Mary stood on the balcony of the room she had slept in for the past three years. She didn't want to turn on the lights; the darkness of the night would hide the tears rolling down her cheeks.'This is over! I can't go on like this. I can't take it anymore,' she thought as she stared straight ahead.
Mary was exhausted from all the crying. As she put on her pajamas, she saw a large bruise on her stomach, caused by the blow her husband had landed earlier that day. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she chose not to think about it anymore. This wasn't the first time it had happened, so seeing her s
Mary lay down, trying to calm herself and find the right words to tell Catherine that divorce was the only viable option for her marriage. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a new text message.[How did you like yesterday's scene?You know, this isn't the first time. We do it once or twice a day; your
After what felt like a long journey, the ambulance finally arrived at the hospital. Mary was pale and unconscious. One of the paramedics said, "She has lost a lot of blood. Let's hope we can still do something."Another said, "We have to. She's so young, she can't die like this.""I don't know what
As Maximus, Emma, and Catherine waited in a private room for news about Mary's condition, Catherine couldn't help but remember how the girl had come into their lives five years ago. Much of this information was unknown to Maximus.Mary had been 17 years old when she was suddenly forced to leave her
After dinner, Catherine and Albert went to the study to discuss the troubling matter at hand.“Albert, I’ve reviewed the information your lawyer sent us. Unfortunately, I don’t have good news. Your supposed partner ran off with millions and offended one of the most prominent families in your country
Mary got up from the bed and hurried out, thinking that maybe she could still find her grandfather. Unfortunately, he had left the mansion several hours ago."Mary, my dear, where are you going?" Catherine asked."I'm looking for my grandfather!""Sweetheart, your grandfather left last night. He onl
After several days at the mansion, Catherine had to leave on a trip for some family business. This time, she couldn't take Mary with her, so before leaving, she said:"Mary, I'll be gone for a few days, but you won't be alone. Emma will stay with you. If you need anything, you can ask her.""Yes, Gr
[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