It was late Sunday afternoon. Laura had gone to her room after lunch, and the kids were holed up in their rooms, rushing to finish last-minute homework. Maximus had warned them that the punishment would be severe if they didn’t complete their assignments or missed any responsibilities at school. Mea
“You’re my biological father, so yes, I can tell you exactly what I see. Now, let’s take a look at what you’ve got here. Where are your scissors?” Serenity said, walking into Maximus’s wardrobe without hesitation.“Scissors?”“Yes, for your hair! When I was little, I used to cut Marcus’s hair. He le
Maximus glanced at the time on one of his watches and realized he was already running late. He quickly grabbed the outfit his daughter had meticulously picked out for him and even put on the cologne she’d chosen. When he stepped out of the dressing room, he had an audience—both of his daughters were
“How are you, Diana?” Maximus asked, a trace of nostalgia in his voice.“Much better now that I’m seeing you!” she replied cheerfully.“Let’s go grab some dinner—I’m starving…”“Of course!”“Where will the great Maximus Palmer make a reservation?”“We’re going to The Russet Garden. You’ll like it—th
After a few minutes of silence, watching the city lights, Diana and Maximus got back in the car. Their conversation continued, casual and light, like two old friends catching up. Diana was trying to understand the new life of the man she had waited for over six years. After driving for a while, they
“Maximus, I know you’d sacrifice yourself for Peter—you’ve always been that way. But would you do it for Marcus?” Diana asked, her tone pointed.“He’s about to become the father of twins. I don’t want Mary to end up alone again.”“You have four children and a grandchild on the way. Two of your daugh
Maximus stared into Diana’s determined eyes and let her words sink in.“I’m not going anywhere, Maximus. I want to see you again, to have you close. Don’t you understand that I like you? I’ve always liked you. It’s time you seek your freedom, time to live the life you’ve always wanted. I know your c
“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
After Ethan gave a masterclass on how to hold a baby, it was the grandparents' turn. Marcus, not wasting a second, held little Isabelle in his arms. The moment he looked at her, he knew—she was the spitting image of his daughter, the same baby girl he had met just over two years ago. "Hello, prince
After finally finishing all the paperwork and preparations for the creation of PBE Group, Maximus and Peter drove from Florentia to Valeria. Both men were determined to get there—after all, their daughter, so to speak, had just given birth, and it was essential to meet the family's first granddaught
A couple of hours after that awkward conversation, Alden, Serenity, Isabelle, and Laura were on their way home. After all the advice from the OB-GYN and the pediatrician, the new little family was finally heading back.Serenity was filled with mixed emotions. In her arms, she held her baby—yes, her
The next day, Serenity had her check-up. Little Isabelle stared intently at her mother, those big, beautiful eyes locked onto her face. Serenity couldn't stop admiring her.She was completely in love with the tiny angel in her arms. Looking at her, she couldn't help but remember how she and the man
They barely made it to the car before they were already pulling up to the place where Adrian was now living. When they arrived, Laura was surprised by the location. It wasn't bad, exactly—just not the kind of place she could ever picture Adrian choosing for himself.It made her think his financial s
"Is it far from here?" Laura asked, a bit concerned."Not really. I could actually walk, but honestly, with the crutches, it's kind of uncomfortable—and risky.""If you wait for me, I'll say goodbye to my sister and give you a ride. I'm guessing it's on the way, so...""No! No, you came to see your
"Well, Laura, things aren't that simple... but I'll figure something out. And with all this, what are you doing at the hospital? Who's taking care of Adele? Is something wrong? Is someone in your family here? Are you okay?""Wow... That's a lot of questions. But yeah, everything's fine. Emma's watch
At the hospital cafeteria, after Laura decided to stay a bit longer, she and Celeste were walking toward the room where Serenity was. As they passed by one of the consultation rooms, Laura came face to face with Adrian.She was surprised to see him. The young man was on crutches, his left foot in a
After almost four hours on the road—where Alden's driver wasn't so much driving as flying—he finally arrived. He didn't even wait for the car to park. As soon as he saw the hospital, he jumped out and ran inside.Alden was sprinting down the hallway looking for the room number, his heart pounding in