Maximus’s voice broke as he remembered Leonardo’s chilling smirk when he spoke of Serenity.Peter felt a cold shiver crawl down his spine. Memories of Alexia flooded his mind. She had confided in him during a week he had spent caring for her. She had told him how Leonardo had abused her repeatedly—e
Alden quickly exited the room, needing to distance himself before emotions escalated further. He prided himself on his control, but Serenity’s vulnerability, beauty, and the connection they had shared threatened to push him past his limits. This wasn’t the right place, nor the right time—especially
“Serenity, come with me. Let’s walk in the gardens for a bit. We need to talk,” he said softly.Her hands trembled as she let him lead her outside. Overwhelmed by guilt, she struggled to process everything she had just learned. She adored her parents, and now, when they needed her most, she felt she
Serenity took her time reflecting on Alden’s words, but eventually, she drew a deep breath and answered:“When would we leave?”“It would have to be today,” Alden replied.Serenity sighed deeply, trying to steady herself.“Will you come with us?” she asked hesitantly.Alden paused, unsure of how to
“She’s fine in Slovenia,” Peter had assured him. “Celeste is safe. If something happens, it won’t be soon. Focus on the children. Life was preparing you for this, Alden. Maybe that’s why you became a father at such a young age.”“And my mother?” Alden had asked.“She’ll be fine, too. She gets her mo
Alden and Serenity had a long conversation, during which the young man was honest and shared everything about his years with Peter. This sparked a genuine interest in the girl towards him. Inside Serenity’s mind, she reflected on her life. She had been so focused on her plans and projects that she h
“C-section?”“Valerie’s not mentally well. She hasn’t been, it’s been too many strong emotions. This damn country has only brought bad things to them. What do you know about Marcus?”“The lawyers are looking for a loophole to file for a writ of amparo.”“Frederick, is the accusation for which they d
[Redspire Residence]Two weeks had passed quickly since Marcus’s arrest. Unfortunately for him, as long as Frank Levett Jr. continued to apply pressure on the government and the media spread stories about the Bartz family, he couldn’t get any kind of legal protection. Marcus felt anguished; his wife
Alden held Celeste tightly as she wept, her body trembling against his. It felt like a part of her was being ripped away. It had already been a week, and still, there were no signs of Peter waking up.The swelling in his brain had gone down, but for some unknown reason, there was no neurological act
"I was thinking we could grab some vanilla ice cream and sit somewhere to talk. Sound good?""Perfect."We stopped by an ice cream shop and bought a liter each.As expected, she devoured hers.I watched her for a moment before taking a deep breath."Mary… there’s something I want to talk to you abou
After a few minutes, I helped Mary into the car. As I closed the door, I noticed Agnes stepping outside to see us off, drying her hands on her apron.Seeing her there—knowing she would be one of the many people affected by my death—I walked over and pulled her into a hug."You stubborn old woman… I
She hesitated. "Well… when you put it like that… maybe."I exhaled, running a hand through my hair."I have to admit something. You’re my least favorite person in the world.""Gee, thanks.""But you’re also Mary’s best friend. And you’ve proven to be a good friend to her. So, I just want to ask one
As I stepped out of my room, I was immediately greeted by the loud, unmistakable laughter of Aurora. God, that woman still got on my nerves… And to think that at one point, Mary had actually suggested that she and I could be a couple. According to her, since we were both wild, chaotic, and loved par
After finalizing the last details of my fortune, I picked up the phone and called the one person who had the power to change my life forever."Peter?""Marcus…""What’s going on? You don’t usually call me twice…""Well… technically, you called me earlier…" I said, trying to sound casual."What’s wro
"I just remembered I have something urgent to go over with Marcus. I can’t put it off—it’s about the meeting. I completely forgot. I’ll talk to my father and the doctor to reschedule our appointment. Just give me until noon, okay? This is really important."Before she could respond, I turned toward
[Peter's P.OV]For a few seconds, I just stared at Celeste.She was just a girl—well, compared to me, she was.She was thin, her curly hair as messy as always, and she wore glasses that made her look even younger. There was an innocence in her eyes, a brightness untouched by the weight of life.I sm
Alden’s stomach dropped. "What do you mean by that?"Maximus hesitated before saying, "I’m sorry, Alden… Celeste… But we have to be prepared for the fact that he might not wake up.""He will wake up," Celeste said firmly, her voice trembling with emotion. "He promised me. You said it yourself—Peter