-[Maximus' Thoughts]I can’t deny I miss Alexia, but I’m so angry with her—her silence, her absence, leaving without a word. It’s the same as years ago when she went to Paris.Spending time with Mary confuses me. Alexia’s absence, her not being here to whisper in my ear about what to do with this g
Mary and Emma focused on preparing dinner, completely unaware of when Maximus had left the mansion. As the sun began to set, Mary went up to her room and found the dress and jewelry box her husband had left for her. When she opened the box, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The dress was daring,
“Love, I missed you so much!”“I missed you too, but…” Maximus hesitated.“I know, I know! I’ve been a bad girl. There’ll be time for you to punish me later…”“Alexia, I need to go back home. You know I don’t like celebrating Christmas.”“I know, which is why there are no decorations here. For me, i
Maximus sat on a bench, reflecting on the direction of his life. After an hour, he returned to his car and drove to Alexia’s apartment. He had made a decision. 'Sometimes love hurts,' he thought.“Can I stay here?” he asked when she opened the door.“Of course, love! This is your home. What happened
When she returned to the table, Maximus looked colder than before. But Catherine greeted her with a warm, excited smile.“Mary, I wasn’t able to celebrate your birthday, and it saddened me. So, I have a special gift for you,” Catherine said, pulling out a small black box. “Peter told me you used to
[Present Day]After their conversation in the garden, Maximus and Mary walked toward the mansion, where Catherine was already standing on the balcony, waving at them.“Maximus! I’m glad you finally decided to visit your wife!” Catherine said cheerfully.“Yes, Grandma. In fact, we’ve been talking. I
[Present Day]Maximus spent the entire day at the mansion, staying by Mary’s side and helping her with her medication. Meanwhile, Peter, unable to stomach Maximus’s decision, left in a fit of anger.By evening, Catherine seized the opportunity to foster intimacy between the couple. She had dinner se
In Valeria, several miles away from Florentia, events were unfolding that would change everything.Alexia had officially signed her termination papers but remained calm, confident that Maximus would visit her soon. She was certain he’d have a good explanation for everything that had happened.Days p
[A few months earlier ]It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him—as long as he was okay with her company.He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly eve
Valerie approached, one last time, one of the most important women in her life in Valeria.Emma Fiore—the woman who had taken her in almost like a daughter. While they had grown close during the three years Valerie was married to Maximus, their bond went far beyond that. They were family.Emma had c
After that hug, Valerie walked over to Laura, Serenity's sister, with whom she'd developed a bit of a bond."Laura and beautiful Adele—I wish you both all the success in the world… You must finish your studies and use your degree. You're living proof that it's possible—and that's exactly what your l
The day had finally come—the Bartz family and the newly formed Palmer-Bartz family were leaving for Hesperia.Without meaning to, the three families found themselves gathered once again at the airport.Marcus was saying goodbye to Peter, who, due to his memory loss, only held onto the memories of th
While Valerie packed up their things for the move back to Hesperia, Peter was driving with Celeste and their little girls toward Willowcombe.He was taking her to see how the renovations on the house—where they'd soon be living—were coming along.Celeste was in the back seat with the girls, tending
Valerie was packing clothes into the suitcases, though she kept drifting off, thinking about the reason they'd come here in the first place.At first, everything had seemed simple—quick even. Within a few months, they'd be back in Hesperia. But it had already been over a year.Things hadn't gone as
After Maximus said goodbye to Pierre, he went back into the mansion and headed straight to his son's room. Paul was lying on his bed, facing away from the door."Paul, can I come in?" Maximus asked gently."You're already in, Dad… Are you here to scold me for something that happened years ago?" Paul
"That's right. I'd like to speak with him alone, if you don't mind, Mr. Evans.""I think you're misunderstanding something. Letting you into my home doesn't mean you get to decide whether I'm in the conversation or not. Still, I'm trying to be reasonable—and if Paul wants to speak with you alone, on
Not too thrilled about it, Paul left his room and headed toward the garden, where a man was already waiting for him—one who didn't look his age. And to be honest, the resemblance between young Paul and the man was unmistakable.As soon as he heard footsteps approaching, the man—already sipping a cup