The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 79

**Shadows Beneath the Silent Moon**
**Rising Echoes by Aiden R. Vale**
**Chapter 79**

**PRESENT**

“Come on, just eat your cake,” Alessa urged, her voice light yet firm, nudging the decadent slice closer to Aiden. He let out an exaggerated huff, rolling his eyes in a theatrical manner before slumping into the chair beside her, the burdens of the day evident in the droop of his shoulders.

“Oh, you really need a partner too,” Tracy chimed in, her gaze darting playfully between Alessa and Aiden, a teasing grin dancing on her lips.

“No, I don’t,” Alessa shot back, her frown deepening as she crossed her arms defiantly, a gesture that spoke volumes of her irritation.

“Yes, you absolutely do! It’s essential that you show up with someone,” Tracy insisted, her voice adopting a mock-serious tone, as if the very fabric of the universe depended on Alessa’s social choices.

“Bryan offered to be her partner,” Aiden interjected out of the blue, his eyes glinting with mischief as he glanced at Alessa. Tracy’s surprise was immediate and palpable.

“What? Seriously?” she exclaimed, her brows shooting up in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape.

“He was just joking. He didn’t mean it,” Alessa replied, rolling her eyes once more, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice as if the very thought of Bryan was an irritation she could do without.

“Lydia will kill you if you even think about accepting,” Tracy laughed, her lighthearted tone contrasting sharply with the tension that hung in the air like a thick fog.

“The mean lady?” Aiden asked, tilting his head curiously, trying to piece together the dynamics of their little circle. Tracy nodded, a smirk still lingering on her face.

“Hmmm. Was she the reason Bryan divorced Mummy and kicked her out?” Aria piped up suddenly, her wide eyes fixed on them with an intensity that made Aiden squirm in his seat.

“Ugh, Aria. You’ve got to stop asking these questions,” Aiden groaned, feeling the weight of her inquisitive gaze pressing down on him. She shot him a glare, unyielding and fierce.

“I wasn’t asking you. I was asking Tracy,” she clarified, turning her attention back to Tracy, who looked equally taken aback by the sudden spotlight on her.

“Me?” Tracy echoed, her surprise evident, her eyes darting between Aria and Alessa.

“Yes. Was it because of Lydia?” Aria pressed, her curiosity relentless, as if she were a detective on the verge of uncovering a major scandal.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t around,” Tracy responded with a nonchalant shrug, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of uncertainty, hinting at a deeper story she wasn’t ready to share.

“Really? Where were you?” Aiden asked, genuinely intrigued, leaning forward as if to draw out the tales of Tracy’s past adventures.

“Travelling around the world,” Tracy said, a smile breaking across her face as she recalled her escapades, the memories clearly cherished and vibrant in her mind.

As their chatter faded, Alessa found herself drifting into a sea of contemplation, her thoughts swirling around the concept of a partner. A partner? Had she ever truly experienced that kind of connection? The idea felt foreign, almost elusive, like a mirage shimmering just out of reach.

**SIX YEARS AGO**

“Thank you for agreeing to have lunch with me,” Aliyah said, her voice soft but laced with an underlying tension as they sat together, forks clinking against plates in the otherwise quiet café. Alessa merely nodded, her thoughts swirling in a tempest of confusion and hurt, the weight of their history pressing down on her like a heavy shroud.

Despite her best efforts to move past the betrayal Aliyah had inflicted upon her, the wounds felt fresh, the scars still throbbing as if they were newly opened. Silence enveloped them like a thick fog, the air charged with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Finally, Alessa broke the stillness, her voice barely a whisper, filled with a mixture of dread and determination.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify