After leaving Mary in her room, Peter went to his study and sat behind his desk for a long time. He stared at nothing, lost in thought about how life seemed to play tricks on him again and again. Mary had come back home, but now, she wasn’t the same girl who had arrived years ago. She wasn’t alone a
As the news of Mary’s pregnancy weighed on Peter, forcing him to make a difficult yet loving decision, in Valeria, Maximus visited Alexia at her apartment. He told her the divorce had been finalized, and he was now a free man.“That’s excellent news, love!” Alexia exclaimed, practically jumping with
Leonard Palmer became a widower when his sons were just 15 and 13 years old, a devastating blow to his heart. Martina Palmer had been his one true love. They had met when Leonard began working at Palmer Group, and she had been his unwavering support when he took control of the Preston & Partners Gro
Peter had improved his attitude when his grandmother arrived. He began to work on the subjects he was about to fail, so there were days that he stayed late in the school library.One of those many days, he passed by the art teacher's office. The light was on and peculiar noises could be heard from i
After hours of brooding in his study, Leonard made a difficult decision: He would send Peter to Galea, to an internment school for troubled youth. Without a word, Peter was pulled from his room, still in his pajamas, and taken to the institution. From that moment, Peter wouldn’t see his father again
Frank Levett was an unyielding judge, whose reputation over the years had become untouchable. Considered an exemplary citizen, his opinions carried weight both professionally and personally.Alexia’s parents, who for years had been passive observers of their daughter’s relationship with Maximus Palm
While several pieces were shifting in Valeria, Peter was taking Mary to her first appointment with the gynecologist in Galea.“Hello, Miss Preston, Mr. Palmer! You must be the one who emailed me at 12:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m., and multiple times after that, correct?”“Hello, Dr. Andrew Roman. Yes, that wa
Peter and Mary returned home. She took a long nap while he drove. As he navigated the road, Peter couldn’t help but reflect on all the things that needed to be sorted out. A baby was on the way, and nothing would ever be the same. He needed to share the good news with someone, and there was paperwor
Time had flown by. The Bartzes were about to leave, and with them, Serenity and Alden. In just a week, everything would change again. It was clear that once the Bartzes returned to Hesperia, the families in Valentia would start making moves too. As everyone already knew, Theodore would stay in Flor
She was still holding her bridal bouquet—hadn't even had the chance to toss it. And even if she had, there would've been no one to catch it, since the whole wedding had been so secret and closed-off.Mary walked behind him, trying to catch up. She didn't understand why he was so upset."Mary, there'
She ended the call. She could feel her grandson was suffering because of the mistakes he'd made, but she couldn't give him the same kind of affection she used to when he was a child.This time, he hadn't just fallen—he'd hurt someone else. And not just once. He'd hurt her both physically and emotion
[The past]Mary woke up after a long nap. Peter had been right—the lavender oil had really relaxed her.Maybe it was the move, maybe it was having Grandma Catherine and Peter around, or maybe it was just that she knew she had to be strong so she could recover quickly and see her grandfather again—bu
"Mr. Palmer, I know you came here looking for something that might stop me from seeing my daughter. But I can assure you—if there's one thing I've always been, it's stubborn. I didn't even listen to my own parents—at least not until they finally found a way to tie me down..."And I won't back down f
Maximus looked at the young man, stared him in the eyes—and saw exactly what he'd been hoping to see. After receiving the full report on Adrian's life, he already knew the guy was telling the truth. At moments, he could even see himself reflected in the young man. Though, if he was being honest, Ad
Maximus knew full well that his daughter was going through a pivotal moment in her life. He could see it clearly—just as his children grew, so did their problems. All he could do now was pray to every saint he could think of, asking for the wisdom to guide them the best way he could.Maximus had al
Once everything was said and done, Lucius walked to the study, where Maximus was already waiting for him, reviewing some documents related to the merger. "Have you said goodbye to everyone?" Maximus asked, looking at his son with a sad expression."Yeah. Amanda's saying her goodbyes too… Thank you,
The man saying goodbye felt every step grow heavier and heavier. His family was here, and he was leaving them behind to go to a place far away.This time, he wasn't leaving alone—but he would've much rather stayed. He knew that this family needed him… and he needed them just as much.When it was Pa