My house had slowly begun to take shape. The garden was thriving after weeks of care, and the last month and a half had been surprisingly peaceful. Thanks to the courses I took during my recovery, I had secured a new job—a recommendation from my art professor landed me a position at the Royce Cerami
Camille and Emma arrived back at the house. Camille was quick to question Greta about the man who had left moments before. Greta, with her usual bluntness, replied, “Ethan's grandfather was here, but honestly, I didn’t understand much of what happened.”Camille and Emma exchanged a glance, their exp
“I don’t know, Emma. I don’t understand what you’re asking,” Valerie replied, shrugging helplessly.“Fine. I’ll tell you,” Emma said, her tone growing sharper. “I’m going to be blunt, but know that I say this with all the love a mother can give. Okay?”“Yes…” Valerie murmured, bracing herself.“Mary
After leaving Celeste's house, Peter drove to the lookout where he'd been with her before. He’d had to leave Mary's house quickly, knowing that if he stayed any longer, his feelings would overwhelm his reason—and that wouldn't lead to anything good."I had it easier when I didn’t remember anything,"
Peter understood that since the day Ethan was born, the boy had only ever seen him as a father. Alden might have been his biological father, but Peter was the one who had always been there, raising him. Of all the things Peter had considered, he hadn’t thought Ethan would react so strongly. He assum
Peter continued, his tone soft but firm. “Celeste, I want you to keep painting. You have a gift, and you need to nurture it. I’d love for you to take some courses, to practice more. For now, the only thing you should focus on is getting better.”“Peter… I don’t know how I’ll manage being away for a
Frank Levett had spent several years confined to a hospice reserved for those with no resources. Marcus Bartz had appeared as a generous benefactor, ensuring Frank was fed, cared for, and safe in exchange for a hefty check—a payment the staff deeply appreciated.After Marcus’s last visit to Frank, i
Peter watched as Celeste stepped out of the small house. The scene felt surreal. Not long ago, she had been in their home—her home. A place where she could live comfortably. And now, here she was, in the modest house he had given her as a gesture to make her happy. A house he had hoped she wouldn’t
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
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'