Peter ended the call with Catherine and stepped into the room where Mary was sitting. His heart sank at the sight of her tear-streaked face—the same face that had been glowing with happiness in his arms that very morning.“My love, I’m here now! Everything will be okay,” Peter said, pulling her into
Peter and Mary stayed at the hospital that night. Exhaustion eventually overtook her, and she would drift off to sleep, only to wake up minutes later crying again. Peter was deeply worried; he didn’t want his beloved to spiral into the same despair she’d faced two months ago.“Please, my love, you n
Maximus, feeling uncomfortable after seeing Peter and Mary together, decided it wasn’t the time or place to speak with her. Instead, he headed to Alexia’s room.“Alexia? Can I come in?” he asked, knocking lightly on the door.When he got no reply, he opened it to find Alexia sitting with her face bu
By midday, the priest arrived to officiate the mass. The gathering was small, intimate, meant to give Albert Preston a dignified farewell. After the service, Catherine and Leonard would accompany his body to the crematorium. Mary had been gently persuaded to stay behind; her health and the baby’s sa
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
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
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,
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
After several hugs and a strange sense of emptiness, Lucius and Amanda left the house. Lucius started driving, knowing he still had to get home—he hadn't said goodbye to his siblings, his father, or the grandfather he'd just met.Time was ticking. Through the rearview mirror, he caught a glimpse of
The week had flown by, and Lucius and Amanda were getting everything ready to head back to New Zealand. Their time in Valentia had been amazing. This visit had given them a lot of good memories, but it was time to return to university.Maximus and the others were hoping they could visit during the
After Ethan gave a masterclass on how to hold a baby, it was the grandparents' turn. Marcus, not wasting a second, held little Isabelle in his arms. The moment he looked at her, he knew—she was the spitting image of his daughter, the same baby girl he had met just over two years ago. "Hello, prince
After finally finishing all the paperwork and preparations for the creation of PBE Group, Maximus and Peter drove from Florentia to Valeria. Both men were determined to get there—after all, their daughter, so to speak, had just given birth, and it was essential to meet the family's first granddaught
A couple of hours after that awkward conversation, Alden, Serenity, Isabelle, and Laura were on their way home. After all the advice from the OB-GYN and the pediatrician, the new little family was finally heading back.Serenity was filled with mixed emotions. In her arms, she held her baby—yes, her
The next day, Serenity had her check-up. Little Isabelle stared intently at her mother, those big, beautiful eyes locked onto her face. Serenity couldn't stop admiring her.She was completely in love with the tiny angel in her arms. Looking at her, she couldn't help but remember how she and the man
They barely made it to the car before they were already pulling up to the place where Adrian was now living. When they arrived, Laura was surprised by the location. It wasn't bad, exactly—just not the kind of place she could ever picture Adrian choosing for himself.It made her think his financial s
"Is it far from here?" Laura asked, a bit concerned."Not really. I could actually walk, but honestly, with the crutches, it's kind of uncomfortable—and risky.""If you wait for me, I'll say goodbye to my sister and give you a ride. I'm guessing it's on the way, so...""No! No, you came to see your
"Well, Laura, things aren't that simple... but I'll figure something out. And with all this, what are you doing at the hospital? Who's taking care of Adele? Is something wrong? Is someone in your family here? Are you okay?""Wow... That's a lot of questions. But yeah, everything's fine. Emma's watch