Chapter 0298
After crying for what felt like hours, a small, delicate hand touched his. Their eyes met, as if fate had orchestrated the moment. Valerie stood before him, her hand holding his She had witnessed the raw vulnerability of a broken man, and guilt weighed heavily on her. Years ago, he had shattered her heart, but the Maximus standing before her now was nothing like the man she remembered.
Valerie had just arrived at the cemetery, walking slowly toward Peter’s grave. She carried a bouquet of white peonies, her legs trembling as if they might give way at any moment. Then she heard someone sobbing. To her surprise, the shadowy figure ahead was someone she had seen only minutes earlier. She immediately understood the source of those tears. While he had held himself together in front of her, here, before someone no longer physically present, he was finally letting go. Her heart ached at the sight, and instinctively, she reached out to touch his hand.
Maximus tried to compose himself. He wasn’t about to let her see him like this. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and pulled his hand away from hers. The warmth of her touch burned him, stirring feelings he wasn’t ready to face. Without looking back, he turned and began walking toward the exit. But before he could leave, Valerie’s trembling voice broke the silence.
“Forgive me, Maximus. I never meant to do this to you. I was young and immature–I never imagined things would spiral so out of control. I never thought Peter would leave me so soon. We had planned to raise Serenity together, but things didn’t go as they should have. I ended to raising my daughter alone for nearly three years. until Marcus came into our lives.
“He treated Serenity as if she were his own. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth. For him, it was the same as it was for you–every time he looked at Serenity, it was like a piece of his friend was still here. Time passed, and I couldn’t find the courage to correct the lie. I thought to one would care about us. No one had come looking for us in almost three years, and I assumed no one cared about the life of a woman like me. I see now that I was
wrong.
“1
“You love Marcus, don’t you?” Maximus asked, his back still turned to her.
“Yes. I love him, and I’ll love him for the rest of my life.”
“And me…?”
“Maximus, I loved you once, too, but that was many years ago. Time has slowly erased what we once were. Not everything was bad, and I can’t blame you entirely for what happened. I was at fault, too, for staying with you. I should have left the first time you raised your hand to me. But I believed you would change. I believed you would love me someday.
You were my first love, and you’re the father of my beautiful daughter. I could never erase you from my life. But that doesn’t mean I still think about you the same way.”
She paused, her voice breaking slightly. “Forgive me for not telling you we had a daughter. I won’t deny you the chance to know her, but I ask you to protect her. I left Valentia because your beautiful wife threatened to end my life and Serenity’s–even though she thought Serenity was Peter’s daughter. With a heavy heart, I left without saying goodbye to Peter. I only learned now, after returning that there’s a grave where he rests. A man I loved,
too.”
”
“Tknow Alexia is capable of that and worse,” Maximus reped, his voice steady but cold. “I promise you she will never touch a hair on our daughter’s head I won’t allow it. She’s hiding behind the Palmer name now, but soon, she won’t have it anymore. It’s taken me years to admit my marriage is over. I know my children will understand. I’ve started the divorce proceedings. But before that, I need to return everything that doesn’t belong to me. That includes Serenity’s inheritance–and yours.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0298
Maximus turned to face her one last time. “Soon, you’ll receive an official summons. After so many years, I’m going to give back what is legally yours.”
With that, he walked away slowly. Their brief but heavy conversation had brought clarity to things that had been hidden for far too long. Now, more than ever, Maximus knew he had to expedite the divorce and return the shares that weren’t his. He also realized that there was still much to uncover about the woman who had stood by him for
over 20 years.
