‘Of course not!’ Connie feigned a wounded look. ‘I’m trying to show you how sorry I am.’‘By turning up at my doorstep uninvited?’ Alessia shook her head. ‘You and Brayden, the two of you are made for each other. Both of you have perfected the art of turning a deaf ear when you don’t like what you are hearing.’‘I just thought I could maybe take you out for a meal. We can talk, and—’‘See?’ Alessia wagged a finger. ‘You just did it again. I asked you to leave, not once, not twice, but three d*mn times, but it’s like talking to a wall. You just plough ahead and stick to your script.’Connie’s mask of serenity showed a slight crack as her nostrils flared and her jaw clenched.‘Let me guess,’ Alessia continued. ‘You know I won’t forgive you, but you’ve made it clear you won’t give up easily either. This means the only option left for me, if I don’t want to be harassed by you and your husband, is to leave Veridian.’‘No, I said I don’t want you to leave,’ Connie said hastily. ‘I’m glad yo
Alessia blew out a breath. ‘Finally, you got to the point. I was afraid you were going to keep beating around the bushes all night. Mr Wilde and your precious project—that’s why you came to see me, right?’‘I admit, it’s one of the reasons.’ Connie continued, unabashed, ‘I also wanted to see you and Veronica and ask you to come back to live with me and Brayden.’Alessia couldn’t help but scoff at the absurdity of the request. ‘Come back and live with you and Brayden? Are you serious? After everything that’s happened?’Connie sounded earnest. ‘I want us to be a family again, Alessia. I know I made mistakes, but I want to make things right.’‘Let me get this straight: you want me to ask Logan to help save your failing company and give you a higher stake in the joint project, all in exchange for the money you owe Veronica and an invitation to come back and live with you?’‘It’s not a trade. I know it sounds bad when you put it that way, but I just want what’s best for all of us.’‘I won’
Alessia sighed. ‘Okay, I’ll see what I can do.’Heath’s tone brightened. ‘That’s the spirit! I’ll make it worth your while. How about I officially hire you as a consultant for this job and pay you a handsome fee?’Alessia’s eyes widened, not expecting such an offer. ‘How much are we talking about here?’Heath chuckled. ‘A thousand dollars.’‘Deal!’ Alessia said in a heartbeat. ‘And I want an exclusive interview with you after the case closes.’‘Sure, no problem. But remember, I need the results by eight am tomorrow morning’Alessia nodded, even though Heath couldn’t see it. ‘I’ll do my best.’‘Thanks, Alessia. You’re a lifesaver,’ Heath said gratefully before hanging up.As the call ended, Alessia took a deep breath and got to work.She pulled up her laptop, curled up on the sofa, and began trawling through the BuzzBeat archives and various databases.Her fingers danced across the keyboard, the click-clack sounds keeping her company.Hours seemed to pass like minutes as she sifted thr
Alessia’s heart was starting to pound furiously, her pulse out of control.Trying to keep her composure, she asked casually, ‘How long have you been living at Whispering Pines?’Heath signed the cheque, smiled at the waitress, then took a sip of his coffee, his eyes searching Alessia’s face. ‘Almost seven years now. I bought an apartment there after I mustered out of the army.’Alessia’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the timeline.She tried to keep her voice even. ‘I didn’t know you served.’Heath chuckled. ‘Not for any noble reason, though. The army life was tough and interesting at first, but got boring after a while. After I left, I just wanted to relax and have some fun for a while. I worked in security for about six months before that started to bore me as well.’Alessia, still thinking about Whispering Pines, asked absentmindedly, ‘Security? That must have been fun.’Heath grinned. ‘The job itself wasn’t all that exciting, but the workplace was something else. I worked
She shouldn’t jump to conclusions.Still, Alessia’s heart raced as she stepped into the opulent lobby of Wilde Enterprises with five minutes to spare.She had been here just yesterday, but this time felt different.With her new access card in hand, she flashed it at the security checkpoint and was cleared through to Logan’s floor without having to wait in the lobby.She paused in front of the CEO’s impressive double oak door.She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before entering.Stepping inside, she greeted Logan with a bright but slightly distracted ‘Good morning.’Setting down her bag, she tried to appear composed, but Logan, ever perceptive, sensed her turmoil immediately.‘Are you forgetting something?’ he asked, raising an eyebrow.Alessia furrowed her brows. ‘What?’A small smile played on Logan’s lips.‘You lost the bet yesterday; Connie found you, didn’t she?’ he said, the amusement evident in his voice.Alessia nodded absentmindedly.The memory of the bet came bac
‘I’m sorry, ma’am,’ the person replied, ‘but the process can’t be rushed. We need to ensure accurate and reliable results.’Alessia hung up, feeling even more agitated.She knew she had to be patient, but waiting was never her strong suit, especially when so much was at stake.As she paced back and forth, her mind wandered back to the fateful night six years ago.She tried to recall every detail, every emotion she experienced that night.The memories were hazy, clouded by time and emotions, but she needed to piece together any clues that might lead her to the truth.She remembered the soft breeze that night as she wandered through the campsite, the laughter of couples in love, and the flickering lights of the bonfire, but she could not, no matter how hard she tried, remember the face of the mystery man.Alessia tried to envision herself with both Logan and Heath, but it was difficult.***[Six Years Ago]Back in college, Alessia and Brayden had an unspoken understanding.They were sor
Alessia’s inhibitions seemed to have faded away, and she focused solely on the figure in front of her.Her hands moved with urgency as she attacked the man’s belt, her heart racing with anticipation.The rest of the night happened in a blur, and Alessia’s memories were fragmented.Flashes of passion and desire mixed with confusion and haze.She was consumed by a whirlwind of emotions, her senses overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment.Hours later, morning broke over Lovestruck Haven, but for Alessia, it was a harsh awakening.Groggy and disoriented, she woke up in a state of agony.Her head was splitting with pain, her eyes puffy, and her entire body ached.Her dress lay in tatters, a reminder of the events that unfolded last night.She was alone in the tent.Alessia assumed Brayden must have left the tent earlier.But when she heard familiar voices outside, her pulsed started to spike, a sense of impending doom setting in.Brayden was there, talking to Connie.Her instincts told
‘So, Logan,’ Alessia began casually, ‘I was just wondering about Heath. Do you think he’s the type to have one-night stands or random hook-ups?’Logan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he studied Alessia intently. ‘Why the sudden interest in Heath?’ he asked, his tone tinged with suspicion. ‘You already asked about him twice in one morning.’Trying to appear nonchalant, Alessia quickly thought of an excuse. ‘You know I’m working on a series of features for BuzzBeat, and I think Heath might be an interesting subject for an interview,’ she explained, hoping her story would be convincing enough.But Logan wasn’t easily fooled.He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, and gave her a knowing look. ‘You’re a terrible liar, Alessia,’ he said bluntly. ‘What’s really going on?’Alessia sighed, realizing her attempt at deception had failed.She decided to be honest with Logan, to some extent at least. ‘Okay, fine,’ she admitted, ‘I’m just curious about him, that’s all. We’ve met a coup