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
[Back to the present]Marcus Bartz stood at the base of the towering Palmer Group building, his sharp gaze taking in its impressive height.“All the things we’ve endured because of this damned place,” Marcus muttered to Frederick, who stood by his side.Frederick, ever loyal, nodded solemnly and rep
Maximus had been notified of Marcus Bartz’s arrival. The last time they had seen each other, they had nearly come to blows, stopped only by Matthew’s intervention. Today, Marcus’s appearance was calculated—dressed entirely in black, exuding an air of power and menace. But hearing of his arrival made
Marcus left the Palmer Group building, feeling great as he walked through that huge glass door. At last, he would begin his revenge against all those who had done wrong to him or his beloved Valerie. At last, he would get justice for Peter. He got into his truck and remembered that fateful day when
"Celeste, there’s nothing to worry about. Look, all of these symptoms are completely normal.""What do you mean, Dr. Kensington? Normal? I don’t feel normal at all...""Celeste, my dear, your situation is very normal. Congratulations! You’re pregnant!"Celeste’s face turned pale. Just when she had d
“Valerie! What are you doing up so early and on your feet?”“Hi, Emma! I was a little hungry and came for some milk and cake. By the way, Serenity should be having breakfast by now, but I don’t see her. Maybe I should go wake her up.”“No, sweetheart, don’t worry. Serenity didn’t sleep here last nig
Valerie got out of bed, woken by the insistent hunger of her babies. Her head felt like a tangled mess. She was dizzy, confused, unable to make sense of what was happening. How had her marriage ended up hanging by a thread? And why did she keep seeing Peter?Years ago, she had accepted that he was g
'“I’ll never forget you, I promise. But I want to spend the rest of my life with someone. And if life smiles on me with children, I’ll always tell them about you, and I’ll ask you to watch over them. I know you’ll agree that it’s time for me to move forward. It’s been so many years, and I think I’ve
[Celeste's P.O.V]Celeste sat by the window, gazing outside. Her legs ached slightly, though the medication she was receiving dulled most of the pain from her injuries. For a moment, she focused on the sky, letting her thoughts wander to her life and the struggles that had shaped it. She often felt
Peter left the hospital to meet with Darius. His plan was to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure he wouldn’t have to return to Valentia. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, especially now that his memories were slowly coming back. He couldn’t afford to leave any loose ends—he needed to o
Before long, Peter arrived at the hospital where Celeste was being examined by a doctor Peter trusted."Peter," the doctor said, "I’ve checked on Celeste. Her wounds are healing well. If things continue like this, we can consider discharging her. After all, I know you’ll take good care of her. There
Peter took a bath and a short nap. He woke up when he felt someone tugging on his hair—a small hand playing with his curls."Ethan, aren’t you going to school?" said Peter, groggy, with his eyes still closed."Yeah, but I want you to take me. Where have you been, Grandpa?""I’ve had a lot of work, a
Camille, having seen Marcus storm out, went to find the girl she considered her daughter. She found Valerie in tears, embraced her, and said:“Valerie, my love, I don’t think this is going to work. Have you thought about whether it might be better to end things?”“What?”“Valerie, darling, I’m not b