Alessia’s heart swelled with a mix of pride and apprehension as she watched her son prepare for the interview with the admissions committee.Ms Carter had mentioned that the process involved faculty members interacting with him and evaluating his skills through various assessments and auditions.‘Good luck, Milo,’ Alessia whispered, giving him an encouraging smile.Milo flashed a quick grin before sitting down, leaving Alessia to wait outside.She fidgeted with her hands, nerves creeping back in.Ms Carter noticed her restlessness and approached her. ‘Don’t worry, Miss Jansen. Milo’s a bright and charming boy. He’ll do just fine in there.’Alessia offered a grateful smile. ‘Thank you. I’m just... anxious, I suppose.’‘I completely understand,’ Ms Carter said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ‘Let me walk you through what happens during the interview. It’s a relaxed and friendly process to help us get to know Milo better.’As Ms Carter detailed the interview process, Alessia

Alessia stood at the entrance of Nova Heights Academy, her heart pounding louder than the traffic on the bustling Veridian street.Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she watched her son, Milo, his backpack slung over his shoulder, walk confidently towards the school gate.It was his first day, and he seemed unfazed, like he was born ready for this moment.But inside, Alessia’s nerves were in overdrive.She worried about him fitting in, making friends, and thriving in this new environment.Her gaze flickered to the imposing school building and then to the row of luxury cars that lined the street like they were on display in a high-end showroom.Alessia couldn’t help but feel out of place amidst the opulence.Just as she was about to steal a glance at her phone to distract herself, a warm hand slid into hers.She turned to find Milo running back and looking up at her with a reassuring smile.‘Don’t worry, Mom,’ he said in a tone that belied his young age. ‘I’ve got thi

The soft chime of a text message echoed through Logan’s car, drawing his attention away from the road.He glanced at his phone, seeing Sofie’s name on the screen.She was persistent, he had to give her that.Another reminder of her proposal, another inquiry about his thoughts.With a sigh, he tapped out a response. ‘I’ll think about it.’Tossing his phone onto the passenger seat, he took a deep breath and guided his car through the familiar streets towards Albert’s house.As he pulled up to the driveway, he noticed the house was quiet.Only Sunny, the vibrant cockatoo, greeted him with raucous squawks as he stepped into the living room.The bird was flying madly around the space like it was trying to evade a predator. ‘No! No!’Logan’s gaze shifted to the figure of Penshaw, the eccentric house manager, who was scolding the bird for its antics on the sofa cover.‘Ruining the sofa again, aren’t you?’ Penshaw muttered, shaking his head. ‘This is why you can’t have too many nuts. Humans g

Alessia couldn’t make out the man’s face, but his very presence exuded malevolence, his features obscured by the shadows.She forced herself to stay calm as her fingers fumbled behind her back, working to untie the rope that bound her wrists together.The man walked closer.‘What do you want?’ Alessia asked, her voice steady despite the tremor in her heart.The man laughed, a chilling sound that cut through the air like an ice blade.He stepped closer, finally revealing himself.He was tall and muscular, with a shaved head and thick, bushy eyebrows.He was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, and he had a cruel smirk on his face.His small eyes were gleaming with a malevolent intensity.Alessia smelled something foul, like stale beer mixed with greasy takeout food.She squinted her eyes and studied him, her mind racing to place him.But she came up empty.She was positive she had never seen this man before.Alessia swallowed hard.Her voice carried a mix of bravado and desperatio

Back when they were still married, Wilda had given the front door combination to Jeramy.But since she bought the property at The View long before their marriage, it didn’t come up during the divorce proceedings and she’d forgotten all about it.Apparently, Jeramy hadn’t.What the hell was he doing there?Wilda got in her car and gave the address to her driver.As the engine started, she sent a text to Lee. ‘Let me know once you have eyes on Alessia.’***The pounding of blood in her ears drowned out Alessia’s racing heartbeat as she continued grinding the rope with a fierce determination.Her wrists were sore and bleeding, but she knew she couldn’t stop.The metallic clanging signalled the return of her abductor.Alessia remained very still.The iron door creaked open.The man stepped into the dimly lit space, carrying a plastic shopping bag with one hand.Alessia kept her gaze steady, not allowing herself to show any sign of fear.‘I hope you are not getting bored,’ the man said wit