Marcus wasn’t sure where to sit. Valerie’s almond eyes studied him with curiosity, her expression trying to make sense of his strange behavior. She didn’t understand what was happening or why.“For God’s sake, Marcus! Just sit down already and explain what all this means!” Valerie snapped, pointing
“Marcus…”“Valerie, please, let me finish explaining—”“No!” she interrupted, her voice sharp. “I’ve already heard enough. I get it—you just want my damn signature.”She stood abruptly, grabbed a pen, yanked the folder from his hands, and signed every paper he had placed before her.“Here it is. Wit
Three weeks had passed since Valerie had signed the divorce papers. Officially, she was now a free woman. John had been sad when he learned his parents were separating. At almost six years old, he didn’t fully understand what a separation meant. In his mind, it was something like what Ethan was expe
-At Dr. Baker’s clinic, Valerie sat in the waiting room, flipping through a magazine. She was startled when she noticed a familiar figure. Even after all these years, he still looked as youthful as the day she’d met him. His demeanor now seemed calmer, more relaxed.Her heart skipped a beat. Could
Valerie entered the doctor’s office, and Dr. Baker looked curiously at the man accompanying her. Before the doctor could say anything, Valerie quickly explained:“He’s here as moral support.”“Alright! Let’s see how your little ones are doing.”“You know the drill, Valerie. Hop onto the examination
For a brief moment, Serenity allowed herself to imagine her parents were still together, and the three of them were simply out for lunch as a family. It was a comforting thought, but it quickly dissolved when Valerie broke the silence.“Okay, we’ve eaten. Now, Serenity, Marcus—what do you want to ta
Valerie stood abruptly, her frustration bubbling over. She was about to leave when Marcus grabbed her arm firmly, stopping her in her tracks. She turned, her eyes flashing with anger.“What do you want, Marcus?”“I want you to calm down,” he said, his voice steady but intense. “We need to keep our c
“Marcus, have you already given her permission?”“No. I told her she needed to discuss it with you. The last thing I want is for you to come home one day and find her gone. And she still needs to talk to Maximus. From what I understand, this is just something she’s decided on her own—neither we nor
“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