Chapter 0852
As soon as Maximus left the hospital room, Peter sank into his thoughts, trying to figure out what to do next. It was clear that his life had completely changed, and Maximus was right–whether he liked it or not, he was a father and a grandfather, And soon, he’d be a father again. There was also a woman waiting for him.
Without wasting time, he grabbed the phone on the table next to his bed and called Dr. Wagner, who arrived shortly after.
“Dr. Wagner, when the hell can I get out of here?”
“Mr. Palmer, you can leave whenever you decide to.”
“Then why the hell haven’t you let me out yet?”
“Well, we kept you under observation, but honestly, when we saw how overwhelmed you were with everything going on, we decided not to add to your stress. But if you feel ready to be home, I can discharge you under an open release, so you can come back anytime you need to.”
“You know what? Yeah, I need to go home. I want to hear the waves, smell the ocean, try to get my life back–or whatever my life is supposed to be.”
“Alright! If that’s what you want, I’ll call your son and start the discharge process.”
As soon as Dr. Wagner left the room, an unexpected visitor walked in.
“Peter Palmer, you’ve got more lives than a cat…”
11
“Who the hell are you?” Peter asked, his voice laced with confusion, though something about the man felt oddly familiar.
“What do you mean, who the hell am I?” the man replied sarcastically. “Theodore Bennett. Did your long nap make you forget I exist?”
Peter was speechless. He did remember Theodore–but younger. The man standing before him had clearly been through a lot over the years.
“It’s just… I remember you differently.”
“Nowadays, we’re business partners. And I’m also your friend.”
“Friend?”
“Who the hell do you think took care of you after the accident? Alden told me you lost your memory, but I didn’t think it was this bad.”
“You’re saying you looked after me after the accident?”
“Who else?”
“So… you can tell me about my life after it happened?”
Theodore looked at him, a bit conflicted. He had spoken with Alden, but Alden hadn’t explained the full extent of Peter’s memory loss. Still, when he saw the way Peter was looking at him–desperate for answers–he didn’t hesitate.
“I suppose… What do you want to know?”
“Everything. Even the smallest details.”
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Chapter 0852
“Alright… Get comfortable, because this is going to take a while. Twenty years at your side–it almost sounds like a marriage. A long, long marriage,” Theodore joked as he sat down beside him.
Theodore started telling him how they had ended up working together, what their lives had been like for the past twenty years. Everything fit. It all made sense. Until they got to the topic of Ethan. Peter had never seen the kid before, and he had no idea how he’d react when he did.
The man went into detail about how they had built their empire, turning a “borrowed” fortune into something massive.
But then something caught Peter’s attention–when Theodore mentioned Celeste. The man seemed very familiar with her, recounting how he had met her and all the things Peter had done to win her over.
A part of him recognized the truth–when someone really mattered to him, he could be the most romantic and ridiculous man alive. And very few people in his life had ever seen that side of him.
“So, I was the one who pursued her?” Peter asked, still trying to process it all.
“Basically, yeah. To be honest, even I was surprised. A year ago, I would’ve expected you to show up with an exotic dancer. Instead, you brought someone into our lives who was completely different from everything you are, “Theodore said bluntly.
“What do you know about her?” Peter asked, now fully invested.
“Well, you
had her investigated… And, well, her life isn’t anything extraordinary, but something about her dr you in–something you couldn’t explain. You even started picking up and dropping off Ethan every single day, except when you absolutely couldn’t,” Theodore said as if recalling a distant past.
Theodore told him every last detail about Celeste’s life. Peter listened carefully, absorbing everything.
There were things he would’ve done, things that made sense. Others? Not at all. But one thing was clear–there were two babies on the way, and whether he liked it or not, everything pointed to them being his.
“Theodore… I want to go home,” Peter declared once the conversation was over.
“Alright! I’ll go make sure they process your discharge. I don’t think it’s necessary to tell Alden–he’s already got enough on his plate with Serenity’s pregnancy and worrying about his stepmother, who’s barely a few years older than him.”
“Fine… Can you get me some clothes?”
“I’ll have the driver bring you something.”
Peter still didn’t fully recognize the man standing before him, but something told him Theodore was trustworthy. If he had stayed by his side for so long, there was no reason to doubt him now.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Theodore left the room. Peter leaned back against the pillows, his mind still reeling from everything he had just learned.
His life now was nothing like the one he had when he was young. The reflection in the window reminded him that everything people were saying was true. He obviously wasn’t twenty–five anymore. He wasn’t a kid. He couldn’t even say he looked his age, but accepting it was a different story.
Then his mind drifted to one person–well, three people, actually.
Celeste… What are we going to do with you? More like, what am I going to do with me?”
His mind was overflowing with stories and memories that didn’t feel like his own. Everything sounded so foreign. He didn’t know what he was going to do…
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Chapter 0852
But one thing was certain–he needed to make a decision. And fast.
