The Billionaire’s Regret -Alessa (by Bukolami) novel Chapter 59

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

Tracy’s scream pierced the air like a shard of glass as Alessa’s finger squeezed the trigger. The world around her seemed to freeze for a moment, her eyes widening with disbelief as the reality of the situation crashed over her like a tidal wave. Bianca’s wail echoed through the dimly lit room, a haunting sound that filled the space with an unbearable tension.

Alessa, her expression unreadable, snapped a quick photo of the lifeless body sprawled before them. With a practiced motion, she slipped her phone into her pocket, her gaze shifting to Bryan. In an instant, she raised her weapon again, her finger twitching as she fired, the bullet striking his phone and sending it clattering to the ground.

Bryan recoiled, a low groan escaping his lips as he clutched his hand, pain etched across his features.

Alessa surveyed the room, her instincts sharp as she tucked her gun back into the folds of her coat.

“I didn’t mean to ruin the party,” she said nonchalantly, a casual shrug accompanying her words as she turned her attention to Tracy.

“Tracy, are you coming?” The question hung in the air, an invitation laced with urgency.

Tracy stood frozen, her mind racing yet her voice trapped in her throat.

“W-we… we should get… get help for Bianca,” she stammered, her thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind.

“Oh, she’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch. Come on,” Alessa replied dismissively, her tone almost cheerful as she beckoned Tracy closer.

Tracy glanced at Bryan, her eyes pleading for some form of reassurance, but he remained silent, his gaze locked on Alessa with a mix of fear and confusion. Tyler, too, stood mute, their collective shock rendering them statuesque.

Slowly, as if moving through molasses, Tracy approached Alessa, who greeted her with a smile that was both warm and unsettling.

Alessa grasped Tracy’s hand, pulling her out of the building and into the night, the cool air wrapping around them like a shroud.

As they drove through the darkened streets, the weight of silence settled heavily in the car. Tracy felt a strange calmness wash over her, the tremors of earlier fading into the background.

“You can ask questions now, and I will answer them all,” Alessa offered, her voice steady but with an edge of something unspoken.

Tracy remained silent, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. After a few moments, she finally broke the silence.

“What do you do for a living?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued despite the chaos that had just unfolded.

Alessa’s lips curled into a smirk, her eyes glinting with a mixture of pride and mischief. “I own various companies and dabble in investments as a side hustle. But my main gig? Well, that’s what most would consider a bad thing. I’m an assassin, and I smuggle drugs and weapons. I take trips for jobs like the one you just witnessed.”

Tracy’s heart raced at the revelation, her mind reeling. “Your kids… do they know about this? Was that why they helped you get information from Bianca’s kids?”

Alessa chuckled, the sound light and almost carefree. “Come on, Tracy. They’re five! Of course, they don’t know about any of this. Their early years were tough; they saw me doing a lot of bad things while I was on the run, but they can’t remember any of it now.” She paused, her expression softening. “And they helped me because I convinced Aria it was for business—good business.”

“Run!” they chorused, laughter spilling from their lips as they dashed toward the entrance of their suite. Just as they were about to reach it, Thane emerged from around a corner, his presence commanding as he scooped both children into his arms.

Their laughter filled the hallway as he spun them around, oblivious to Alessa’s arrival.

“Let us go! Mum is here; you’re about to get fired!” Aiden shouted, giggles escaping him as Thane turned to see Alessa and Tracy walking out of the elevator.

The twins scampered into the suite, their energy infectious. Thane, ever the gentleman, bowed slightly as Alessa approached him, Tracy in tow.

“She got hurt, take care of it,” Alessa instructed, her tone firm as she stepped into the suite, leaving Thane to attend to Tracy.

Thane glanced at Tracy, his expression shifting from playful to serious as he took in her injury.

“Come,” he said softly, leading her toward his suite. Tracy rolled her eyes but followed him nonetheless, curiosity gnawing at her.

Inside, she settled onto the bed, watching as Thane rummaged through his bag for a first aid kit. He approached her with a gentle demeanor, his fingers careful as he took her hand in his.

“So, you put bullets in people’s heads for a living too?” Tracy asked, her voice laced with a mix of sarcasm and genuine curiosity as she observed him tending to her wound.

Thane met her gaze, a flicker of surprise in his eyes before he chuckled softly, the tension in the room dissipating ever so slightly.