Not far from the Bartz residence, Maximus Palmer was accompanying a young and beautiful woman at the National Gallery of Modern Art. After their tour of the gallery, Maximus suggested they go for a coffee. The girl, clearly excited, didn’t object.“Maximus, darling! I’m heading to the restroom, I’ll
On one such visit, he closed his eyes and remembered their time in Santorini. Those days had left a mark on his life, his heart, and his soul.-[Flashback at Santorini]After finishing a call with Alexia, Maximus couldn’t stop thinking about Mary in that sensual summer dress. He changed clothes and
At the Bartz mansion, Valerie and Emma chatted about their lives, and one of the topics that came up was Maximus Palmer—specifically, some recent updates about his life.“Emma, you said Maximus is paying for his actions. Do you know what’s become of him?” Valerie asked curiously.“Do you still think
After dinner, Marcus and Valerie took Emma to a hotel where they had reserved a room for her. The house didn’t have furniture yet. Marcus was eager to go shopping with Valerie to furnish their new home. For that first night, though, they planned to sleep on the floor. Being in their new home, even w
Valerie woke up to find Marcus’s side of the bed empty. She grabbed her husband’s shirt from the floor, slipping it on, and went to look for him. When she reached the kitchen, she noticed the door to the garden was open. There, sitting at the small table in one of the chairs, was Marcus.“My love, w
Maximus returned home quietly, but Alexia was already waiting for him in the living room.“Where are you coming from?” Alexia asked, her tone laced with anger.“I had a business meeting in the city, and then I went out for dinner,” Maximus replied indifferently.“Oh, dinner? Was it with some little
As soon as Maximus returned to his bedroom and was finally beginning to drift off to sleep, the sound of his phone abruptly pulled him from his dreams.“Hello?”“Mr. Palmer, it’s Joseph. I found what you asked for. I’m sending over everything I could dig up about Marcus Bartz.”“Got it. But couldn’t
[After Albert Preston's death]After hanging up with his father, Peter got into his car and headed home. Earlier that day, he had visited Valeria but had decided not to bring Mary along, worried the trip would feel too long for her. They had visited her gynecologist, where he learned the wonderful n
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
Maximus had come to understand something important—so much of what makes a family strong lies in its core: the father and the mother. He'd seen it with his own eyes, experienced it with his father, and once with his grandmother. After a long, yet somehow short, time lingering around the table, the