The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 76

**Shadows Beneath the Silent Moon**
*Rising Echoes by Aiden R. Vale*
**Chapter 76**

“Why on earth would you choose to host the third ball of the season?” Aiden asked, his voice laced with incredulity as he observed Alessa, who let out a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her responsibilities.

“Well, it seems I’m still the newcomer around here,” Alessa replied, her tone tinged with sarcasm, a defensive shield against the pressures mounting around her.

“But you’re not really new. You’ve been married to him before,” Aiden pointed out, his gaze shifting to Bryan, who stood awkwardly in the corner, his discomfort palpable as he avoided their eyes.

“Why did you two separate? What made you kick her out? Did she do something wrong?” Aria chimed in, her youthful curiosity shining through as she turned her wide eyes towards Bryan, innocence radiating from her small frame.

Caught off guard by the barrage of questions, Bryan’s lips parted slightly, and he found himself momentarily speechless, realizing that the children had overheard everything.

“Hey! You’re supposed to support Mum! So what if she made a mistake? He had no right to throw her out, no matter what! He’s a terrible person!” Aiden exclaimed, his voice rising in indignation as he shot a fierce glare at Bryan, his protective instincts flaring.

“Thank you, Aiden,” Alessa said, a grateful smile breaking through her earlier frustration, a brief glimmer of warmth in the otherwise tense atmosphere.

“Don’t twist my words into something sinister just because I’m asking questions. I genuinely want to know—what did she do, Bryan?” Aria pressed, her eyes narrowing as she and Alessa turned their focus back to him, the tension in the room thickening like fog.

“Yes, Bryan. What did I do?” Alessa asked, her arms crossed defiantly, and a nervous chuckle escaped Bryan as he raked his fingers through his hair, clearly flustered by the mounting pressure.

“See? Mum did nothing wrong,” Aiden interjected, his voice firm and unwavering, a young knight defending his queen.

“You kicked her out without any reason?” Aria asked, disappointment dripping from her words, her innocence clashing with the harsh realities of adult conflicts.

Bryan let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the moment pressing down on him like a heavy shroud. He knew he had to articulate the best response he could muster, but the truth was a bitter pill to swallow.

“I hated her,” he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper as he turned his gaze away from Aria, locking eyes with Alessa instead, the gravity of his revelation hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

“I hated her; her very presence grated on my nerves. I wanted nothing more than for her to feel pain and to suffer,” Bryan confessed, his words echoing in the silence, casting a shadow over the room.

The atmosphere fell silent for a few seconds, the tension palpable until Aiden broke the stillness, his voice cutting through like a knife.

“And now?” he asked, his curiosity piqued, eyes wide with the desire for understanding.

“I… I don’t know,” Bryan muttered, his gaze shifting away from Alessa to the children, who remained blissfully unaware of the emotional storm brewing around them.

“It’s okay to hate me; you have every right to,” Alessa said softly, her voice surprisingly calm, a serene surface masking the turbulence within. Aiden couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

“I already hated you without a reason,” he joked, winking at Alessa, who shook her head, a smile creeping onto her face despite the heaviness of the conversation.

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