“Serenity, I’m sorry, my dear. It’s just… seeing this young man left me in shock.”“It’s okay, Maximus. Just stop squeezing my hand—I’m not going anywhere, especially not like this.”“Serenity, what did that bastard do to you?”Alden was stunned by the way Maximus spoke, especially knowing they were
Maximus watched as Marcus took Serenity away. For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of nostalgia. His daughter had been so frightened that she was happy to see and hug him, but he knew he had to respect the fact that Marcus had been her legal and emotional father for years. Forcing things wouldn’t he
Maximus leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep breath. “Do you know that inheritance actually exists?”“I don’t need it! I only want one thing. I want to work for the company. I know it’s not in a great situation, but I want to see how I can invest money into it and bring it back to what it on
Marcus sat in the back seat of the SUV with Serenity beside him. After everything that had happened, she finally felt safe in her father’s presence and drifted into a deep sleep.“My girl, I don’t know exactly what happened, but I’ll find out. Believe me, Leonardo and Lucius will regret laying a fin
“Can we declare her dead?”“We can, but why would you want that?”“Her family will stop worrying about her, and we can keep her alive under our control.”“Are you seriously considering that as an option?”-“Yes, I have no doubt about it. That woman changed so many lives with her ambition. She denie
Valerie was unaware of everything that had transpired that day. She simply got out of the bed she had slept in for her first nine months in Galea. Aurora and she had chosen to sleep there—Valerie didn’t feel ready to use the master bedroom, unwilling to disturb anything left inside. She hadn’t even
She got dressed and sat at the vanity. Though it was clean, it still held toiletries for both her and Peter. Her heart clenched as she remembered their small arguments about using the mirror—she always had to wait for Peter, who spent half an hour styling his wavy hair only to mess it up and let it
Maximus felt like the USB drive his nephew had handed him was burning a hole in his hand. It was a strange sensation. He had noticed the shift in Alden’s demeanor when he gave him the device, and though he didn’t understand why, he knew its contents were important.Driving to his new home, Maximus r
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