Peter embraced Celeste and kissed her forehead. Inside, a quiet conflict still simmered, but he knew he had to let it go. He couldn’t turn back time to his life with Mary. Their paths had diverged 12 years ago, a decision he had made himself. There was no point in reopening old wounds. He didn’t wan
As Celeste slept, Peter’s thoughts drifted to a conversation he once had with Theodore during his recovery. In that conversation, Theodore had laid out their shared past, explaining the nature of their relationship before the accident and the intricate web of their mutual dealings. Over time, as tru
Laura’s life had changed drastically in the two months since she transferred to Clearmount College. She had started dating Adrian, and Maximus had made several attempts to meet the young man who was courting his daughter. But fate—or excuses—kept getting in the way. When Maximus was available, Adria
“Laura,” Fred said gently, “everything seems fine so far. I believe this could just be stress from the change in schools or environment. But I do need to ask you a more delicate, personal question. You’re free to answer or not—it’s entirely up to you.”“Laura, at what age did your period start?” Fre
Maximus felt a surge of fury spread through him like wildfire. He wanted to strangle the boy—Adrian, that foolish, reckless boy. He wanted to scream. Laura, his little girl, his baby, the child he had only recently accepted as his own, was no longer a child. She was a woman, and most likely, she was
Maximus said nothing. He didn’t know Adrian, but the speed at which everything had happened spoke volumes about the boy’s character—or lack thereof.-When they returned home, Maximus retreated to his study. He didn’t know how to process the news or who to turn to without exploding. Pulling out his
“Come on! Stop looking at me like that,” Peter said, leaning back in his chair. “You’re the one who wanted to talk. What was so urgent? What’s going on?”Maximus realized his brother didn’t want to address the topic of Mary. He couldn’t blame him; it wasn’t something Maximus was eager to discuss eit
“Have you ever considered having a child?” Maximus asked, breaking the brief silence. “I mean, you have Alden, but you met him as a teenager. Grace, well, you took her in as a daughter, but she was already grown too. Have you ever thought about starting a family with someone?”Peter paused, smiling
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
Maximus knew full well that his daughter was going through a pivotal moment in her life. He could see it clearly—just as his children grew, so did their problems. All he could do now was pray to every saint he could think of, asking for the wisdom to guide them the best way he could.Maximus had al
Once everything was said and done, Lucius walked to the study, where Maximus was already waiting for him, reviewing some documents related to the merger. "Have you said goodbye to everyone?" Maximus asked, looking at his son with a sad expression."Yeah. Amanda's saying her goodbyes too… Thank you,
The man saying goodbye felt every step grow heavier and heavier. His family was here, and he was leaving them behind to go to a place far away.This time, he wasn't leaving alone—but he would've much rather stayed. He knew that this family needed him… and he needed them just as much.When it was Pa
Maximus had come to understand something important—so much of what makes a family strong lies in its core: the father and the mother. He'd seen it with his own eyes, experienced it with his father, and once with his grandmother. After a long, yet somehow short, time lingering around the table, the