Emma and Mary arrived at Fred’s clinic, and he was visibly surprised to see Mary accompanied by the housekeeper rather than Maximus.“Mary! How are you feeling?” he asked warmly.“Hi, Fred. I’m okay. Honestly, I don’t really know what happened. I just remember heading toward the stairs, and after th
That afternoon, as Mary tended the garden with music blasting from her small speaker, she didn’t notice the shadow looming behind her. Maximus had returned. The loud music had drawn his attention to the garden, where he found his wife singing cheerfully, her clothes smudged with dirt and her face gl
Maximus looked up from his desk. “Mary… Come in.”Her heart sank at the unexpected invitation. She hadn’t planned for this. Memories of their last confrontation flashed through her mind, and she hesitated.“Come in,” he repeated firmly. “I need to talk to you.”She stepped inside reluctantly, bracin
Mary left the study carefully after hearing Maximus. Once she was in the hallway, he heard her running down the stairs. A smile appeared on Maximus’s face. Silently, he followed her and listened as she excitedly shared the good news with Emma.“Ma’am, but we haven’t decorated the house in ages. The
-[Maximus' Thoughts]I can’t deny I miss Alexia, but I’m so angry with her—her silence, her absence, leaving without a word. It’s the same as years ago when she went to Paris.Spending time with Mary confuses me. Alexia’s absence, her not being here to whisper in my ear about what to do with this g
Mary and Emma focused on preparing dinner, completely unaware of when Maximus had left the mansion. As the sun began to set, Mary went up to her room and found the dress and jewelry box her husband had left for her. When she opened the box, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The dress was daring,
“Love, I missed you so much!”“I missed you too, but…” Maximus hesitated.“I know, I know! I’ve been a bad girl. There’ll be time for you to punish me later…”“Alexia, I need to go back home. You know I don’t like celebrating Christmas.”“I know, which is why there are no decorations here. For me, i
Maximus sat on a bench, reflecting on the direction of his life. After an hour, he returned to his car and drove to Alexia’s apartment. He had made a decision. 'Sometimes love hurts,' he thought.“Can I stay here?” he asked when she opened the door.“Of course, love! This is your home. What happened
After a few emotional minutes at Peter’s final resting place, Marcus Bartz gently urged Valerie to leave. The security team had signaled that someone was loitering nearby—a risk Marcus couldn’t afford.“My beloved Valerie, we need to go. It’s dangerous to stay here,” Marcus said, his eyes scanning t
After half an hour of driving, a convoy of three SUVs arrived at the entrance of Flavian Cemetery. From the lead vehicle stepped the striking couple, returning to Valentia after what felt like an eternity away.The man took the woman’s hand and helped her out of the SUV. A bodyguard handed them the
[In Ambervale, two decades later]In a private hangar at Flameco Airport in Eterna, a strikingly beautiful woman with long blonde hair descended from a sleek private jet. Ahead of her was a tall, commanding man with sharp, rugged features, his face partially covered by a neatly trimmed beard and a p
In Ambervale, two months had passed since Albert’s death, and Agent Count had finally uncovered key information related to Albert Preston’s arrest.“Mrs. Catherine, can we meet? I have something I believe will interest you. I’ve sent part of it to your email, but it’s imperative you see the rest in
Peter and Mary arrived home in Galea after their long journey. Mary was still fragile, so Peter had instructed the staff to provide her with all the help she might need. Agnes, ever attentive, had prepared a delicious meal, knowing the expectant mother needed nourishment. She felt it was her duty to
Maximus arrived in Valeria and went straight to see Alexia. He knew it wouldn’t be easy to face her anger, but he hadn’t expected to find her in loose clothing, her eyes and nose red from crying. When his gaze fell on her swollen belly, he felt like the most miserable man alive. She was the mother o
As Marcus learned of Albert Preston’s death, Catherine retreated to her bedroom, carrying the urn holding the ashes of the man who had been her last love. Meanwhile, Peter lay on the bed, gently stroking Mary’s hair. The soothing motion had helped her relax enough to sleep, so Peter remained still,
Marcus Bartz had just settled into a luxurious house along Coravela’s Arcfield Boulevard, overlooking the beach. The property offered stunning ocean views and was fortified with state-of-the-art security systems.It was a sprawling house for a man living alone, and his sudden arrival didn’t go unnot
Hours later, Catherine, Leonard, and Maximus returned to the mansion with Albert’s ashes in a beautiful white onyx urn. Catherine held it as if her life depended on it, her grip tight, her expression stoic. She longed to retreat to her room, where she could grieve in private. Life, it seemed, had de