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
“Fine. I’ll message you this evening.”“Good.”As she walked away, Peter felt a sharp pain in his chest. The Celeste he knew—the cheerful, loving woman who always seemed to glow—was gone. In her place was someone colder, someone distant. Peter was facing the full consequences of his decisions, and i
Peter ended up cooking an exquisite pasta and preparing a delicious salad, leaving Celeste surprised. She never imagined that this man could do such things. She had to admit that she really didn’t know much about the man she’d be spending all these days with, but she was determined to give herself a
His mind was in chaos. Fate was giving him the chance to think through his words and actions. This morning, he hadn’t known what to say. Now, he had time to figure it out—but his thoughts were interrupted by a phone call.“Peter, are you in Valentia?”“Matthew, yes, why?”“Damn it, Peter! Stop screw
“Marcus? Are you awake?” Frederick asked as he walked into the room.“Yes! Do you have the information I asked for?” Marcus replied, sitting up in bed.“I do… but after going through everything again, I think someone else should be here,” Frederick said cautiously.“Who?”“Maximus Palmer. He’s the h
“What? What’s going on? Did he do something to you? Tell me! Where is he?”“No! He didn’t do anything to me. Dad’s really drunk and hasn’t come out of his room. A little while ago, I heard his door open, but when I went to check on him, it was locked again. I called for him, but he won’t answer.”“L
[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