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
Maximus and Laura entered the consultation room. Dr. Baker raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised to see Maximus again so soon. She managed a polite smile and said:“Back again as moral support?”“Yes,” Maximus replied casually. “This time with my daughter. The woman earlier was my ex-wife.”“I see
Serenity was frustrated. She had hoped things would go differently, but realistically, she knew her mother wouldn’t take her decision well. If anything, Serenity doubted that even explaining her true reasons for leaving would get Valerie’s approval. She packed a small suitcase with a few changes of
Serenity’s voice softened, her emotions spilling into her words. “I grew up believing Peter was my father. When I met him, I let everything out—I talked to him, and then I let him go. It wasn’t fair to me, to him, or to Dad. And let’s not even get started on Maximus, who didn’t even know I existed u
Maximus and Laura returned home after their quick stop at the dessert shop. As Maximus unloaded their purchases in the kitchen for the cook to store, he froze at the sight of Serenity sitting in the living room, her suitcase beside her. His heart skipped a beat. Laura’s words earlier about Serenity
Valerie remained in the study long after Serenity had left. She felt a hollow ache in her chest, a deep guilt that weighed heavily on her. Her little girl was gone, and though she didn’t want to admit it, her daughter’s words rang true. She hadn’t handled Peter’s reappearance well. He had come into
“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