"Mary, tell me… why?"Mary could see how hard he was trying to control his anger. She knew the truth would eventually come out, but she had always avoided thinking about it."Peter knew, didn’t he?""Yes."Maximus took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to keep calm. It was something he had learned to d
Valerie sat still for a long time, unable to move or say a word. She couldn’t believe Maximus’s reaction to the news, much less that he had kissed her. Her hands and legs trembled. With a shaky hand, she touched her lips—lips that had been kissed in a way only he knew how. For a moment, she got lost
After crying for what felt like hours, a small, delicate hand touched his. Their eyes met, as if fate had orchestrated the moment. Valerie stood before him, her hand holding his. She had witnessed the raw vulnerability of a broken man, and guilt weighed heavily on her. Years ago, he had shattered he
Valerie stood for a long time in front of Peter’s grave. She held the bouquet of peonies, unable to place them because someone had already left fresh flowers. She knew who it had been. She still couldn’t fully grasp what was happening. Ever since Serenity was born, she had feared this day, and now t
After ending the call with the bodyguard, Marcus returned to the table where Alexia and the client were waiting. Minutes passed, but he couldn’t shake his unease. He knew how difficult it was for Valerie to visit that place, and he was about to excuse himself when his phone vibrated. The screen lit
"Mr. Palmer, you're going to get me into serious trouble with your father. He explicitly told me to dispose of these samples," Rivers said, his voice trembling with fear."My father isn’t here, and if he ordered that, it means he’s hiding something. I’m going to find out what," Lucius Palmer replied
After a long day, Maximus finally arrived at a house that felt both familiar and distant. The air smelled of dampness, and the furniture was draped in sheets. The place was shrouded in darkness as he made his way to the study—a room that had once been his sanctuary. Feeling his way around, he found
After Maximus ended the call, Matthew immediately began sending the memorandums to all Palmer Group shareholders. The sudden request raised eyebrows, as it had been a long time since such a meeting had been called. Leonardo, despite his advanced age, read the memorandum and knew something significa
“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