Back in Lunavalle, Maximus had spent an entire week at his grandmother’s house, diligently caring for Mary. One morning, he had even surprised her by bringing her breakfast in bed.“This is delicious, Maximus! I never imagined you could cook!” she exclaimed.“Well, there’s a lot we don’t know about
At dawn, Mary awoke feeling cold. The warm embrace of Maximus was gone. She assumed he might have risen early to prepare breakfast for her, but a heavy feeling in her chest unsettled her. She dressed quickly and wandered through the mansion. She checked the kitchen, but he wasn’t there. No sign of h
“I understand. Where are you located?”“We’re in Lunavalle. I brought her here for a change of scenery, hoping it would help.”“I see. Give me ten minutes to find someone who can assist.”Those ten minutes felt like an eternity to Catherine. When Chris finally called back, he provided the contact in
In Valeria, Maximus and Alexia sat in front of the gynecologist, waiting as he reviewed the results of her tests.“Ms. Levett, Mr. Palmer, congratulations! There’s a baby on the way! Based on the results, you’re about nine weeks along.”“Maximus, congratulations! You’re going to be a father!” Alexia
Back in Valeria, Matthew messaged Maximus after seeing the speculation spreading on social media. When Maximus read the news, he immediately realized that Mary had likely heard about it too. Returning to Lunavalle was no longer an option.“Matthew, draft a divorce settlement and send it to my grandm
The Bartz family carried the infamous reputation of being part of the mafia, known for their ruthlessness toward enemies. While some of the rumors were true, much was exaggerated. Peter Bartz, the patriarch, had two sons: Lawrence Bartz and Francis Bartz, with Francis being the elder.In his old age
Maximus was stunned by how quickly the news had reached his grandmother Catherine, and even more so by her drastic reaction. He had never heard of the Palmer family being connected to the Bartz family, and now Marcus Bartz—a name Maximus thought was nothing but a myth—was being floated as a candidat
Peter woke early to prepare Mary’s things for her stay at the clinic. It broke his heart to see her like this, but he knew he couldn’t give her the help she needed. That had to come from experts, through therapy and time. Aurora, Mary’s closest friend, had insisted on being part of the process and w
[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
"That's right. I'd like to speak with him alone, if you don't mind, Mr. Evans.""I think you're misunderstanding something. Letting you into my home doesn't mean you get to decide whether I'm in the conversation or not. Still, I'm trying to be reasonable—and if Paul wants to speak with you alone, on
Not too thrilled about it, Paul left his room and headed toward the garden, where a man was already waiting for him—one who didn't look his age. And to be honest, the resemblance between young Paul and the man was unmistakable.As soon as he heard footsteps approaching, the man—already sipping a cup