Alessia hesitated briefly, before nodding. ‘Yes, I’m up for the challenge.’‘Wow, Alessia’s really stepping up.’ This was Jan.‘Yeah, she’s brave. I wonder if she can handle it,’ another colleague said, not without a touch of jealousy.Wilda said, ‘All right then, Miss Jansen, you’re in charge of Lara’s responsibilities for now. Everybody else, continue with your regular tasks. We have deadlines to meet, and I expect everyone to give their best effort.’She turned to Alessia, ‘Miss Jansen, come into my office, please.’Jan said in a low voice, ‘Good luck, Alessia. You’ll need it.’The woman next to her nodded. ‘Yeah, she’s got big shoes to fill.’Alessia took a deep breath and made her way to the chief editor’s office.‘Close the door,’ Wilda said from her seat behind the imposing desk.Alessia obliged.With a discerning gaze, Wilda spoke, her voice laced with a hint of accusation. ‘I know it was you who sent me the anonymous email.’Alessia flinched but quickly recovered. ‘I didn’t s
Alessia stared at Wilda, amazed. ‘You’re really telling it like it is, huh?’Wilda flashed a wry smile and leaned back in her chair. ‘D*mn right I am. When I started BuzzBeat, it was meant to be a beacon of truth, not just another gossip rag. I wanted it to be the go-to for millennials—real news, inspiring tales, and lifestyle stuff that matters.’Alessia was intrigued. ‘I had no idea. That actually sounds like a paper I’d enjoy working for.’Then she quickly backtracked. ‘Of course, I don’t mean I’m not enjoying working here right now.’Wilda smiled and let it slide. ‘It’s fine.’A wistful look came into her eyes. ‘Anyway, that’s what I envisioned for the paper. But with my other ventures in the multi-channel network business, I left BuzzBeat in Jeramy’s hands, thinking he’d carry the torch.’‘And he dropped it,’ Alessia said.‘Big time.’ Wilda frowned. ‘He got lost in all the luxury and forgot our mission.’‘Well, that’s about to change,’ Alessia said hopefully. ‘You’re taking the r
Terence shrugged. ‘I’m not sure, boss. The meeting’s behind closed doors.’Then he added, ‘But I don’t think so. If Mrs Chavez wants to punish Miss Jansen for exposing her husband’s affair, wouldn’t she have dismissed Miss Jansen already? But they’ve been in that meeting for over two hours now.’Logan scowled. ‘Two hours? What the hell are they talking about?’Terence offered a reassuring smile. ‘I’ll keep an eye on things and let you know if anything significant happens.’‘Do that,’ Logan snapped, dismissing his assistant with a wave of his hand.As the minutes ticked by, Logan found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything else.He tried to distract himself with work, but his mind kept drifting back to Alessia and the mysterious meeting with Wilda Hicks.***Wilda and Alessia continued working till lunchtime.Dismissing her suggestion for takeout from Uncle Erasmo’s diner, Alessia’s new boss offered to take her out for a ‘real meal.’Alessia obediently climbed into the backsea
Wilda was pleased by Alessia’s conscientiousness. ‘In my mind, a multimedia interview looks something like this: it involves a written article, along with video and other forms of visual content, such as YouTube Shorts or Tiktok profiles. The written article serves as the backbone of the interview, providing a detailed account of the subject’s life, career, and experiences. I’ll have another team to handle the video component. And I want you to pen the first article.’Alessia was both thrilled by the opportunity and daunted by the challenge.The kind of in-depth interview Wilda was talking about went beyond anything she had done before.Wilda continued, ‘That’s why I was asking about you and Mr Wilde. At just twenty-nine, he’s already achieved so much. He’s a true inspiration for young entrepreneurs and exactly the kind of go-getter I want for the series.’She winked. ‘Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the man’s got brooding good looks and a billionaire status to match.’‘He does have a
Logan sighed before answering. ‘What is it, Heath?’His detective friend greeted him with a knowing smirk. ‘Got a minute to talk?’Logan waved his hand impatiently. ‘Make it quick.’‘I was just talking to your assistant, Terence.’‘Why?’‘I called you first, but your line was busy. So I called him, and we got to talking.’‘Yeah, so?’‘So, he has shared quite a bit with me, especially about you and the intriguing Miss Jansen.’‘That Terence has got a big mouth,’ Logan muttered under his breath. ‘Since you like talking to my assistant so much, maybe you should tell him that his bonus this month has just disappeared.’‘Aw, don’t be like that, Logy. He’s just worried about you. So am I. So, what’s going on between you and Miss Jansen?’Logan’s scowl deepened. ‘None of your business.’‘Oh, come on. Don’t pretend like I’m not seeing the signs. You’ve been moping around since Saturday night.’Logan shot him a warning glare. ‘I’m not moping. I just... I don’t know what I expected.’Heath rais
‘N-n-no, no, no, it’s n-n-not a tabloid anymore,’ Lee hurriedly explained, stumbling over his words. ‘W-we’ve c-c-changed our f-f-focus t-t-to high-quality c-c-content. A-a-and I-I-I promise, the i-i-interview w-will be p-p-professional.’Logan scoffed, clearly unimpressed. ‘I don’t do interviews with amateurs, and I certainly won’t agree to be interviewed by someone who can’t even speak fluently.’Lee’s heart sank at the harsh words, his stammer becoming more pronounced with his anxiety. ‘I-I’m s-s-sorry if I-I-I’m n-n-nervous,’ he managed to say, trying to regain his composure. ‘B-b-but I-I-I’m a g-g-good pho-tographer, and I-I-I promise I-I-I’ll d-do my b-b-best for the i-i-interview.’Logan’s tone remained stern. ‘I don’t have time for this. Get someone else who can talk properly to make the call.’And with that, he hung up on Lee, leaving the photographer feeling dejected and defeated.Lee slumped back in his chair, feeling defeated and dejected.Alessia patted his shoulder comfo
‘How long can a d*mn dinner last?’ Logan grumbled to himself. ‘What the hell are they having, a six-course meal?’He wanted to storm into the diner and confront Alessia, but he also didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing he cared so much.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alessia and the man finished their meal and got up to leave.Logan’s eyes followed them as they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.He started the engine.The street was bustling with people heading home after a long day’s work.Alessia said her goodbyes to Lee, thanking him for his insights and contributions to their upcoming series of interviews.As she strolled towards the bus stop, she couldn’t help but reflect on the changes happening at BuzzBeat.Since Jeramy’s departure, everyone seemed more motivated, and even Lee, with his nervous stutter, had proven to be an interesting and valuable team member.Her mind was filled with thoughts of work and the interviews when suddenly sh
Attempting to confirm Logan’s interest, Alessia asked again, ‘So, are you sure you want to do the interview?’Logan’s response was measured. ‘I’ll need to hear more about it before I decide. After all, BuzzBeat, as a tabloid, isn’t known for its impartial coverage. I have to consider protecting the reputation of me and my company.’Alessia wanted to assure him that BuzzBeat was undergoing significant changes under Miss Wilda Hicks’ visionary leadership. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said, ‘BuzzBeat is transforming, and the profile on you won’t be a scandalous gossip piece. It’ll be an honest portrayal of you and your achievements.’Logan seemed intrigued. ‘I want to hear more about your plans for the interview. Why don’t we find a place to talk?’Alessia hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement. ‘All right, there’s a great dessert place not far from here. But this time, I’m paying.’Logan smirked. ‘Deal. Just don’t scratch me again.’He climbed out of the backseat and settled beh