Chapter 0186
After the Palmer family left Peter’s home, an unsettling silence engulfed the house. Frederick couldn’t comprehend what had driven Marcus to react with such fury–Marcus, a man he had always known as composed and level–headed, now appeared shaken to his core.
“Sir, Agnes, we need to treat your injuries first. There will be time to talk later. Agnes, bring the first aid kit!” Frederick said, his tone filled with concern.
“He already knows I’m not dead,” Marcus muttered grimly.
“Yes, sir, that much is clear. But this means we’ll need to increase security immediately. I’ll reach out to Valeria to arrange additional measures. We must leave as soon as possible,” Frederick insisted, helping Marcus to sit on a nearby chair.
“My friend, let’s go to the study. I need to speak with you privately,” Marcus said.
“All right, but your injuries-”
“Let Agnes bring the kit to the study. Let’s go.”
Once inside, Marcus settled behind the massive desk, his injured frame leaning heavily against the chair. His eyes fell on the familiar photograph of Peter’s family, taken before Marcus’s own birth, and another of Mary. Her serene smile radiated peace, contrasting starkly with the storm raging in his mind. The thought struck him–she hadn’t left her room all day. Surely, by now, she was resting. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
In her room, Mary sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face. Alexia’s words reverberated in her mind, cruel and venomous. She felt cornered. Perhaps Alexia had been bluffing, but what if she hadn’t? Where could she turn? The Palmer family, her only support in Valentia, had abandoned her, siding with the Levetts. Her thoughts raced back to the arguments she’d had with Maximus, recalling how he always believed Alexia’s lies over her truth.
Why would he believe me now, when I mean nothing to him anymore? she thought bitterly.
A surge of panic overtook her. She felt an oppressive weight pressing on her chest. Lost in her turmoil, she jumped when the door to her room creaked open.
“Ma’am, I came to check on you. With all the commotion outside, I left you alone for too long, “Agnes said, her voice full of concern.
“Agnes, I don’t know what to do! Where is everyone?” Mary asked, her voice trembling
“After the fight between Mr. Bartz and Mr. Maximus, Mr. Bartz asked everyone to leave. They’ve all gone. Only Mr. Bartz and Frederick remain.”
Hearing this, Mary sprang from the bed and headed toward the door, her steps hurried and unsteady.
“Agnes, where is Mr. Bartz?”
“In the study, ma’am. But, wait–please! Let me go with you.
Before Agnes could stop her, Mary had already reached the study. She opened the door, interrupting hushed conversation between Marcus and Frederick
Chapter 0180
“Mr. Bartz, is that correct?” Mary asked, her voice wavering but determined.
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Both men turned to look at her. Marcus’s first thought as he saw her was how small and fragile she appeared, a stark contrast to her bold entrance.
“Miss Preston,” Marcus said, raising an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“I need your help,” she said without hesitation.
“I need many things too, but I don’t have them right now,” Marcus replied, his tone dismissive.
“Please, I need your help!”
“What do you want?” he snapped, his patience wearing thin.
Mary’s gaze shifted to Marcus’s battered face–the split lip, the gash on his brow, and the way he leaned on a cane for support. His obvious injuries made her hesitate, but only for a moment.
“Mr. Bartz, I need to leave the country immediately. I have no money, no resources, and no one left to help me,” she said, placing a protective hand over her small but noticeable belly.
Marcus and Frederick exchanged a quick glance, the latter placing a hand on Marcus’s shoulder in an attempt to temper his temper.
“What exactly do you expect me to do about that?” Marcus’s voice was sharp, laced with irritation. “Please,” Mary pleaded, her voice cracking. “I know you don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but this is urgent. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.”
“Do you
know that Peter hasn’t even been buried yet? Do you know what kind of chaos we’re dealing with here? And you, his supposed ‘great love,‘ want to run away instead of being at his funeral?” Marcus’s voice was rising, his anger barely contained.
“I loved Peter!” Mary cried, her voice breaking, “I will always love him. But my baby and I are in danger! I need to leave because the Levetts want to kill me!”
Her words made Marcus pause. The Levetts? Why would they have any interest in such a seemingly inconsequential girl?
Mary’s tears fell freely now. “Do you think I don’t want to be there for him? That it doesn’t hurt me? My last words to him were about pizza, not goodbye. I didn’t even get to kiss him one last time. But none of that matters now because they’ll never leave me alone
Marcus sat back in his chair, overwhelmed by her raw grief. He realized then that he had misjudged her. She wasn’t running from Peter’s memory–she was running for her child’s life.
“Agnes,” he said finally, his voice low. “Take her back to her room. She needs to rest.” “No! I need to leave! I can’t stay here a moment longer!” Mary insisted, her voice frantic. Agnes gently guided her out of the study, murmuring reassurances while Mary sobbed.
In the quiet that followed, Frederick turned to Marcus,
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Chapter 0185
“Sir, what’s the plan?”
Marcus sighed, leaning heavily against the desk. “We’re leaving. This place is nothing but death and destruction. I’ve failed Peter in every possible way.”
“Sir, I spoke to Leopold. He’s willing to execute Peter’s last orders. That’s what I was coming to tell you earlier.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened. “Let Peter’s family deal with his burial. They couldn’t even respect his final wishes in life–I doubt they’ll respect them now. Let them desecrate his memory if they must. I’m done fighting them.”
“And Mary?”
Marcus’s eyes hardened. “She’s coming with us. I won’t leave her here alone, not with the Levetts circling her like vultures. She has no one else to protect her.”
Frederick nodded solemnly. “I’ll let her know. We’ll leave within the hour.”
