Peter walked back and forth, having signed all the paperwork and arranged for a trusted doctor to attend to Celeste. It was past 11:00 pm when a nurse informed him that the surgery had started, and they would notify him as soon as there was any news.After nearly 4 hours, Dr. Mandel, a doctor Peter
Upon hearing the voice of that man, Valerie was left with a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn’t think she was hallucinating, but the man she had seen was so much like Peter. That was what had caused her fainting spell. When she looked at her husband, she felt uneasy. She shouldn’t feel this way. S
Peter felt exhausted. That day, he had a meeting he couldn't postpone. He and Theodore had been negotiating the purchase of a refinery located in the United Arab Emirates. The owner was quite the shark, making the days long and grueling. Peter had thought that once the deal was finalized, he could t
‘What are you afraid of?’ Peter asked himself. He stood thinking about his son’s relationship with Valerie, though he couldn’t understand it. Why Valerie? He had known her as Mary, but at that moment, he didn’t pay much attention to that detail.After a bit of sleep, he woke up and began getting rea
"Where are you?""We’re in Valentia, again.""I thought you were living in Slovenia?""No, we just returned. Are you still in Valentia?""Yes, you know Valentia is my home. Could you give me your address? I’ll come see you.""Are you still working at Silverstone Clinic?""Yes, just tell me your addr
‘Valerie had been taken to Gemellia Hospital. She had to spend the night there as the little ones had been a bit restless. A hormonal change and severe gastritis had been causing contractions. Valerie’s diet had wreaked havoc on her stomach—on one hand, spicy foods, and on the other, very sweet food
Peter, after Theodore helped him settle into bed, fell into a deep sleep. The man observed his friend and companion closely. The days Peter spent lying in the hospital felt like an eternity. Now that he was out of that place, those days seemed so distant. Theodore still remembered how he had to feed
Peter remained lying down, lost in his thoughts, memories, and what he had to do from now on. He couldn’t get the image of Mary out of his mind—her smile, her eyes, the first time they were together. He felt a strange sensation in his hands. He had been repressing everything.The day he went to Etha
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