On one such visit, he closed his eyes and remembered their time in Santorini. Those days had left a mark on his life, his heart, and his soul.-[Flashback at Santorini]After finishing a call with Alexia, Maximus couldn’t stop thinking about Mary in that sensual summer dress. He changed clothes and
At the Bartz mansion, Valerie and Emma chatted about their lives, and one of the topics that came up was Maximus Palmer—specifically, some recent updates about his life.“Emma, you said Maximus is paying for his actions. Do you know what’s become of him?” Valerie asked curiously.“Do you still think
After dinner, Marcus and Valerie took Emma to a hotel where they had reserved a room for her. The house didn’t have furniture yet. Marcus was eager to go shopping with Valerie to furnish their new home. For that first night, though, they planned to sleep on the floor. Being in their new home, even w
Valerie woke up to find Marcus’s side of the bed empty. She grabbed her husband’s shirt from the floor, slipping it on, and went to look for him. When she reached the kitchen, she noticed the door to the garden was open. There, sitting at the small table in one of the chairs, was Marcus.“My love, w
Maximus returned home quietly, but Alexia was already waiting for him in the living room.“Where are you coming from?” Alexia asked, her tone laced with anger.“I had a business meeting in the city, and then I went out for dinner,” Maximus replied indifferently.“Oh, dinner? Was it with some little
As soon as Maximus returned to his bedroom and was finally beginning to drift off to sleep, the sound of his phone abruptly pulled him from his dreams.“Hello?”“Mr. Palmer, it’s Joseph. I found what you asked for. I’m sending over everything I could dig up about Marcus Bartz.”“Got it. But couldn’t
[After Albert Preston's death]After hanging up with his father, Peter got into his car and headed home. Earlier that day, he had visited Valeria but had decided not to bring Mary along, worried the trip would feel too long for her. They had visited her gynecologist, where he learned the wonderful n
In Coravela, Hesperia, Marcus had just gone to bed after experiencing a severe anxiety attack. It was almost 4 a.m., and Frederick had to take him for a walk along the beach to help him calm down. Just as Marcus was beginning to drift into an uneasy sleep, the light from his phone caught his attenti
“Oh, I see. That’s what’s been on your mind?” Marcus asked gently.“Yes, back then Catherine forced us to come here. Maximus and I made a pact to get along, and it worked—at least until Alexia arrived,” Valerie said nervously.“My love, you should’ve told me. We could’ve gone somewhere else,” Marcus
The next day, Valerie and Marcus shared the news with their children about taking a week off for a trip to unwind. The past few days had been stressful, and they needed a break. To their surprise, both Serenity and John flat-out refused to miss school. Serenity explained that she had already missed
After kidnapping Serenity, Leonardo and Lucius fled to Davos in the Swiss Alps. It was the ideal place to rest and strategize, not to mention the seat of the World Economic Forum. Their choice wasn’t random; Leonardo already had a plan. With the money secured and the truth about his relationship wit
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