[Back to the present]Marcus arrived at the plaza where Valerie was waiting for him, sitting on a bench and enjoying a delicious ice cream. Despite the years they had spent together, his wife never ceased to amaze him. She could go from being a poised, sophisticated woman to a playful, childlike ver
Maximus stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sight of Valerie—Mary. She was no longer the girl he remembered but a confident, elegant woman. The years had shaped her into someone radiant, and seeing her again stirred memories he had buried deep. The last image he had of her was etched in his mind: her t
Back when Valerie waited for her husband, she strolled through the plaza filled with high-end stores, searching for furniture to fill their enormous mansion. Suddenly, the task brought a flood of memories. Her life with Maximus had been hell at the beginning and later just lonely. The few moments of
As Maximus, Marcus, and Valerie continued their tense conversation, Alexia Levett arrived at the hotel in her usual dramatic fashion. Stepping out of her sleek sports car, she handed the keys to the valet with a haughty air, her red, form-fitting dress leaving little to the imagination. Knowing that
Marcus and Valerie arrived home, and true to his word, Marcus didn’t let the dress last long. He pulled her close, showering her with kisses and caresses, leaving no space for the lingering tension of the evening. After their passionate moment, Valerie fell asleep in his arms, but Marcus’s restless
After the couple left the bar, the atmosphere between the remaining two shifted dramatically. The cordiality they had shown each other evaporated. It was clear they’d been forcing themselves to get along, but for Maximus, being around Alexia was enough to give him a headache.“Maximus, did you alrea
After Valerie brought Marcus back from the garden, the two of them returned to the bedroom. During dinner, the new bed for the master bedroom had been delivered and set up, so tonight, they wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor. She hugged him, running her fingers through his unruly hair. Valerie love
The next morning, Maximus left for the Valeria airport, where the jet waiting to transport him was already prepared. Unlike other trips, this time he was alone. There were no young women accompanying him—a stark contrast to his usual habit of using long trips as an excuse to dazzle some unsuspecting
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
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