Mary stood on the balcony of the room she had slept in for the past three years. She didn't want to turn on the lights; the darkness of the night would hide the tears rolling down her cheeks.'This is over! I can't go on like this. I can't take it anymore,' she thought as she stared straight ahead.
Mary was exhausted from all the crying. As she put on her pajamas, she saw a large bruise on her stomach, caused by the blow her husband had landed earlier that day. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she chose not to think about it anymore. This wasn't the first time it had happened, so seeing her s
Mary lay down, trying to calm herself and find the right words to tell Catherine that divorce was the only viable option for her marriage. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a new text message.[How did you like yesterday's scene?You know, this isn't the first time. We do it once or twice a day; your
After what felt like a long journey, the ambulance finally arrived at the hospital. Mary was pale and unconscious. One of the paramedics said, "She has lost a lot of blood. Let's hope we can still do something."Another said, "We have to. She's so young, she can't die like this.""I don't know what
As Maximus, Emma, and Catherine waited in a private room for news about Mary's condition, Catherine couldn't help but remember how the girl had come into their lives five years ago. Much of this information was unknown to Maximus.Mary had been 17 years old when she was suddenly forced to leave her
After dinner, Catherine and Albert went to the study to discuss the troubling matter at hand.“Albert, I’ve reviewed the information your lawyer sent us. Unfortunately, I don’t have good news. Your supposed partner ran off with millions and offended one of the most prominent families in your country
Mary got up from the bed and hurried out, thinking that maybe she could still find her grandfather. Unfortunately, he had left the mansion several hours ago."Mary, my dear, where are you going?" Catherine asked."I'm looking for my grandfather!""Sweetheart, your grandfather left last night. He onl
After several days at the mansion, Catherine had to leave on a trip for some family business. This time, she couldn't take Mary with her, so before leaving, she said:"Mary, I'll be gone for a few days, but you won't be alone. Emma will stay with you. If you need anything, you can ask her.""Yes, Gr
“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