Laura was the second child of Maximus and Alexia. She had straight blonde hair, eyes that shifted between shades of gray and green, and an oval face with delicate, rosy cheeks that accented her pale, porcelain skin. She didn’t share any noticeable features with Maximus or the Palmer family. Laura wa
[The past]The next morning, Marcus set off toward Florentia, with a specific destination in Lunavalle in mind. It had been years since his last visit, but today he felt the urge to stop by the Bartz family mausoleum. The last time he’d been there, Peter had accompanied him.Marcus had several bouqu
[The past]Alexia had arrived in Paris full of dreams—dreams of a future with a man 20 years her senior. As a young woman, she believed life would be kind, that they would live together and enjoy a bright future. Gabriel, on the other hand, hadn’t expected her to cling to him so intensely. After mon
Lucius walked into Laura’s room unannounced. She was sitting on the balcony, headphones on, listening to music. She had heard the sound of an argument coming from their father’s study but chose to lose herself in her music and the view before her. She didn’t even notice her loving brother enter.“My
The weekend flew by quickly. It was Sunday afternoon, and the three Bartzs stood anxiously at the airport, awaiting the arrival of little John and his nanny, Camille. After picking them up, they would head to collect Emma Fiore, who had finally agreed to live with the Bartz family. Though Emma was a
[The past]After leaving the cemetery, Marcus drove toward a destination he didn’t particularly enjoy visiting: Catherine’s mansion. Despite everything that had happened between them, he owed the woman respect. She had cared for him, saved his life, and never once wavered or considered disconnecting
[The present]Monday had finally arrived. Marcus was set to assume his role as Director of Finance at Palmer Group. Alexia had spent the entire weekend trying to dissuade Maximus from following through with what she called a “stupid idea.” However, Maximus knew he couldn’t refuse Marcus’s placement.
Two years before moving to Valentia, Marcus revealed to Valerie a truth that had been hidden from her for decades: a significant portion of Palmer Group—33%—belonged to her family. As the only known surviving heir, Valerie was the rightful owner of this share. Yet, neither Catherine nor Peter had ev
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