Suddenly, a deep sense of sorrow washed over him, and he began to feel short of breath as he remembered how just a few weeks ago, she would be waiting for him in the living room with a big smile, saying, “Maximus, dinner is ready! Come on, get comfortable, and let’s eat!”Her broad smile made him fe
Maximus carried Mary in his arms, who had fainted at the sight of him. He felt a deep sense of guilt for his wife's reaction. Before, when she saw him, she would flash a wide, ear-to-ear smile. Then that smile faded into a look of submission, which later turned into anger or indifference. Today, her
Mary ran with all her might and finally spotted Peter's Lamborghini. Though Emma tried to catch up, Mary was faster and had a head start, so the housekeeper could only watch as she got into the car, unable to see who was driving."Let's go, Peter! I'm sure Emma is already alerting Maximus," Mary sai
-Major Flashback-That July 17 had come to an end, and Maximus returned with a girl, eternally grateful for giving him one of the best days of his life.“Mary, I had a wonderful time today, but I need to check my emails, so I won’t be having dinner. You can join Emma. I’m heading to the study.”“Sur
“So, what can I get you to drink?” she asked, taking off her jacket and revealing her collarbone, adorned with a mole that had always driven Maximus wild.“What about you?” Maximus asked, moving closer to her, whispering from behind and grabbing her by the waist.“Maximus!” Alexia responded, a littl
Matthew checked his emails and found Alexia's resume. Her experience was impressive—she had worked for some prestigious companies in Franconia. He couldn't understand why she had decided to return to Valeria when her future seemed so promising abroad.He consulted HR, but unfortunately, there were n
"Thanks for the advice! I'll keep that in mind. Want some coffee? I can make it while you get cleaned up.""Thanks, but Emma can do it.""Don't worry! I'll be happy to make it. You get cleaned up, and I'll prepare your breakfast!"Maximus felt a bit uncomfortable with her words but decided not to sa
"Did you really think I wouldn't find out? Foolish boy, I have eyes and ears everywhere. And don't forget, it's my company. I'm the majority shareholder, and you're just the president. So, if I decide to fire that woman, I will. You'd better show up today and not stand us up.""Grandma! You can't ke
"Thank you, Serenity. I have a lot to think about… But first things first—my daughter and my studies.""That's the spirit, my beautiful sister!" Serenity said, hugging her again.Finally, Serenity turned to Maximus and Diana. She looked at them, and they smiled at her. Maximus opened his arms and pu
Peter watched little Ethan, who still wouldn't meet his eyes. During all the goodbyes, Ethan had avoided coming near him—but now, the moment had come to do what was right."Ethan, come here…" Peter said, looking at the boy.With his head down, Ethan slowly walked toward him. Peter crouched down to t
[A few months earlier ]It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him—as long as he was okay with her company.He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly eve
Valerie approached, one last time, one of the most important women in her life in Valeria.Emma Fiore—the woman who had taken her in almost like a daughter. While they had grown close during the three years Valerie was married to Maximus, their bond went far beyond that. They were family.Emma had c
After that hug, Valerie walked over to Laura, Serenity's sister, with whom she'd developed a bit of a bond."Laura and beautiful Adele—I wish you both all the success in the world… You must finish your studies and use your degree. You're living proof that it's possible—and that's exactly what your l
The day had finally come—the Bartz family and the newly formed Palmer-Bartz family were leaving for Hesperia.Without meaning to, the three families found themselves gathered once again at the airport.Marcus was saying goodbye to Peter, who, due to his memory loss, only held onto the memories of th
While Valerie packed up their things for the move back to Hesperia, Peter was driving with Celeste and their little girls toward Willowcombe.He was taking her to see how the renovations on the house—where they'd soon be living—were coming along.Celeste was in the back seat with the girls, tending
Valerie was packing clothes into the suitcases, though she kept drifting off, thinking about the reason they'd come here in the first place.At first, everything had seemed simple—quick even. Within a few months, they'd be back in Hesperia. But it had already been over a year.Things hadn't gone as
After Maximus said goodbye to Pierre, he went back into the mansion and headed straight to his son's room. Paul was lying on his bed, facing away from the door."Paul, can I come in?" Maximus asked gently."You're already in, Dad… Are you here to scold me for something that happened years ago?" Paul