It was late Sunday afternoon. Laura had gone to her room after lunch, and the kids were holed up in their rooms, rushing to finish last-minute homework. Maximus had warned them that the punishment would be severe if they didn’t complete their assignments or missed any responsibilities at school. Mea
“You’re my biological father, so yes, I can tell you exactly what I see. Now, let’s take a look at what you’ve got here. Where are your scissors?” Serenity said, walking into Maximus’s wardrobe without hesitation.“Scissors?”“Yes, for your hair! When I was little, I used to cut Marcus’s hair. He le
Maximus glanced at the time on one of his watches and realized he was already running late. He quickly grabbed the outfit his daughter had meticulously picked out for him and even put on the cologne she’d chosen. When he stepped out of the dressing room, he had an audience—both of his daughters were
“How are you, Diana?” Maximus asked, a trace of nostalgia in his voice.“Much better now that I’m seeing you!” she replied cheerfully.“Let’s go grab some dinner—I’m starving…”“Of course!”“Where will the great Maximus Palmer make a reservation?”“We’re going to The Russet Garden. You’ll like it—th
After a few minutes of silence, watching the city lights, Diana and Maximus got back in the car. Their conversation continued, casual and light, like two old friends catching up. Diana was trying to understand the new life of the man she had waited for over six years. After driving for a while, they
“Maximus, I know you’d sacrifice yourself for Peter—you’ve always been that way. But would you do it for Marcus?” Diana asked, her tone pointed.“He’s about to become the father of twins. I don’t want Mary to end up alone again.”“You have four children and a grandchild on the way. Two of your daugh
Maximus stared into Diana’s determined eyes and let her words sink in.“I’m not going anywhere, Maximus. I want to see you again, to have you close. Don’t you understand that I like you? I’ve always liked you. It’s time you seek your freedom, time to live the life you’ve always wanted. I know your c
“Serenity, at the office, I’m not your dad—I’m the boss,” Maximus said, frowning slightly as he downed his coffee in one gulp.“I know, Maximus! Now let’s get going, or I’ll be late for my first day as your assistant.”“Miss Bartz, today is your induction day. No one starts working without completin
[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