[Months Ago, The Maldives]“Come on, Dad! Hurry up…!” Paul said as they arrived at the airport and his father made his way through customs.“Paul, wait, just let me sign this and we’ll go. If that girl’s already waited this long, I’m sure she can wait a few more minutes…” Maximus replied, rushing to
“I want to know—who was she? What happened to her? How did you two end up separating? Didn’t she love you?” Paul asked, full of curiosity.“Paul, maybe I could tell you how I met your mother instead…” Maximus said, uncomfortable just thinking about that distant past.“No! I want to know about the wo
After taking a shower, Maximus stepped out, put on his pajamas, and climbed into bed. He glanced at his watch—it was already midnight. It was too late to call Diana, so he just sent her a message, wishing her goodnight and sending a kiss.As he lay down, he placed his hand on the side of the bed Dia
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that,” James admitted honestly. “During the day, that guy seemed really into you… That’s why I didn’t approach you.”“That man just wants me to stay the hell away from him!” Mary scoffed. Then, a thought crossed her mind. “Hey, wait… Are you from around here?”“No, I’m just
“Excuse me, miss, have you seen my wife by any chance? She’s a short girl…” Maximus asked at the front desk.“The woman who went up to your room? The blonde?” the receptionist asked, looking confused.“No, my wife is the short girl I arrived with.”“I’m sorry, sir, but the woman who came in earlier
After breakfast, where Maximus, Lucius, and Laura just stared at each other, waiting to see what would happen, Maximus decided he'd spend the day with Paul. He wanted to take him out for a bit. Maurice tried to tag along, but Laura and Lucius kept him distracted."Dad, where are we going?" Paul aske
Maximus watches his son closely, not knowing where to begin. How do you tell your son… that he's not really your son?"Paul… you know I love you, right?" Maximus asks cautiously."Dad… for the second time, yes, I know. And I love you a lot too. But… what is it you wanted to tell me?""Paul, as you m
"To hell with that stupid paternity test! To hell with what anyone says! What matters is that you are my son and I love you—here, there, anywhere. You're my son," Maximus said firmly, pulling his son into a hug."Why the hell are you telling me this? Why now? Huh? What did you think I'd say after he
[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