As Mary boarded the plane, tears streamed down her face. She avoided looking out the window. Paying with that sleek black card granted her access to first class, though she knew this would be the last time she'd experience such luxury. When she reached her seat, she let her tired body sink into the
The private jet carrying Marcus Bartz landed in Hesperia at 4:00 p.m., a full four hours ahead of Mary's flight. Marcus had been enduring an intense pain in his leg almost since leaving Coravela, but he hadn’t mentioned it to Frederick because of the circumstances. When he stood up, a burning sensat
Mary woke up in that hotel room where, just the night before, she had cried tears of pain. A grumble from her stomach reminded her that her little one was hungry. She got up, freshened up, and went downstairs to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. After eating, she left the hotel. She had rested
[The present]The private jet carrying Marcus Bartz touched down in Madrid at midnight. His eyes blazed with fury and malice, his mind racing with countless thoughts throughout the flight. He wished the plane could fly faster, but then he scolded himself—he knew it was nighttime, and his daughter wa
[The past]After a long journey, Catherine finally returned home, carrying in her arms the only thing left of her youngest grandson—his ashes. The woman’s face was drawn, her features weary. It was clear she had been crying for a long time, unable to believe that only two days ago, she had seen him
Mary saw a woman’s hand extended toward her. The sun behind her was so bright that Mary had to lift a hand to shield her eyes and make out the woman’s face.“Thank you! My legs went numb, and I couldn’t get up,” Mary said with genuine gratitude.“You really shouldn’t sit like that anymore. How far a
Mary sat on a bench, lost in thought about where she would spend the night. The hotel she’d stayed in for one night had been fine, but it wasn’t a long-term solution. Besides, she didn’t know if anyone might be following her. The best option was to erase all traces of her presence. She decided the n
After days of searching, Mary finally found a small room where she could rest. She had looked for furnished places, but they were beyond her budget. Eventually, she came across a new rental option—a shared house with roommates. It had common areas and a private room for her, which was perfect. She w
“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