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
Alexia, hearing the shouting from the study, smiled to herself. She knew her son was standing up for what he believed was his by right. Maximus was likely fuming over his son’s presence, but there was nothing he could do to stop him."Father! I’m just saying what I see. Bartz returns, and you open t
After the last time she saw Maximus, Audrey was devastated. She felt she had done everything in her power to win his favor. She was a girl from a good family, young and beautiful. Audrey took pride in her looks—any man would be proud to have her by his side. But, unfortunately, the man she desired d
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked politely.“What are you getting?” she replied cheerfully.“An espresso,” he answered flatly.“Oh, I can’t handle coffee that strong! I’ll have a white hot chocolate and a cheesecake.”Maximus signaled the waiter, who came over to take their order. While
Laura was the second child of Maximus and Alexia. She had straight blonde hair, eyes that shifted between shades of gray and green, and an oval face with delicate, rosy cheeks that accented her pale, porcelain skin. She didn’t share any noticeable features with Maximus or the Palmer family. Laura wa
[The past]The next morning, Marcus set off toward Florentia, with a specific destination in Lunavalle in mind. It had been years since his last visit, but today he felt the urge to stop by the Bartz family mausoleum. The last time he’d been there, Peter had accompanied him.Marcus had several bouqu
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
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'