Serenity looked up, momentarily unsure. Then she recognized him—Maximus. For a split second, she hesitated. He looked different today, much like Laura had thought. The man standing before her seemed nothing like the stern, cold figure she had briefly met in Madrid.“Hello, Maximus,” Serenity replied
After a ten-minute drive, Maximus, Laura, and Serenity arrived at the café Serenity had mentioned. The place reminded Maximus of the one he had visited with Mary on her birthday. The three of them took a table on the terrace—a charming spot surrounded by greenery, exuding a tranquil atmosphere. Laur
While Serenity spent the day with Maximus and Laura at the Bartz estate, Marcus, Valerie, and John were having breakfast and getting ready to head out for a little excursion. Despite being a child, John was mature—not the kind of mature that involved making deals or hacking computers, but the kind t
-Meanwhile, Maximus was spending the day with his two young ladies. As they walked ahead of him, he observed them closely. Serenity and Laura couldn’t have been more different. Serenity was extroverted, always on the move, always looking for something to do. From the photos he’d seen, she clearly h
Lucius, after seeing his father walk away and realizing his sister was trying to prevent a fight, softened his expression and turned to look at his beautiful little sister, who was still holding a bowl of popcorn.“Hello, beautiful,” Lucius said, smiling as he gently stroked Laura’s cheek.“Hi, big
Serenity drove home, her backpack safely holding the photographs Maximus had given her of her father. She had a bright smile on her face. She hadn’t attended classes that day, but she’d spent a wonderful day with her cousin and uncle. She imagined that this was what some of her days could be like in
'Is she my husband’s new mistress?'Alexis had been unusually quiet lately, which was odd for her. She was known to be a force to be reckoned with, both in the business world and in her personal life. Audrey was the one exception—Alexis hadn’t done anything to her yet, mostly because the girl’s well
The weekend passed quickly, and Marcus didn’t bring up Maximus again in front of Serenity. He regretted losing his temper and realized that Maximus’s actions were deliberate provocations. He resolved not to let his frustration spill over onto his beloved daughter again—it was something he wouldn’t a
"Thank you, Serenity. I have a lot to think about… But first things first—my daughter and my studies.""That's the spirit, my beautiful sister!" Serenity said, hugging her again.Finally, Serenity turned to Maximus and Diana. She looked at them, and they smiled at her. Maximus opened his arms and pu
Peter watched little Ethan, who still wouldn't meet his eyes. During all the goodbyes, Ethan had avoided coming near him—but now, the moment had come to do what was right."Ethan, come here…" Peter said, looking at the boy.With his head down, Ethan slowly walked toward him. Peter crouched down to t
[A few months earlier ]It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him—as long as he was okay with her company.He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly eve
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