[The present, Westhaven]“That pizza was delicious!” Valerie said, feeling content with a full belly.The two of them stepped outside to sit at the small garden table.“Love, I noticed you were very quiet during lunch,” Marcus said, intrigued. “That’s not like you—you’re usually talking non-stop!”“
Maximus arrived right on time and chose one of the many bars in the Plaza Mayor area. He messaged Serenity to let her know, and soon after, she arrived with a bright smile on her face. Seeing her, Maximus felt a sharp pang in his stomach, the same feeling he’d had since their first meeting. He could
[Valeria, 20 years ago]Leonardo, still in disbelief, hesitated over whether to call his mother or not. Instead, with trembling hands, he decided to call his son. He pulled out his phone and attempted to dial Peter, but the call wouldn’t connect. He checked his call log—the last time they spoke had
Following her instructions, they headed to the emergency wing. Upon arriving, they were directed down a hallway where Leonardo’s legs nearly gave out at the sight of Mary sitting on one of the chairs. She looked utterly shattered, her face streaked with tears. She was accompanied by an older woman a
[The present, Madrid]After a long conversation between Maximus and Serenity, he signaled for the bill. It was getting late, and he didn’t want her walking alone through the streets of Madrid after dark. Just as he turned to flag the waiter, Serenity snapped a photo. Maximus didn’t notice until she
Maximus drove Serenity to her home in Chamartin. She had slept through the entire ride, waking up groggy when they arrived. Gathering her things, she hesitated for a moment before leaning over and placing a kiss on his cheek.“Thank you, Mr. Palmer. You’re a true gentleman. I had my doubts, but you’
Mary and Maximus arrived at the beach. Maximus chose one of the lounge chairs provided by the hotel and sat down. Mary, eager to feel the sea, set her bag aside and began to remove her dress, excited to dive into the water.This was only her second time seeing the ocean, and she wasn’t going to miss
Marcus Bartz, after having lunch with Valerie, went to his study and sat behind the luxurious marble desk. He retrieved the briefcase Frederick had handed him upon his arrival in Italy from the safe. After staring at it for several minutes, he finally spoke:“Peter, I know that one day I’ll get my r
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