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
Marcus arrived at Palmer Group’s headquarters, stepping out of his trusted BMW X6. While the Palmers equated luxury with status, Marcus preferred to keep a low profile. For him, blending in was a far greater advantage. Inside the company, rumors buzzed. Maximus had ordered that Marcus Bartz be treat
Maximus had to step behind Alexia and place his hands firmly on her shoulders, exerting just enough pressure to signal that she needed to calm down and keep quiet. Alexia, visibly seething, restrained herself, biting her tongue for the time being. She resolved to confront her husband in private late
It was 2:45 p.m. when a sleek BMW parked in front of Palmer Group's headquarters. A strikingly beautiful woman stepped out, dressed in a simple yet elegant knitted coffee-colored dress, paired with a light beige cardigan and matching high-heeled sandals. Her hair was swept up in a chic, loose bun, e
“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