“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
After hanging up with Diana, Maximus headed to the old mansion. Once there, he wasn’t in the mood for anything other than taking a bath and sleeping—it had been a long day. He was lying on his old bed when the light of his phone pulled him out of a half-sleep. An email with encrypted files had just
After nearly being strangled to death by her husband, Alexia shockingly returned to the mansion. It was clear that many things were about to change drastically. A few hours earlier, Leonardo had made it clear that he wouldn’t help her at all. Lucius had only advised her to leave the house and find s
For the first time in years, Marcus felt an anxiety attack creeping in. With no other option, he called Frederick. It was late at night, but like Matthew, Frederick knew his bosses well and had been expecting the call, though it was clear from the delay that something was wrong.“What’s going on, my
Maximus had come to understand something important—so much of what makes a family strong lies in its core: the father and the mother. He'd seen it with his own eyes, experienced it with his father, and once with his grandmother. After a long, yet somehow short, time lingering around the table, the
After several hugs and a strange sense of emptiness, Lucius and Amanda left the house. Lucius started driving, knowing he still had to get home—he hadn't said goodbye to his siblings, his father, or the grandfather he'd just met.Time was ticking. Through the rearview mirror, he caught a glimpse of
The week had flown by, and Lucius and Amanda were getting everything ready to head back to New Zealand. Their time in Valentia had been amazing. This visit had given them a lot of good memories, but it was time to return to university.Maximus and the others were hoping they could visit during the
After Ethan gave a masterclass on how to hold a baby, it was the grandparents' turn. Marcus, not wasting a second, held little Isabelle in his arms. The moment he looked at her, he knew—she was the spitting image of his daughter, the same baby girl he had met just over two years ago. "Hello, prince
After finally finishing all the paperwork and preparations for the creation of PBE Group, Maximus and Peter drove from Florentia to Valeria. Both men were determined to get there—after all, their daughter, so to speak, had just given birth, and it was essential to meet the family's first granddaught
A couple of hours after that awkward conversation, Alden, Serenity, Isabelle, and Laura were on their way home. After all the advice from the OB-GYN and the pediatrician, the new little family was finally heading back.Serenity was filled with mixed emotions. In her arms, she held her baby—yes, her
The next day, Serenity had her check-up. Little Isabelle stared intently at her mother, those big, beautiful eyes locked onto her face. Serenity couldn't stop admiring her.She was completely in love with the tiny angel in her arms. Looking at her, she couldn't help but remember how she and the man
They barely made it to the car before they were already pulling up to the place where Adrian was now living. When they arrived, Laura was surprised by the location. It wasn't bad, exactly—just not the kind of place she could ever picture Adrian choosing for himself.It made her think his financial s
"Is it far from here?" Laura asked, a bit concerned."Not really. I could actually walk, but honestly, with the crutches, it's kind of uncomfortable—and risky.""If you wait for me, I'll say goodbye to my sister and give you a ride. I'm guessing it's on the way, so...""No! No, you came to see your