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
‘Um, an emergency. A personal emergency.’ Alessia decided this was not the right time to reveal Milo’s existence even though Logan already knew she had a son. ‘Can I ask for the rest of the day off?’Logan studied her anxious face. ‘Fine. I’ll get Terence to drive you.’‘No, thanks. I’ll just get a cab.’ Alessia gave him a grateful smile before rushing out of the building and hailing a taxi to Milo’s kindergarten.When she arrived, she was met by a teacher and Kath Sutton, who led her to a private room to discuss the incident.They explained that Milo had managed to hack into the school’s computer system and made changes to the class schedules, resulting in virtual classes being shut down for the entire day.Alessia’s eyes widened in astonishment. ‘Milo did that?’ she asked incredulously.‘Yes, he did,’ Mrs Sutton confirmed. ‘We couldn’t believe it ourselves until we saw the evidence.’Alessia took a deep breath, trying to process the information.She had always known her son was inte
Milo shook his head, trying to reassure his mother. ‘No, it’s not bullying, I can handle it, and it’s mostly just boring.’Alessia sighed, realizing that her decision to keep Milo in kindergarten, thinking she could give him a normal childhood, might have been misguided.She hadn’t fully understood the extent of his advanced intellect and the challenges it posed for him in a regular setting.The ice cream seemed to melt faster than usual as they both lost themselves in deep thoughts.Alessia took a spoonful of her raspberry ripple ice cream, savouring its tangy sweetness.‘I want what’s best for you, Milo,’ she said softly, gazing at her son with love in her eyes. ‘I don’t want to hold you back from reaching your full potential. If the gifted school can offer you the right opportunities, then we should seriously consider it.’Milo looked up at her. ‘You always take care of me, Mom.’Alessia smiled warmly. ‘And I always will, no matter what.’As they finished their ice creams, Alessia