The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 44

**Shadows Beneath the Silent Moon**
**Rising Echoes by Aiden R. Vale**
**Chapter 44**

“Then kill each other,” Aliyah retorted, her voice sharp and unwavering.

As the weight of her words settled in the air, it became painfully clear that Aliyah was not about to intervene. The tension crackled around them like a live wire, igniting a fierce urgency in the hearts of the combatants. With a primal instinct, they turned on one another, each driven by desperation and the will to survive.

Aliyah, however, was focused solely on Alessa. She grasped her friend’s arm, pulling her away from the chaos that threatened to engulf them.

“Alessa, listen to me,” Aliyah urged, her grip tightening as she sensed Alessa’s fear radiating off her. “You need to kill someone. If you don’t, you’ll fall victim to this madness too.”

“But I don’t know how to do that!” Alessa whimpered, her voice quaking with dread.

The truth hung heavily between them—Alessa had been spared the brutal training that the others endured, her pregnancy rendering her vulnerable and unprepared. She had never even held a weapon, let alone used one.

“Just imagine it,” Aliyah pressed on, her tone a mix of urgency and empathy. “Picture your target as the person you loathe the most. Think of it as Bryan, alright?”

Alessa’s heart sank at the mention of his name. They had shared so much, yet betrayal had stained those memories.

“I don’t hate Bryan,” she protested, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“How can you say that?” Aliyah’s voice rose, a mix of frustration and desperation. “He humiliated you, left you to fend for yourself. He told you to end your pregnancy, to rid yourself of the very life you’re carrying. You have every reason to despise him!”

“Okay, okay,” Alessa sobbed, nodding slowly as she tried to process Aliyah’s words.

With her eyes shut tight, Alessa wrestled with her emotions, desperately searching for the anger that should have been there. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t summon the hatred.

“I can’t, I can’t hate Bryan!” she cried out, her voice breaking.

“For heaven’s sake, Alessa! Do you want to die along with your babies?” Aliyah shouted, her frustration boiling over.

“No,” Alessa whispered, her resolve weakening.

“Then you need to go and kill someone!” Aliyah insisted, shoving her gently towards the fray. Aliyah could no longer bear to remain in the arena, knowing time was slipping away.

Now, it was just Alessa and one other student left standing.

Alessa’s hand shook violently as she clutched the knife, her heart racing as she aimed it at her opponent.

“Why did you put her in there?” one of the teachers demanded, glaring at Madam Olga, who remained unyielding and silent.

“You know she can’t do anything in her condition. This is against the rules!” the teacher pressed, desperation creeping into her voice.

“She had a choice. She chose to keep them,” Madam Olga replied coolly, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene.

“She will die, and with her, the babies!” the teacher exclaimed, her voice rising in alarm.

“She won’t. She’s stronger than she realizes,” Madam Olga stated, her eyes never leaving Alessa, as if she were waiting for a miracle.

“You need to stop this madness! This is against the rules!” one of the teachers shouted at Madam Olga, desperation in her voice.

Madam Olga paid no heed, her focus unwavering on Alessa.

With thoughts racing, Alessa knew she had to act quickly. Time was slipping away, and she couldn’t hold on much longer.

In a bold move, she relinquished her grip on the knife with her injured hand and clutched it with her other hand.

As her grip loosened, the knife sank deeper into her flesh, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she used her injured hand to reach for the weapon again, her determination igniting a fire within her.

With a swift motion, she drove the knife into the lady’s neck, shock flashing across her opponent’s face.

Alessa pulled the blade free and stabbed again, her heart racing as the lady crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Alessa gasped, pulling the knife from her own body as pain radiated through her.

Tears streamed down her face as she rose unsteadily to her feet, the cheers of the crowd ringing in her ears. Madam Olga’s expression was one of satisfaction, a twisted smile playing on her lips.

Aliyah let out a joyful scream, rushing into the arena, her heart swelling with pride for her friend.

But Alessa’s vision began to blur, darkness creeping at the edges as the blood loss took its toll.

She whimpered, her knees buckling beneath her as she collapsed. Aliyah reached her just in time, catching her as she fainted in her arms.