“Serenity, come with me. Let’s walk in the gardens for a bit. We need to talk,” he said softly.Her hands trembled as she let him lead her outside. Overwhelmed by guilt, she struggled to process everything she had just learned. She adored her parents, and now, when they needed her most, she felt she
Serenity took her time reflecting on Alden’s words, but eventually, she drew a deep breath and answered:“When would we leave?”“It would have to be today,” Alden replied.Serenity sighed deeply, trying to steady herself.“Will you come with us?” she asked hesitantly.Alden paused, unsure of how to
“She’s fine in Slovenia,” Peter had assured him. “Celeste is safe. If something happens, it won’t be soon. Focus on the children. Life was preparing you for this, Alden. Maybe that’s why you became a father at such a young age.”“And my mother?” Alden had asked.“She’ll be fine, too. She gets her mo
Alden and Serenity had a long conversation, during which the young man was honest and shared everything about his years with Peter. This sparked a genuine interest in the girl towards him. Inside Serenity’s mind, she reflected on her life. She had been so focused on her plans and projects that she h
“C-section?”“Valerie’s not mentally well. She hasn’t been, it’s been too many strong emotions. This damn country has only brought bad things to them. What do you know about Marcus?”“The lawyers are looking for a loophole to file for a writ of amparo.”“Frederick, is the accusation for which they d
[Redspire Residence]Two weeks had passed quickly since Marcus’s arrest. Unfortunately for him, as long as Frank Levett Jr. continued to apply pressure on the government and the media spread stories about the Bartz family, he couldn’t get any kind of legal protection. Marcus felt anguished; his wife
“It’s just that I get bored at home, and although I try to find things to entertain myself, I really need a bit of freedom…”“I don’t know how to entertain her anymore, Timothy…”“Relax, Celeste! Everything in due time. We mustn’t push your body too hard. I know you’re doing well, and you’re putting
While a series of events began to unfold in Westhaven, in Veligandu, the Palmer and Bartz families were starting to adapt. Laura, with her increasingly swollen belly, suffered from morning sickness and nighttime cravings for sweet things. Emma took care of the whole family fervently; despite being a
[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