Peter left the hospital to meet with Darius. His plan was to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure he wouldn’t have to return to Valentia. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, especially now that his memories were slowly coming back. He couldn’t afford to leave any loose ends—he needed to o
[Celeste's P.O.V]Celeste sat by the window, gazing outside. Her legs ached slightly, though the medication she was receiving dulled most of the pain from her injuries. For a moment, she focused on the sky, letting her thoughts wander to her life and the struggles that had shaped it. She often felt
'“I’ll never forget you, I promise. But I want to spend the rest of my life with someone. And if life smiles on me with children, I’ll always tell them about you, and I’ll ask you to watch over them. I know you’ll agree that it’s time for me to move forward. It’s been so many years, and I think I’ve
Valerie got out of bed, woken by the insistent hunger of her babies. Her head felt like a tangled mess. She was dizzy, confused, unable to make sense of what was happening. How had her marriage ended up hanging by a thread? And why did she keep seeing Peter?Years ago, she had accepted that he was g
“Valerie! What are you doing up so early and on your feet?”“Hi, Emma! I was a little hungry and came for some milk and cake. By the way, Serenity should be having breakfast by now, but I don’t see her. Maybe I should go wake her up.”“No, sweetheart, don’t worry. Serenity didn’t sleep here last nig
"Celeste, there’s nothing to worry about. Look, all of these symptoms are completely normal.""What do you mean, Dr. Kensington? Normal? I don’t feel normal at all...""Celeste, my dear, your situation is very normal. Congratulations! You’re pregnant!"Celeste’s face turned pale. Just when she had d
Peter drove his truck at full speed, the weight of his decision pressing heavily on him. He feared the consequences, but he knew that anyone who had learned of his existence could expose the truth. And the only truth that mattered was the one he had lived—the one no one else knew, the sad reality wh
Celeste returned from the doctor and immediately began packing her belongings. Her hands trembled, but she knew it was something she had to do. If she stayed any longer, she feared she would lose her resolve and possibly regret her decision.Peter’s last visit had made it clear to her—there was more
[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