Logan sneered. ‘The company has gone downhill for a reason. Wilde Enterprises is doing the lion’s share of the work here. We’ve got everything in place—building permits, financing, the whole package. Redwood, on the other hand, is only in charge of the construction.’‘It can’t be easy work, building a mall of this size,’ Alessia said. ‘The sheer scale of the mall is a daunting task, not to mention the challenges in sourcing materials and managing the timeline.’‘Which is the only reason I offered them twenty-five per cent,’ Logan said. ‘If it were an easy construction job, I could have simply hired another company instead of offering a stake in the business. But now both Brayden and Connie are coming to me, asking for a bigger stake without offering to do any more work.’Alessia nodded. ‘What you say makes sense.’‘It’s equivalent to begging,’ Logan remarked, his tone biting. ‘They fail to see that I could easily replace the construction company, but Redwood can’t afford to find anoth

Connie, struggling to control her rising anger, tried to appeal to their familial bond. ‘I’m your sister, Alessia, and we haven’t seen each other for six years. Aren’t you going to at least invite me in?’‘I would have preferred it if we don’t see each other for the next six decades.’Connie made an awkward attempt to change the subject. ‘I was so surprised to see you in Mr Wilde’s office today. Congratulations, by the way, on getting hired by Wilde Enterprises.’But her true intentions soon became clear as she probed, ‘How did you get the job? Are you Mr Wilde’s secretary?’Alessia glanced over Connie’s shoulders and noticed the door to apartment 604 was cracked open.Terri McCall, the nosy neighbour, must be eavesdropping again.Alessia moved past Connie and said abruptly, ‘Come with me.’Without waiting for a response, she strode towards the elevator.Connie caught up with her, reluctantly following.They rode the lift down in tense silence, then got out of the lobby until Alessia

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’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

‘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