While Serenity spent the day with Maximus and Laura at the Bartz estate, Marcus, Valerie, and John were having breakfast and getting ready to head out for a little excursion. Despite being a child, John was mature—not the kind of mature that involved making deals or hacking computers, but the kind t
-Meanwhile, Maximus was spending the day with his two young ladies. As they walked ahead of him, he observed them closely. Serenity and Laura couldn’t have been more different. Serenity was extroverted, always on the move, always looking for something to do. From the photos he’d seen, she clearly h
Lucius, after seeing his father walk away and realizing his sister was trying to prevent a fight, softened his expression and turned to look at his beautiful little sister, who was still holding a bowl of popcorn.“Hello, beautiful,” Lucius said, smiling as he gently stroked Laura’s cheek.“Hi, big
Serenity drove home, her backpack safely holding the photographs Maximus had given her of her father. She had a bright smile on her face. She hadn’t attended classes that day, but she’d spent a wonderful day with her cousin and uncle. She imagined that this was what some of her days could be like in
'Is she my husband’s new mistress?'Alexis had been unusually quiet lately, which was odd for her. She was known to be a force to be reckoned with, both in the business world and in her personal life. Audrey was the one exception—Alexis hadn’t done anything to her yet, mostly because the girl’s well
The weekend passed quickly, and Marcus didn’t bring up Maximus again in front of Serenity. He regretted losing his temper and realized that Maximus’s actions were deliberate provocations. He resolved not to let his frustration spill over onto his beloved daughter again—it was something he wouldn’t a
Maximus took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he tried to gather his thoughts. He didn’t know where to start, but he needed to persuade Serenity to agree to the DNA test as soon as possible.“Serenity, you told me you had questions about your father and that I was the one who could give you answers
“What?” Serenity exclaimed, her face a mix of shock and offense.“Don’t take it the wrong way. No one doubts your paternity. But my father wants proof that you’re the child your mother was carrying when she disappeared. I’ve tried to convince him it’s unnecessary, but he refuses to remove the clause
As soon as Maximus left the hospital room, Peter sank into his thoughts, trying to figure out what to do next. It was clear that his life had completely changed, and Maximus was right—whether he liked it or not, he was a father and a grandfather. And soon, he’d be a father again. There was also a wo
Peter had his eyes closed. His brother was still sitting next to him, curious about what he might be thinking. He didn’t want to pressure him, so he waited for him to speak."What do I do about Celeste?" Peter finally let out, his voice filled with worry."What? What do you mean?" Maximus asked, int
Two weeks had passed, and Peter still showed no interest in speaking to or seeing Maximus or Celeste. The hospital, which had once been filled with family and friends waiting outside his room, was now only visited by Alden—and occasionally, Marcus.Celeste tried to stay calm and positive, but in thi
"But he is right—your mother asked us to take care of your education and finances. We know you don’t want contact with your family, and if you stay in Valentia, you won’t just run into them—you’ll also be at risk from any enemies your grandfather may still have out there.""So you’re saying… I have
"Where the hell am I?" Lucius muttered, waking from his forced sleep."You’re in my house. And you better behave, because I’m not a very patient man. I promised to look after you, but your mother isn’t here anymore, so she won’t know if something happens to you," Anthony Moriarty said, his piercing
And then—"Daddy!"Maurice bolted toward him, his little feet barely touching the ground.After a few steps, Maximus crouched down to scoop up his youngest son, who looked noticeably bigger than the last time he had seen him."My boy, how are you, my love?""Daddy! Daddy! We’re back!""Yes, my boy,
After leaving the hospital, Maximus drove home, the only thing on his mind being the need to have his family together again. Things with Peter hadn’t gone well, but at least this time, he had something to keep him grounded—his family and Diana.Diana hadn’t accompanied him home; she had stayed behin
Throughout their conversation, Alden had asked his father multiple times if he wanted to see Celeste, but Peter refused every time. He even seemed irritated whenever her name was mentioned. However, whenever Alden spoke about his mother, there was a glimmer in Peter’s eyes—something Alden kept to hi
Celeste and Alden exchanged looks. They were the two closest people to Peter, yet neither of them knew how to handle this situation. A Peter who only remembered being in his twenties was something they hadn’t expected."Alden, go in. He’s your father, and I’m sure he’ll be happy to see a copy of him