Leonardo was visibly fuming, his anger boiling over at the realization that Maximus had been prepared to hand over the largest share of the company to Serenity, the daughter he had with Mary. Rising from his seat, he spoke sharply:“Maximus, enough with the theatrics. We need to have a private discu
Leonardo leaned forward, his gaze intense. “Maximus, do you really want to know why Lucius is my favorite?”"Yes!" Maximus roared, his frustration boiling over.Leonardo sighed heavily, his voice tinged with regret. "Ah, Maximus. I truly wish we’d never had to touch this cursed topic. But seeing you
Once inside, Alexia looked around nervously, her legs trembling as if they might give out beneath her. She never imagined she’d find herself in such a situation. Seeing Maximus, Leonardo, and Lucius all in the same room, she immediately understood what was happening. She regretted staying behind to
Serenity's P.O.VMinutes after hearing Marcus, Maximus, and Lucius discussing a DNA test, Serenity realized they were talking about her test. She had set all of this in motion, naively trusting that giving that cursed sample wouldn’t lead to chaos.A sharp pain hit her chest as she turned to her mot
Laura turned her anger on Alexia. “Mom, you’re the worst person I’ve ever known. You’ve never cared for us. You don’t deserve a man like my father risking his freedom for you. And you,” she said, glaring at Lucius and Leonardo, “you’re just as guilty. You sat there and enjoyed watching someone else’
Maximus walked out of the company building, each step heavier than the last. That place was suffocating him—or rather, staying there made it likely he’d kill someone himself. Laura had saved him from doing something irreparable, from choking the life out of Alexia—his wife of twenty years, the woman
Maximus’s eyes glistened with tears as he continued. “Knowing I’d hurt you again, after everything, broke me. But I thought the best thing I could do was let you go. When I saw you with Peter, it killed me. But I convinced myself he’d make you happy, that he’d give you the life I couldn’t. And I bel
Marcus stormed toward Valerie, gripping her waist tightly and lifting her off the ground. Her tear-streaked face met his fiery glare, and Maximus’s pained expression wasn’t far behind. Marcus’s mind raced with a flood of chaotic thoughts.“Valerie, haven’t you had enough? Hasn’t today been enough fo
“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