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
As the week flew by, Marcus found himself heading toward the elevator that led to his newly renovated office. In just two days, the space had been transformed to suit his tastes, with sleek, minimalist gray and black tones. He had spent the past week reviewing the financial records, and his meticulo
Marcus arrived at his office, took one look at the mountain of paperwork waiting for him, and felt an overwhelming need for a good cup of coffee. He had to admit, his office in Italy was far better equipped than the one in Mexico, but that was the kind of luxury people were used to there. All he had
They left the office together. Marcus opened the passenger door for her, and Valerie froze in surprise. Sitting on the seat was an exquisite bouquet of white flowers, filling the car with the sweet aroma of freesias. She felt a flutter in her stomach, a sensation that spread through her whole body.
Valerie was speechless, her eyes filling with tears as Marcus slid the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. With her other hand, she covered her mouth, smiling—a mix of emotions she didn’t know how to handle. Her tears were of joy, but also of nostalgia. Her mind was a whirlwind. This man had
Marcus finished his second cup of coffee under Greta’s stunned gaze. While he remained calm, she was visibly nervous. Mr. Palmer looked genuinely upset—very upset."Alright, Greta. Let’s go," Marcus said, his tone steady and composed."Yes, sir!"The two left his office, Marcus closing the door behi
[A few months earlier ]It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him—as long as he was okay with her company.He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly eve
Valerie approached, one last time, one of the most important women in her life in Valeria.Emma Fiore—the woman who had taken her in almost like a daughter. While they had grown close during the three years Valerie was married to Maximus, their bond went far beyond that. They were family.Emma had c
After that hug, Valerie walked over to Laura, Serenity's sister, with whom she'd developed a bit of a bond."Laura and beautiful Adele—I wish you both all the success in the world… You must finish your studies and use your degree. You're living proof that it's possible—and that's exactly what your l
The day had finally come—the Bartz family and the newly formed Palmer-Bartz family were leaving for Hesperia.Without meaning to, the three families found themselves gathered once again at the airport.Marcus was saying goodbye to Peter, who, due to his memory loss, only held onto the memories of th
While Valerie packed up their things for the move back to Hesperia, Peter was driving with Celeste and their little girls toward Willowcombe.He was taking her to see how the renovations on the house—where they'd soon be living—were coming along.Celeste was in the back seat with the girls, tending
Valerie was packing clothes into the suitcases, though she kept drifting off, thinking about the reason they'd come here in the first place.At first, everything had seemed simple—quick even. Within a few months, they'd be back in Hesperia. But it had already been over a year.Things hadn't gone as
After Maximus said goodbye to Pierre, he went back into the mansion and headed straight to his son's room. Paul was lying on his bed, facing away from the door."Paul, can I come in?" Maximus asked gently."You're already in, Dad… Are you here to scold me for something that happened years ago?" Paul
"That's right. I'd like to speak with him alone, if you don't mind, Mr. Evans.""I think you're misunderstanding something. Letting you into my home doesn't mean you get to decide whether I'm in the conversation or not. Still, I'm trying to be reasonable—and if Paul wants to speak with you alone, on
Not too thrilled about it, Paul left his room and headed toward the garden, where a man was already waiting for him—one who didn't look his age. And to be honest, the resemblance between young Paul and the man was unmistakable.As soon as he heard footsteps approaching, the man—already sipping a cup