Finally, Valerie began to calm down. Marcus had only ever seen his wife this upset once before, and that was with Olsen, but that had been years ago.“My love, I hate seeing you cry. You don’t have to feel this way. I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Marcus said, trying to comfort his wife, who was
Diana was Hesperian and had just graduated with a degree in International Business. She had studied at one of the best public universities in the country, coming from a modest family background. Her university education had been possible thanks to the scholarships available.She was a diligent stude
Diana was trying to convince Matthew she was capable of handling the tasks required. She had to persuade him—this was her last chance after a string of failed interviews. If she didn’t succeed, she’d be in serious trouble, and her exchange program could be jeopardized.“Mr. Rice, I know I’m not from
After that night out, Maximus’s attitude toward Diana softened. He began asking Matthew to involve her in more tasks, realizing she could be helpful and that her presence didn’t bother him. Matthew, aware of their previous outing, was grateful for the extra help but also concerned about Maximus’s in
Maximus developed an unusual relationship with Diana. Every Friday evening, they would meet and talk late into the night, always ending up at the same lookout point. Diana often wondered why he tortured himself with memories of Mary. What could he have done so wrong to feel such guilt? Whenever she
Time passed quickly, and Diana was just 15 days away from returning to Hesperia. Her relationship with Maximus had become something undefined—not quite a friendship, but not a romantic relationship either. In secret, Maximus dreaded the thought of letting her go. His mind was a chaotic mess. Diana,
“Maximus, I understand your guilt now. But do you think living the way you are now changes anything? You’re just sinking further into the same mess you created. Wake up! You’re not doing anything extraordinary; you’re running on autopilot. I truly regret what you did to that woman. She didn’t deserv
Marcus Bartz landed at Kloten Airport in Switzerland, where a security team was already waiting for him. He fully understood the danger of coming to this place. He’d given Frank a chance to protect himself, and no doubt the man was already plotting something for when they met again. Although Theodor
“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