[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
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked politely.“What are you getting?” she replied cheerfully.“An espresso,” he answered flatly.“Oh, I can’t handle coffee that strong! I’ll have a white hot chocolate and a cheesecake.”Maximus signaled the waiter, who came over to take their order. While
The man saying goodbye felt every step grow heavier and heavier. His family was here, and he was leaving them behind to go to a place far away.This time, he wasn't leaving alone—but he would've much rather stayed. He knew that this family needed him… and he needed them just as much.When it was Pa
Maximus had come to understand something important—so much of what makes a family strong lies in its core: the father and the mother. He'd seen it with his own eyes, experienced it with his father, and once with his grandmother. After a long, yet somehow short, time lingering around the table, the
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