“So, you understand me,” he continued. “I wasn’t sure if you would. I didn’t want to see you in this pitiful state, but now that I’m here, Alexia, you are truly hideous. All those surgeries ruined you. There was a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ with you, but what I see now? It’s a far cry from what you onc
After Valerie and Marcus left for Santorini, Camille quickly got John ready for school. Today, the little boy was particularly excited because his teacher had told the class that a new student would be joining them. The boy was coming from Slovenia, which fascinated John. Having recently moved to a
Peter returned home after dropping Ethan off at school. He had a particular fondness for enjoying his coffee in the garden, so when he chose this house, it had to accommodate that need. After arriving, he asked the butler to bring his breakfast to the garden. Meanwhile, Alden was getting ready to le
After his visit to Alexia and finally bidding farewell to the unrequited love of his youth, Maximus made the call to the boarding school where his children were staying.“Mr. Palmer, I must say I’m surprised by your decision. Has something happened to prompt this?”“Mrs. Caville, I’ve made my decisi
After the news broke, Maximus’s phone barely stopped ringing. People from various companies called to offer their condolences. While he remained attentive to his phone, waiting for the call from his driver who was bringing his children home, his mind was preoccupied with how he would deliver the new
“Why are you only telling us this now?” Laura asked, her voice trembling.“Because there wasn’t much else to do. I didn’t know how you would take it. Your mother was in terrible shape—she passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. Her parents already have her ashes, and the funeral is today
“My children,” Maximus began, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “Laura and I need to talk to you about something. Paul, I need you to pay close attention. Let’s go to my study, and we’ll discuss it there.”The small family made their way to the study and closed the door. Once inside, Maximu
A week had passed quickly since Alexia's death was announced. Maximus hadn’t shown up at Palmer Group’s offices. Marcus, along with Matthew, worked hard to keep the company afloat. While it was true the business wasn’t what it once had been, Matthew had analyzed the data and was convinced they could
[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
"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