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
“I told you, we’re not going home,” Marcus said curtly. “You and I are far from fine. We’re not going anywhere until we deal with this.”After several tense minutes on the road, Marcus and Valerie arrived at the St. Regis Eterna. Marcus had already reserved a suite. Going home wasn’t an option—not a
Maximus watched as Marcus forcibly dragged Mary away. He wanted to go after them, but he stopped himself, uncertain of how his interference might impact her. The look in Marcus’s eyes was all too familiar—it was jealousy, pure and corrosive. Maximus recognized it because he had been consumed by the
Marcus had dropped Serenity off at home and immediately called Frederick, desperate for any news about Valerie. His guilt was consuming him—he knew he’d failed her. He should have stayed by her side, should have defended her rather than letting his anger and jealousy take over. He understood why she
Maximus was utterly taken aback when he saw the name on his phone screen. Of all the people who could have called him, he hadn’t expected her. The surprise was overwhelming, but without hesitation, he answered. Tonight, of all nights, he needed to hear her voice.“Maximus? Maximus Palmer?” said a fa
As the bus pulled into the station near midnight, Valerie stepped off, feeling a hollow ache in her stomach. When she stormed out of the hotel, she hadn’t known where to go. Home wasn’t an option—not in the state she was in. A hotel felt too risky; she couldn’t predict how far Marcus might go to fin
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
After Alden and Grace’s divorce, Grace decided to move to Spain. She had considered returning to Argentina, but her strained relationship with her parents made that impossible. Meanwhile, both Alden and Grace continued to receive unconditional support from Peter, who held Grace in high regard. Their
Alden was stunned. No one had ever spoken to him that way before. His mother had always been gentle, and Ignatius, who he had come to see as a father figure, was patient and understanding.“Take it or leave it! But make up your mind now,” Peter snapped, his tone tinged with exasperation.Alden ran t
After that long conversation, Theodore felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Alden, on the other hand, was in shock. What kind of man had his father been to endure something like this? The whole story sounded absurd, yet it had to be true—after all, the man standing before hi