“We started talking about work, but before we knew it, we were discussing life, her husband, and her family. That’s when I noticed a bruise on her right wrist, which she was trying to hide under her sweater sleeve. Your mother was five years younger than me, the same as your father. I remember telli
Maximus felt powerless as his thoughts spiraled. His mother—his beloved mother—had been destroyed by the man he had once admired as a role model. Clenching his fist, he slammed it down on the coffee table, imagining it was Leonardo beneath him. But blaming the man who had an affair with his mother w
"Sister? What the hell? What sister? What are you talking about?""Maximus, your mother, my Martina, was pregnant by your father. But in a fit of rage, he caused her to miscarry. She nearly lost her life. After that, she almost fell into a deep depression. Your father, seeing her in that state, and
Late into the night, Marcus and Valerie had moved to the bedroom they had once shared a month ago. She couldn’t deny how much she had missed the warmth of her husband’s body. Having him there again made her feel safe, protected. Feeling Marcus’s large, strong hand resting on her belly caused the bab
Magnus returned to the living room, finding Maximus still seated, his face buried in his hands. His fingers massaged his scalp as if trying to stave off the onslaught of emotions and thoughts swirling in his head. Coming to the house of the man who claimed to be his father had only left him more fru
While Maximus traveled back from Germany, in Switzerland, Lucius was grappling with the only choice his mother was giving him. He refused, but every day she reminded him that she wasn’t well and that it would be better if he let her go.“Lucius, think carefully about what you’re doing, son… You’re t
“I already know all of this, Mom!”“No, you don’t know everything… Leonardo isn’t your father!”“What?! Say that again!”“You heard me. Leonardo isn’t your father. I have to be honest: at first, I thought you might be his. But I did a test before you were born and found out you were Maximus’s son. I
Maximus had returned from Germany, but his life had changed after that trip. The man came back with more questions than answers, and the only one who could provide those answers was in Slovenia.“Peter… you son of a bitch. Why the hell do I have to follow through with your stupid plan?” Maximus said
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