âHi, Marcus! Hereâs your order!ââHey, Noah! Still working this late?ââYeah, this is my last delivery. Then Iâm heading home.ââGood. Donât stay up too lateâyouâve got school tomorrow,â Marcus said, handing him a large bill.âIâm in exams now, actually. Just a little longer, and Iâll be on vacation
Dinner passed as it always didâcasual conversations, updates about work, Serenityâs antics, and scheduling Marcusâs next visit to see her. To an outsider, they might have sounded like a couple discussing their daughter, but the reality was far from it.Marcus appeared calm, but his thoughts were in
Valerie had no choice but to follow Marcusâs long strides. When he set his mind to something, there was no changing it. 'If he wants to lose more sleep, thatâs on him,' she thought. A few minutes later, they reached the buildingâs parking lot. Marcus opened the passenger door for her to get in, a ge
They both entered the house, and Camille greeted them with a knowing smile, though Valerie didnât notice it.âGood evening, Mr. Bartz! Serene is fast asleep, but please, go see herâsheâs in her room,â Camille said, pointing to Valerieâs bedroom.Valerie, needing to collect herself, went to the kitch
The next morning, Valerieâs bedroom was filled with the lingering scent of Marcusâs cologne. Her alarm went off, and she noticed that Marcus was no longer there. He must have woken up early and left before she stirred. It was Friday, and she needed to get ready for work. As she moved around the bed,
Valerie entered Marcusâs office, where he was already deeply absorbed in his work. The man who had been peacefully asleep next to her daughter just hours ago was gone, replaced by the serious, focused CEO.âHowâs Serenity this morning?â Marcus asked without looking up.âSheâs fine, Marcus. Thank you
When they arrived at the bar, they were guided to a table reserved by the clientâs assistant. Marcus ordered a whiskey neat, while Valerie chose a glass of wine. She kept her drink modest, knowing she needed to stay sharpâthis was a rare opportunity to observe Marcus in a professional setting she ne
Marcus carried the briefcase with the contract in one hand and held Valerie's small hand in the other. Her cheeks were more flushed than usual. Marcus had to admit he felt a little dizzy from the drinks heâd had, but even so, he couldnât bring himself to send Valerie home in a taxi in her condition.
"We never said we would deny you that," Laura replied sharply. "But letâs be honest, Mr. Legrand, this puts us in a very uncomfortable situation. I do believe he should meet you, but we should take it slowlyâwe canât just drop the truth on him all at once.""LauâĶ" Lucius finally spoke, his voice cal
[Present Time]Adrian replayed the conversation in his mind, but there wasnât much to consider. The offer was temptingâanyone in his position would see it as the perfect deal. But he already knew what he truly wanted: his daughter.He had made the mistake once beforeâchoosing what his school, his fa
"You said it yourselfâif I wanted to, I couldâve hit her back. But I wonât. I donât want to. And I refuse to let this situation escalate any further. Look at me nowâI have stitches in my head. Who knows what will happen next? Iâd rather put an end to this now.""Adrian! You donât have to air our bus
Adrian sighed as he watched Alice disappear in the distance. A short while later, he arrived home. Hilda, the housekeeper, rushed to help him out of the car."SirâĶ How are you? I thought youâd be back laterâĶ We were all worried!""Relax, Hilda. It was just a hit to the head. A few stitches, and that
As if fate itself wanted to set things in motion, the time had come. Laura, Lucius, and Maximus left the house together.The younger siblings saw them go, but they didnât think much of it. Lately, the three of them had been leaving without saying where they were going, so this time didnât seem any d
"Dad?""Come in," Maximus said, still checking his inbox."Whatâs going on, Maximus? Why all the secrecy?""AlrightâĶ Serenityâs wedding is over, and Lucius, I know youâll be heading back to New Zealand soon. Moriarty wonât give me another extension, so we need to move forward with whatever decision
Another day passed at the Evans residence. The family was gathered for breakfast while Diana ran around in a rush, realizing she was running late for work. Maximus, ever the bad influence, kept telling his future wife not to worry so much, but it was impossibleâDiana was always incredibly respectful
"Come here," Maximus said, opening his arms.Laura walked over and hugged him."My girlâĶ Never apologize for standing your ground. Neverâhear me? Never apologize for defending whatâs yours. Honestly, I canât picture the scene, but I wish I couldâve seen it.""DadâĶ This is embarrassing. Iâve never ac
Maximus, Diana, and Adele arrived home. Little Adele was completely exhaustedâher day out had been long and tiring. For Maximus, spending time with his granddaughter filled his heart and eased the anxiety of what was coming.Laura heard her father arrive and immediately left her room to see him.âDa