Maximus eventually appeared, carrying Maurice in his arms, with Paul walking beside him. Both boys looked sheepish, but their expressions quickly changed to that of ravenous dinosaurs upon seeing the food on the table. Without a word or greeting, they dove into their plates."See, kids? The food’s d
"I wish I could tell my mother that, but I don’t know how. For now, I think I should stay quiet. Still, when I think about my dad not being home, it hurts, and I feel awful," Serenity said, her voice heavy with emotion."I’ve always wanted a sibling," Alden admitted. "But knowing my father, that was
Serenity entered the house, careful not to make any noise, but she didn’t expect to find her mother waiting for her in the foyer.“Serenity, sweetheart, can we talk?” Valerie asked softly.“Hi, Mom… I’m really tired. Can it wait until tomorrow?”“No, darling, we need to talk tonight.”Serenity sighe
Valerie left the study and headed to her bedroom, her mind racing with everything Serenity had said. It was one thing to hear advice from people like Camille and Emma, telling her it made no sense to cling to the past, but it was entirely different to hear it from her own daughter.Life seemed so un
“I’m fine. Really fine. I feel calmer now. Frederick, I need you to contact my lawyer.”“Your lawyer? What for?”“I want him to file for divorce,” Marcus said bluntly.“What?! Marcus, what did you just say?” Frederick exclaimed, nearly dropping the pan he was holding.“You heard me. Just help me con
It had been a month since Maximus found out his daughter was pregnant, a month since Diana Mendez had arrived in Valentia, a damn month since he had learned the whole truth. Peter’s investigation was clearly not intended to harm them as they’d initially thought. Instead, it revealed every vulnerabil
A week had passed since Marcus had asked to speak with his lawyer—the same amount of time since Frederick had spoken to Valerie. At first, Frederick thought this was just a jealous outburst from Marcus, but after talking to Valerie, he realized his friend had a point. With no other choice, he ended
“Camille, what’s wrong? You look pale.”“It’s nothing, Emma. I need to speak to Valerie. Someone is here to see her. Could you bring some coffee?”“Of course!”Camille opened the door to Valerie’s room. Valerie was already standing, staring out at the garden. She had gotten dressed.“Someone’s here
“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