine in there.’Alessia offered a grateful smile. ‘Thank you. I’m just... anxious, I suppose.’‘I completely understand,’ Ms Carter said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ‘Let me walk you through what happens during the interview. It’s a relaxed and friendly process to help us get to know Milo better.’As Ms Carter detailed the interview process, Alessia
Alessia wondered what Logan was up to, whether he was thinking of her as she thought of him.The silence between them felt heavy, a lingering void that she was unsure how to bridge.Then she quickly shook herself out of that thought.She was working.Now was not the time to get distracted.Alessia leaned forward. ‘So, is it true that you made your first pot of gold selling handcrafted jewellery when you were just fourteen?’Ramon’s laughter filled the room, warm and infectious. ‘Well, there’s certainly some truth to that. Selling jewellery might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I did dabble in creating and selling some trinkets online back in the day.’Their eyes locked for a moment, and Alessia couldn’t help but admire the charisma that radiated from Ramon.As the interview unfolded, Ramon’s rags-to-riches story emerged, painting a vivid picture of fortitude and resilience.He spoke of long nights coding in his basement, of making sacrifices to fund his dreams, and of the unwavering
Alessia stood at the entrance of Nova Heights Academy, her heart pounding louder than the traffic on the bustling Veridian street.Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she watched her son, Milo, his backpack slung over his shoulder, walk confidently towards the school gate.It was his first day, and he seemed unfazed, like he was born ready for this moment.But inside, Alessia’s nerves were in overdrive.She worried about him fitting in, making friends, and thriving in this new environment.Her gaze flickered to the imposing school building and then to the row of luxury cars that lined the street like they were on display in a high-end showroom.Alessia couldn’t help but feel out of place amidst the opulence.Just as she was about to steal a glance at her phone to distract herself, a warm hand slid into hers.She turned to find Milo running back and looking up at her with a reassuring smile.‘Don’t worry, Mom,’ he said in a tone that belied his young age. ‘I’ve got thi
In front of the school gate, laughter and excited chatter filled the air as children ran around, catching up with friends and sharing stories of their weekends.They might be some of the smartest children in the city, but they were still kids.Amidst the joyful chaos, a teacher’s voice rang out, strong and commanding. ‘All right, everyone! It’s time to head to your classrooms. Let’s start the day!’Instantly, the buzz of activity transformed into a sea of movement as children said goodbyes to their parents, their backpacks slung over their shoulders and faces flushed with excitement.Milo turned to Alessia with a bright smile. ‘Goodbye, Mom.’Alessia leaned down and kissed his cheek. ‘Have a great day, sweetheart. Either I or Aunt Veronica will be here to pick you up at five.’Milo nodded. ‘Okay.’‘It was nice meeting you, Arlie,’ Alessia said to the boy. ‘It’s Milo’s first day here. I hope maybe you can show him around.’Arlie nodded, his expression serious despite his young age. ‘Yo
The soft chime of a text message echoed through Logan’s car, drawing his attention away from the road.He glanced at his phone, seeing Sofie’s name on the screen.She was persistent, he had to give her that.Another reminder of her proposal, another inquiry about his thoughts.With a sigh, he tapped out a response. ‘I’ll think about it.’Tossing his phone onto the passenger seat, he took a deep breath and guided his car through the familiar streets towards Albert’s house.As he pulled up to the driveway, he noticed the house was quiet.Only Sunny, the vibrant cockatoo, greeted him with raucous squawks as he stepped into the living room.The bird was flying madly around the space like it was trying to evade a predator. ‘No! No!’Logan’s gaze shifted to the figure of Penshaw, the eccentric house manager, who was scolding the bird for its antics on the sofa cover.‘Ruining the sofa again, aren’t you?’ Penshaw muttered, shaking his head. ‘This is why you can’t have too many nuts. Humans g
Logan’s irritation flared at the implication. ‘You guessed wrong. Get that team back in place. I need to know what she’s doing.’‘Yes, sir.’ Terence nodded and excused himself to make the arrangements.As the door closed, Logan leaned back in his chair, his mind whirring with thoughts that refused to be suppressed.Alessia’s absence from his life for the past week gnawed at him, her sudden disappearance a puzzle he needed to solve.Why hadn’t she reached out?What was keeping her occupied?He ran his fingers through his hair, his mind churning with possibilities.The only justifiable excuse for her silence was if she was away on a business trip.Otherwise, why wouldn’t she call or at least text?A sense of restlessness settled over him, a nagging feeling that demanded his attention.He was used to being in control, to having answers to every question.But with Alessia, it was different.She had managed to slip through his carefully constructed defences, leaving behind a trail of intri