Peter then turned to the woman beside him, intertwining his fingers with hers. She smiled at him, and that smile filled him with warmth.The boy who had once dreamed of exploring the world, climbing mountains, and living grand adventures no longer needed any of that. Today, all he needed was the wom
Everyone present was lost in their own thoughts, reflecting on the priest’s words—at least until he brought up the subject of the vows."Serenity, Alden, the rings are a symbol of the love and eternal commitment you are promising each other. As you exchange them, may they always remind you of the lo
When they arrived at the spot for the family photos, everything was already perfectly arranged. It was incredible—what had once been a small family had now grown into a union of three.At the center stood the newlyweds, happy, smiling, and completely in love. On Alden’s side were Katherine and Peter
As everyone gathered in their spots for a big family photo, Marcus was holding little Albert, playing with him, blowing raspberries on his belly, making him squirm with laughter. If there was one thing about Marcus, it was that he was an exemplary father. He played with his kids without caring what
While everyone was fixing their hair, adjusting their outfits, and making sure everything was in place, the newlyweds stood patiently, wrapped in each other’s arms, smiling. Alden couldn’t stop hugging, kissing, and gazing at the woman who was now officially his wife before God.“Mrs. Palmer…”“Yes,
“And?” Peter asked, giving his full attention to his son.“And I think it’s time to go our separate ways. Please don’t take it the wrong way, but I think it’s time we give ourselves that opportunity.”“Why are you nervous?” Peter asked calmly.“Well… It’s just that we’re a close family. But now you
Finally, the whole family took their places, and the photo was taken. Everyone smiled for five seconds until the flash went off.Amid applause and hugs, the families gathered there began making their way to the reception area.Valerie, smiling, walked hand in hand with her husband, each carrying the
Meanwhile, the babies had worn themselves out, and a couple of nannies were taking care of what had basically become a mini daycare. When Marcus went to check on his twins, he realized just how monumental a task it was—one he had no desire to take on again.For a moment, he watched the little angels
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'