The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 65

**Shadows Beneath the Silent Moon**
**Rising Echoes by Aiden R. Vale**
**Chapter 65**

**SIX YEARS AGO**

Alessa shuffled her feet, each step heavy with frustration as she made her way back to her room. The air around her felt thick with resentment towards Rico; she had no desire to see him right now. The thought of him made her heart race, not with love, but with anger.

What stung the most was the fleeting time she had spent with her babies. It felt like a cruel joke that she had barely held them before they were taken away.

Upon reaching her door, she hesitated for a moment, then pushed it open slowly. As she stepped inside, a wave of warmth enveloped her. Instantly, a flurry of movement caught her attention, and she was greeted by the excited faces of the women who had been waiting for her. Aliyah stood at the forefront, her expression a mixture of concern and eagerness.

“Alessa! How are you? How are the babies? Are they okay?” Aliyah’s questions tumbled out in a rush, her eyes sparkling with genuine care. Alessa looked around, surprised to see so many familiar faces, all of whom seemed to share in her joy and worry.

“I’m okay,” she managed to reply, her voice slightly shaky. “My babies are okay too. It’s a boy and a girl.”

The room erupted into cheers, and Alessa felt a flutter of disbelief. She had never realized how much these women actually cared for her. Their usual silence had led her to think otherwise.

“But why the long face? You look so sad,” one of the women said, her brow furrowing with concern. Alessa nodded, feeling the weight of her emotions.

“Hmm. They took them from me and said I won’t get to see them until I am done here,” she confessed, her voice trembling with the weight of her heartache.

“Oh,” they all chorused, their expressions turning somber.

“It’s alright. Just think of it as motivation to get through all your tasks,” one woman suggested, and the others nodded in agreement, their expressions brightening a little.

“What if I… ” Alessa began but was swiftly interrupted.

“You won’t die here. You will survive every task and see your babies again,” Aliyah interjected firmly, and Alessa nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek.

“What are their names?”

“Do they have names already?”

“We have names for them!”

“Yes, we made a list of names from each of us!”

The excitement in their voices was palpable as one of them handed over a piece of paper. Alessa stared at it, a chuckle escaping her lips as tears streamed down her face. Her heart swelled with joy at the realization that she was not alone in this journey.

“It’s mostly unisex names because we had no idea of the genders, but they are all lovely names,” Aliyah explained, her eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.

Through her tears, Alessa nodded appreciatively. “It’s Aria and Aiden, but I will add this to their names. All of it,” she declared, feeling a sense of belonging wash over her. Aliyah enveloped her in a warm embrace, a smile gracing her lips.

“It’s okay, you’re going to get out of here,” Aliyah assured her, the warmth of her words wrapping around Alessa like a comforting blanket.

“For Aria and Aiden!” one of the women shouted, her voice ringing with enthusiasm.

“For Aria and Aiden!” they all echoed, their voices rising in a joyful chorus, and Alessa couldn’t help but smile through her tears.

—

“Don’t wear that stone necklace,” Aiden said, stepping closer to Aria in her room. They were both busy preparing for the Harts’ dinner, the air thick with anticipation.

“But mummy will want me to wear it. It’s their dinner, and I need to show appreciation,” Aria replied, her voice laced with determination.

“But I don’t like it,” Aiden insisted, standing firm in front of her, his arms crossed defiantly.

“And your opinion doesn’t matter,” Aria shot back, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

“Here, help me with it,” she said, handing the necklace over to him. Aiden rolled his eyes but moved behind her, reluctantly assisting her with the clasp.

Just then, the door swung open, and Alessa entered the room. They knew it was her before even turning to face her.

“Don’t say we look cute. We don’t,” Aiden blurted out before Alessa could utter a word, and she chuckled at his candidness.

“I’ll take a picture then,” she said, pulling out her phone and snapping a quick photo of her children.

Once Aiden finished helping Aria, they both turned to their mother, their expressions expectant.

“Mum, tell her not to wear the necklace,” Aiden pleaded, his voice earnest.

“No, it makes them mad, so she should wear it,” Alessa replied, a teasing glint in her eye. Aiden groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically.

“Come on, let’s go,” she urged, and they all headed out, the air buzzing with excitement.

As they settled into the car, Thane joined them, and the chauffeur smoothly pulled away from the mansion.

“It’s a normal dinner, right?” Aria asked, her brow slightly furrowed with concern.

“There’s nothing normal about the Harts, but yes. It should be a typical dinner,” Alessa reassured her, though a hint of uncertainty lingered in her voice.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify