A thought crossed Maximus’s mind. Could his grandmother be grooming Peter to take over if he failed to meet her ultimatum? Lately, that seemed like a possibility he couldn’t dismiss. Their last argument had revealed a side of her he had never seen before.“I need more pictures of this woman. I want
Once Maximus and Mary left the wedding hall, they arrived at the mansion. Mary felt unsettled by the deathly silence during the drive. The only thing Maximus had said was that the honeymoon was canceled.When they got to the mansion, Maximus stepped out of the car first and hurried inside without ev
The morning after the wedding, Mary woke up and struggled to remove her wedding dress. The intricate beading and pearls, meant to symbolize well-wishes, made it nearly impossible to take off by herself. In frustration, she resorted to scissors, cutting parts of the fabric. Afterward, she took a show
Reluctantly, Emma went upstairs and knocked on Mary’s door. She found her already asleep, dressed in comfortable athletic clothes. Remembering how little Mary had slept the night before, Emma hesitated to disturb her. She returned downstairs, determined to serve Maximus herself.“Emma, where’s Mary?
Mary left the clinic and wandered through the city, reluctant to return to the mansion. This time, Maximus had crossed the line, causing her more pain than she could bear. She wanted to call Peter and go back to Galea. 'I never should have left there,' she thought bitterly.Tired from walking aimles
Hearing Matthew's report, Maximus gripped the steering wheel so tightly it was a wonder it didn’t snap. He was torn between wanting to strangle his wife and needing to catch her before she disappeared again.“Matthew, find out which bus she’s on. I’m going to get her.”Without hesitation, Matthew co
Emma, seeing Maximus's unrelenting stance, reluctantly left the mansion. She couldn’t risk losing her job, but her heart was heavy, knowing she was leaving Mary alone in such a volatile situation. She dared not inform the grandmother, fearing it would escalate into a larger problem.As she reached t
Fred left the mansion fuming, but not before reminding Maximus that Mary needed to be seen at the hospital. If not, he would have no choice but to inform Catherine of everything.Once Fred was gone, Maximus approached Mary, who was sitting quietly in the garden, still trying in vain to recover her l
Peter, understanding his son Alden’s intentions regarding Alexia, felt it was wise to stay close. Knowing how impulsive his son could be, he had no choice but to return to Valentia. He entrusted the arrangements to Darius Richards, who secured a central house in Westhaven and enrolled little Ethan a
Marcus chose not to interrupt his girls and instead went to tuck John in. Afterward, he headed to the master bedroom, took a shower, changed into his pajamas, and lay on the bed. The past few days had been exhausting.When he first entertained the idea of returning to Valentia, he never imagined it
“Serenity, he adored you. Even though he wasn’t your biological father, he loved you. If he had stayed with us, I know he would have loved you more than your real father ever could.”Valerie recounted every detail of her life with Peter. Serenity listened quietly, wishing that one day she might find
Serenity released her and nodded silently, her tearful eyes wide with anticipation.Valerie took a deep breath and began. “I told you I fell hopelessly in love with Maximus Palmer, but things didn’t work out. After my suicide attempt, I was discharged from the hospital and went to his grandmother’s
Valerie and Marcus arrived home after a short flight. She had been longing to get back and hug her children. As difficult as it would be, she knew she needed to have an honest conversation with her daughter. Just as she had opened up to Marcus, she now needed to explain everything to her daughter, l
When Alden saw how much his mother was suffering from the revelations, he nearly made the mistake of revealing that his father was alive. He had to bite the inside of his lip to stop himself, clenching his fists so tightly that his palms bore the marks. The pain was almost unbearable. After tucking
After Alden and Grace’s divorce, Grace decided to move to Spain. She had considered returning to Argentina, but her strained relationship with her parents made that impossible. Meanwhile, both Alden and Grace continued to receive unconditional support from Peter, who held Grace in high regard. Their
Alden was stunned. No one had ever spoken to him that way before. His mother had always been gentle, and Ignatius, who he had come to see as a father figure, was patient and understanding.“Take it or leave it! But make up your mind now,” Peter snapped, his tone tinged with exasperation.Alden ran t
After that long conversation, Theodore felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Alden, on the other hand, was in shock. What kind of man had his father been to endure something like this? The whole story sounded absurd, yet it had to be true—after all, the man standing before hi