Valerie arrived at the hospital, more composed now. She was wearing an oxygen mask, which helped her breathe more easily. Sedatives weren’t an option due to her advanced pregnancy, but the supplemental oxygen stabilized her. It was only then that she truly realized the gravity of her actions. She ha
"Marcus… I think I need to be honest with you," Valerie said softly.Marcus closed his eyes, bracing himself for the truth he already suspected."Marcus, please forgive me. I know I haven’t been reasonable lately. I know I’ve seemed obsessed with Peter, but today… today Peter showed up at the house.
"I’m a terrible father," Maximus muttered, his voice heavy with guilt. "I don’t even know how to care for my kids. I wasn’t there for them when they were young, and now I don’t know how to be a good father.""Maximus, you’re doing the best you can. You have to remember, we’re not little kids anymore
After the doctor examined Valerie, he found no reason for her to stay in the hospital and discharged her. Marcus drove her home in complete silence, the atmosphere in the car thick with tension. When they arrived, they were greeted by Camille and Emma, who were visibly worried after Valerie had left
At the hospital, Frank Sr. looked up and was met with the face of his estranged son."My dear son! How many years have passed for us to meet again?" Frank Sr. exclaimed, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling with emotion."Frank? Frank, is it really you? Oh God! God is merciful! My son
As Marcus left their bedroom, Valerie felt an overwhelming urge to run after him, to stop him, to plead for him to stay. But she didn’t. Deep down, she knew she had hurt him, and despite her words, the truth of her feelings was evident in her actions. The lies she tried to convince herself of were t
[Frederick's House]Marcus had taken a shower and gone straight to bed. The day had been long and exhausting, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep. The next morning, the sunlight streaming through the window woke him. For a moment, he forgot where he was. Instinctively, he reached
Valerie and Camille, after chatting for a while in the bedroom, headed to the dining room. Serenity and John were already there, quietly having breakfast. Little John had woken up early, eager to see his dad, but when he saw Valerie enter the dining room with only Camille, his expression turned sad.
“Well, I don’t, Serenity. My life changed completely when I found out I was going to be a father. One day I was a broke kid, and the next, I was managing absurd sums of money, getting paid, and changing diapers.”“Sorry…” Serenity murmured, her tone softening."Sorry… what?" Alden asked, raising an
Alden and Serenity exited the Palmer Group building, the tension from their earlier “altercation” significantly eased. Serenity felt more comfortable around him now, while Alden, with his trademark charming smile, continued to catch the admiring glances of every woman they passed in the hallway. Ser
Maximus sighed. “Emma, I know I’m inexperienced. I’ve avoided hiring anyone because my younger kids have spent years in boarding school. I didn’t want them to be raised by nannies anymore. Besides, my eldest is 15, and Maurice is 8. They’re not little anymore.”“I’ve been thinking… I want to come ba
Maximus returned home after a long day, his thoughts weighed down by the countless decisions he had to make. As he walked through the house, he noticed his younger children quietly doing their homework at the dining table. Laura, as always, had stepped in to keep them on task. When he found her rest
“Peter… What else are you planning to do?”“Nothing. Just wait. My time, and Marcus’s time, is coming. He and I will have to pay for what we’ve done. But that, dear brother, won’t affect you,” Peter said, placing a hand on Maximus’s shoulder.“Damn it, Peter! What the hell are you going to do?” Maxi
“What kind of nonsense is this? Of course, I loved Mary! I still love her!”“Do you? Then why did you let Marcus take her? If you loved her, why didn’t you fight for her?”“Because it was what was best.”“For who, Peter? For you? For her? For Marcus? Because it sounds to me like you sacrificed your
Maximus arrived in Slovenia, where Peter’s driver was already waiting to take him to his brother’s grand estate. As they approached the enormous house, Maximus couldn’t help but admire its majesty, but he chose not to comment.“I hope your visit is short and that you’re not here to punch me in the f
After Maximus left for the airport, Alden began showing Serenity around the various floors of Palmer Group. Though Serenity typically carried herself with poise and confidence, she found herself faltering every time Alden looked her way. There was something about his presence, his composed demeanor,
“Serenity, at the office, I’m not your dad—I’m the boss,” Maximus said, frowning slightly as he downed his coffee in one gulp.“I know, Maximus! Now let’s get going, or I’ll be late for my first day as your assistant.”“Miss Bartz, today is your induction day. No one starts working without completin