Serenity lay on her bed, scrolling through her social media feed when a notification popped up—an email from Maximus Palmer. A sharp pang shot through her stomach, but it quickly dissolved into anger. That bastard actually dared to write to her? How could he? What gave him the nerve?[Hello Serenity
Maximus sat in his study, the image of Mary’s tear-streaked face lingering painfully in his mind. He felt a pang of guilt—he had barely seen her again, and he had already caused her to cry.“Maximus, you’re an idiot,” he muttered to himself.Lost in thought, his attention was drawn to an email notif
Alexia sat in the master bedroom, going through her meticulously detailed nightly routine to preserve her youthful appearance. Creams, applicators, and various other products were scattered across the vanity. As she looked into the mirror, she felt a strange tightness in her chest. Time was slipping
[Present day]After Marcus opened his heart and confessed to Valerie that knowing she had met with Maximus made him jealous, he felt both embarrassed and relieved. It was one of the outcomes he had anticipated when her ex-husband learned of his existence, but he hadn’t been sure how to handle it. Th
[The past]Audrey had just turned 18, and during her birthday party, she met Maximus Palmer. That night, Maximus arrived at the celebration alone—a rare occurrence, as he usually attended such events with Alexia to maintain appearances. However, an argument over something trivial had erupted before
The call Alexia received from her grandfather had left her on edge. She knew he didn’t mess around. If he wanted, he could send her husband proof that she had ordered the removal of Maximus’s only brother.She took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. She needed to talk to Maximus. But how? She h
It was 10:00 p.m., and Marcus was drinking and smoking on the balcony of the hotel room where he’d decided to stay. He had been waiting for a decent hour to call the one woman who could bring peace to his heart. The day had been far from easy, and he still felt unsettled by his actions, though he tr
"Come in!" said Maximus when he heard his eldest son's voice."Father... how have you been?" Lucius asked as he entered the study.There was no doubt about it—Lucius was his spitting image. He always carried himself with pride, walking upright and paying meticulous attention to his appearance. Maxim
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
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