Chapter 0587
Chapter 0587
“Maximus, I brought your truck back. Could the driver take me to school or home when I leave?” Serenity asked while eating.
“Of course. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll have the driver take you wherever you need to go. Honestly, there was no rush to return the truck. You could have kept it as long as you wanted,” Maximus said casually.
“That’s kind of you, but I wouldn’t know how to explain its presence at home,” Serenity replied, slightly flustered
“I see. Don’t worry about it,” Maximus said with a knowing smile. He suspected Marcus wouldn’t be thrilled to hear about Serenity’s interactions with them. Despite their blood connection, it was Laura who had built the bridge between them, not Maximus being her father.
“Maximus, if you’d like, I can take Serenity wherever she needs to go,” Alden offered. “I don’t think I’ll make it to the office today anyway, and it’ll give me a chance to get to know my cousin better. We haven’t been properly introduced.”
“I don’t want to impose,” Serenity said, trying to steady her nerves.
“It’s no imposition. Besides, you could give me some tips on how to deal with my son,” Alden replied with an easy.
smile.
“If you’re free, Alden, and Serenity agrees, that sounds fine” Maximus said, standing up. “Excuse me–I’m going to see what’s keeping those boys.”
“Alden, you should visit us more often,” Laura said cheerfully. “Maybe Ethan could bond with my brothers. Maurice, especially, would love to spend time with him. The last time Peter brought Ethan, they got along really well.”
Serenity watched her sister’s demeanor soften and brighten when surrounded by family. For a moment, she longed for the days back at her own home. But now, she dreaded facing her mother. She loved her deeply, but the choices Valerie was making didn’t sit well with her. Serenity didn’t want to interfere, but it hurt to think that Marcus wasn’t home, and the family she had grown up with might never be the same.
“Alden, can I ask you something?” Laura said, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “How did you manage to raise Ethan at such a young age? You’re only 23, and you already have a 5–year–old son, according to Dad.”
Alden hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, my father helped me a lot. He still does. But honestly, I’ve relied on him so much that, as you can see, now that he’s away, I’m struggling to keep things running smoothly. When Ethan was born, I was very young, and his mother was even younger. But having my father as our guide made a big difference.”
“If you’re worried about your baby, Laura, you’ll figure it out when the time comes. No one knows exactly how to take care of a child–it’s all trial and error, and yes, you’ll make mistakes,” Alden added, smiling reassuringly.
“How old was Ethan’s mom when she got pregnant?” Serenity asked, her curiosity piqued.
Alden’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He ran his hand through his hair before answering. “She was 16. We were both very young. That’s part of why we ended up divorcing.”
“Wow,” Laura said, visibly surprised. “So… does getting married young mean you’re more likely to divorce?”
“Not always,” Alden replied. “But in our case, we fought a lot, and my father wasn’t blind to it. He sat us down and asked if we really wanted to stay together. To his surprise, we both agreed that we didn’t. So… we separated.”
“Did you love her?” Laura asked, tilting her head.
Chapter 0587
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“Laura, sweetheart, stop with the interrogation. You’re going to make your cousin uncomfortable,” Matthew interjected, noting Alden’s expression
“I did love her. I still do,” Alden admitted candidly. “But not in a way that means we should be together. She’s the mother of my son, and I’ll always care for her, but it’s not romantic love anymore.”
“I ask because I’m curious how you’ve become so… calin about it all,” Laura said, her eyes wide with wonder.
“Well, Laura,” Alden said with a soft smile, “you’ll figure that out for yourself one day.”
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