Alexia sat in the master bedroom, going through her meticulously detailed nightly routine to preserve her youthful appearance. Creams, applicators, and various other products were scattered across the vanity. As she looked into the mirror, she felt a strange tightness in her chest. Time was slipping
[Present day]After Marcus opened his heart and confessed to Valerie that knowing she had met with Maximus made him jealous, he felt both embarrassed and relieved. It was one of the outcomes he had anticipated when her ex-husband learned of his existence, but he hadn’t been sure how to handle it. Th
[The past]Audrey had just turned 18, and during her birthday party, she met Maximus Palmer. That night, Maximus arrived at the celebration alone—a rare occurrence, as he usually attended such events with Alexia to maintain appearances. However, an argument over something trivial had erupted before
The call Alexia received from her grandfather had left her on edge. She knew he didn’t mess around. If he wanted, he could send her husband proof that she had ordered the removal of Maximus’s only brother.She took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. She needed to talk to Maximus. But how? She h
It was 10:00 p.m., and Marcus was drinking and smoking on the balcony of the hotel room where he’d decided to stay. He had been waiting for a decent hour to call the one woman who could bring peace to his heart. The day had been far from easy, and he still felt unsettled by his actions, though he tr
"Come in!" said Maximus when he heard his eldest son's voice."Father... how have you been?" Lucius asked as he entered the study.There was no doubt about it—Lucius was his spitting image. He always carried himself with pride, walking upright and paying meticulous attention to his appearance. Maxim
Alexia, hearing the shouting from the study, smiled to herself. She knew her son was standing up for what he believed was his by right. Maximus was likely fuming over his son’s presence, but there was nothing he could do to stop him."Father! I’m just saying what I see. Bartz returns, and you open t
After the last time she saw Maximus, Audrey was devastated. She felt she had done everything in her power to win his favor. She was a girl from a good family, young and beautiful. Audrey took pride in her looks—any man would be proud to have her by his side. But, unfortunately, the man she desired d
After breakfast, where Maximus, Lucius, and Laura just stared at each other, waiting to see what would happen, Maximus decided he'd spend the day with Paul. He wanted to take him out for a bit. Maurice tried to tag along, but Laura and Lucius kept him distracted."Dad, where are we going?" Paul aske
“Excuse me, miss, have you seen my wife by any chance? She’s a short girl…” Maximus asked at the front desk.“The woman who went up to your room? The blonde?” the receptionist asked, looking confused.“No, my wife is the short girl I arrived with.”“I’m sorry, sir, but the woman who came in earlier
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that,” James admitted honestly. “During the day, that guy seemed really into you… That’s why I didn’t approach you.”“That man just wants me to stay the hell away from him!” Mary scoffed. Then, a thought crossed her mind. “Hey, wait… Are you from around here?”“No, I’m just
After taking a shower, Maximus stepped out, put on his pajamas, and climbed into bed. He glanced at his watch—it was already midnight. It was too late to call Diana, so he just sent her a message, wishing her goodnight and sending a kiss.As he lay down, he placed his hand on the side of the bed Dia
“I want to know—who was she? What happened to her? How did you two end up separating? Didn’t she love you?” Paul asked, full of curiosity.“Paul, maybe I could tell you how I met your mother instead…” Maximus said, uncomfortable just thinking about that distant past.“No! I want to know about the wo
[Months Ago, The Maldives]“Come on, Dad! Hurry up…!” Paul said as they arrived at the airport and his father made his way through customs.“Paul, wait, just let me sign this and we’ll go. If that girl’s already waited this long, I’m sure she can wait a few more minutes…” Maximus replied, rushing to
After the conversation between Pierre, Laura, Lucius, and Maximus, it was time to talk to Paul. However, Maximus felt it was something that needed to be discussed between father and son.He fully understood that Laura wanted to be involved, but this—this was something only he could and should handle
"We never said we would deny you that," Laura replied sharply. "But let’s be honest, Mr. Legrand, this puts us in a very uncomfortable situation. I do believe he should meet you, but we should take it slowly—we can’t just drop the truth on him all at once.""Lau…" Lucius finally spoke, his voice cal
[Present Time]Adrian replayed the conversation in his mind, but there wasn’t much to consider. The offer was tempting—anyone 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 before—choosing what his school, his fa