The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 41

**Shadows Beneath the Silent Moon**
*Rising Echoes by Aiden R. Vale*
**Chapter 41**

“Where in the hell is my daughter?” Alessa’s voice cut through the air like a knife, her fury palpable. Heads turned, eyes widening in surprise as the tension in the room escalated.

Brook, caught off guard, stammered, “What? What the hell are you talking about?” He struggled against her, but Alessa’s grip was unyielding, pinning him to the cold, hard ground beneath them.

“Where is she?” Alessa demanded, her voice a low growl, filled with desperation and anger.

Just as she was poised to strike him again, Bryan intervened, seizing her arm and gently yet firmly pulling her away from Brook.

“Get your hands off me!” she retorted, yanking her arm free, her eyes blazing with indignation.

The guards stepped in, assisting Brook to his feet as he rubbed his jaw, a mix of irritation and pain etched on his features.

“Fucking bitch,” he muttered under his breath, shooting her a venomous glare.

“Where is my daughter?” Alessa repeated, her voice steady yet laced with urgency.

“What do I care about your daughter? Why would I know where she is?” Brook shouted back, his tone defensive and accusatory.

Alessa felt the heat of anger rising within her, ready to unleash another retort when Thane appeared behind her, his presence a calming force.

“Maintain,” he whispered softly in her ear, his voice soothing amidst the chaos.

Alessa inhaled sharply, her breath shaky as she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her own skin, grounding herself in pain to stave off the urge to lash out.

“You need to calm down; this won’t help. We will find her. At least we know she’s still somewhere in this building,” Bryan said, his tone firm yet reassuring. Alessa sighed deeply, retreating to a corner where she could gather her thoughts, exhaling heavily as the weight of her worry bore down on her.

Aiden approached her, concern etched on his face.

“Listen, everyone,” he said, his voice carrying authority. “We are searching for a girl, about five years old, with brown hair. She resembles that boy over there.” He gestured towards a young boy, his innocent face a stark contrast to the tension in the room. “Until we find her, no one is leaving this building,” Bryan announced, his voice echoing as murmurs of disbelief rippled through the crowd.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Brook scoffed, his disdain evident.

“All this for a bastard,” he sneered as the others began to search, the atmosphere thick with urgency.

Bryan, overhearing Brook’s contemptuous remarks, stepped closer, his voice low and menacing. “If she had hit you again, you’d be in a coma right now, so count your blessings and shut your mouth. Join the search,” he said, his tone brokering no argument.

Brook met his gaze, a flicker of fear crossing his features.

“Do you have something else to say? Or do you need her to believe you’re involved in her daughter’s disappearance? Because if she thinks that, I assure you, you won’t live to see another sunset,” Bryan added, his voice a dangerous whisper.

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Chapter 41

Brook felt a chill run down his spine at the threat, glancing nervously at Alessa, who stood isolated in her corner, her head bowed in despair.

“Asshole,” he muttered under his breath before turning away, reluctantly joining the search.

Bryan sighed, casting a worried glance in Alessa’s direction. She sat on the floor, her head lowered, while Aiden stood beside her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder, offering silent support.

Bryan turned away, the urgency of the situation pulling him back into the search. His heart raced; his daughter was missing.

“It’s okay, Mum,” Aiden reassured her softly, his voice tender as he patted her shoulder. “We will find her.”

“Sorry, Mum,” he added again, his worry evident as he noticed her silence. It gnawed at him, a heavy weight of guilt settling in his chest.

It had been his idea for them to split up, and now they were all paying the price.

He hesitantly lifted his hand from her shoulder, brushing his fingers gently through her hair, feeling the tension in her body.

“Alessa, are you crying?” he asked softly, concern flooding his voice as he caressed her hair.

“No,” Alessa replied, refusing to meet his gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know how to cry,” she added, her words heavy with unspoken pain.

“Oh,” Aiden responded, taken aback by her admission.

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