Chapter 0222
“Well, you don’t need to worry about him anymore. We took care of that. He’s living exactly where he always wanted, meditating and trying to atone for his sins.”
“That’s good. But now that Maximus is running the company, how are my shares being managed?”
“We’ve been working through Matthew, but with the recent changes, it looks like Maximus is assigning a new team to support us. Matthew has been tasked with looking after Leonardo, who, as I said, is now focused on meditation and redemption.”
“And he’s still in Valeria?”
“No, he’s in Florentia now. Not with Catherine, but still in Florentia. Matthew’s doing what he can with the man. As for us, we’ll have to figure out how to navigate the Palmer’s operations. Do you want me to notify Maximus of your trip?”
“Absolutely not. My trip has other purposes. He doesn’t need to know I’m in the country.”
Are you going to tell Valerie that you’re leaving on Sunday?”
“Yes. She knows I travel every year. I wish this time were different, but I can’t avoid it. I don’t have anyone else to handle this work. And you, my friend, I need here–taking care of my girls and the company.”
“You know you can count on me, right?” Frederick said firmly.
Marcus nodded, appreciating the loyalty. He knew the stakes were high, but with Frederick guarding his family and his interests, he felt just a little more at ease.
“Got it. That’s why I’m leaving with peace of mind. Now let’s get back to work–we’ve been in here long enough, and I’m sure someone must need either you or me by now.
“Absolutely, Marcus.”
Valerie and a few others outside the office were starting to get worried. Marcus and Frederick had been in their meeting for over three hours, and it was unusual for them to take so long. Just as Valerie was about to knock, the door opened.
“Valerie…” Frederick greeted her with a kind smile.
“Hi, Frederick! I was just about to remind Marcus that he has a meeting in ten minutes.”
“Oh, I see! Well, go ahead–I was just leaving.”
“Frederick, is everything okay?”
“Of course! Why do you ask?”
“It’s just… I got a little worried about how long you two were in there.”
“Ah, that! We were ironing out the details of his annual trip!”
“Oh, right! Of course.”
“Well, Valerie, I’ll be off now!”
Valerie felt a pang in her chest. She had completely forgotten about Marcus’s yearly trips to Valentia. Everyone at the company knew about them–he’d come back with new connections and always in an excellent mood.
“Valerie?” came Marcus’s deep voice from inside.
Chapter 0222
+25 BONUS
“Yes? I’ll be right there.”
As she stepped in, Marcus looked at her, his brow furrowed slightly. “What’s wrong? You seem distracted…”
“It’s just… I’d forgotten about your yearly trips to Valentia
“Are you worried about it?”
“It’s just that…”
“What is it, Valerie?”
“Well, last year was different. And now… I just don’t know how we’re going to manage not missing you.”
Marcus smiled as he stood up from his chair. He walked toward her, gently holding her by the waist to face him. Tilting her chin up with one hand, he said, “I’d love for you to come with me, but we both know there are people looking for you. I’m going to miss you all as much, if not more, than you’ll miss me. But a month will go by quickly.” His voice softened as he leaned in to kiss her.
The kiss made his intentions clear–he wanted more. But this wasn’t the right time or place.
“You’re going to miss this…” Marcus teased, trailing kisses down her elegant neck.
Valerie’s expression shifted. She was about to give in, but the thought of the upcoming meeting brought her back to reality.
“Go on, you have a meeting. And besides, it’s Friday. We’ll have time for… other things later,” she said, emphasizing that their moment would have a “to be continued.”
With a resigned smile, Marcus adjusted his tie and jacket, grabbed his planner, and made his way to the meeting room, Valerie stood there for a moment, slightly dazed and already anticipating the evening ahead.
