My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Valerie watched her husband play with their children as she sipped her coffee. Marcus, completely absorbed in the moment, didn't notice her gaze. But she wasn't just looking at him-she was remembering. Losing herself in their past, both together and apart. A past that hurt just as much when she thought of her childhood as when she recalled her teenage years.

Her entire life with her father had been a constant reminder that she lived while her mother had died. Sometimes, she wondered if her father was still alive, what would have become of him? Had he moved on? Started a new family? Did she have siblings out there somewhere? Questions with no answers—at least, none that she would ever know.

If she put aside everything related to Maximus, she had to admit her life had changed completely. Peter had been important to her for one simple reason-he had given her freedom. That was the most valuable thing.noveldrama

The fact that he had taken care of her while she was pregnant with her own brother was just an extra detail. What truly mattered was that when she turned eighteen, he gave her the freedom she had never had. He let her live, be happy... at least until she, of her own will, walked away from it all by marrying Maximus.

She preferred not to dwell on that disastrous marriage, but she couldn't deny it either because from it, her daughter was born. Her little girl, who was now a grown woman. A woman who was about to become a mother herself. A woman who had had the chance at a better life than Valerie ever did.

Thinking about the time they had spent alone together always filled her with sadness. Those six months, when it was just the two of them against the world. Until they met Camille. Camille, who took them in like a guardian angel. Like a mother. They had gotten each other through the hardest times, learned to live together, learned to face their problems side by side.

Then, when Marcus appeared in their lives out of nowhere, everything changed. At first, he only seemed to care about Serenity, but eventually, he looked after both Valerie and Camille too.

Life with Marcus had passed like water slipping through her fingers. Most of the time, it had been good. Most of the time, there had been beautiful memories. He had taken care of Serenity with the same devotion he now showed John and the twins, Alberto and Carolina. Marcus had been born to be a father-there was no doubt about it.

Looking back at her past, Valerie saw a life split in two. The first half filled with struggles, but the second, with Marcus, had helped her grow. They had been through rough patches, but what marriage hadn't? And now, watching him play with John, Albert, and Caroline, she realized it had all been worth it.

She knew how hard it was for Marcus to let go of their daughter. To let go of his Serene. Not because he loved her more than the others, but because she had been the reason he had changed. His bad habits had started disappearing the moment she was born.

Marcus had never been a saint. He had his vices-women, smoking, drinking, his obsessive need for order and work. She knew that better than anyone. But Serenity had come into his life and stripped all of that away. That was why this was so difficult for him.

After watching them for a while longer, lost in her thoughts, Valerie stood up and walked over to her husband. She kissed him deeply before saying,

"My love, I'm going to see Serenity. I told her I'd drop by today. I'm

bringing her wedding dress-let's hope she likes it. If not, we'll have to use pieces of it to make a new one."

"Of course, my love. Just make sure the bodyguards take you and bring you back.

I don't want you driving home at night," Marcus replied.

"I will, I'll let them know now. Think you can handle the kids?"

"Of course! I've done it before..."

"Yes, but it's all three of them. They might gang up on you. Remember you've been attacked by Caroline and taken a few low blows from Albert."

"Well... If you put it that way... I might need some backup. John! You're going to have to be my right-hand man here."

Valerie smiled, kissed her husband again, and felt completely at peace—with her life, with her marriage, with her children, with everything she had.

"My little prince, help your dad with Bert and Carrie. Don't let them gang up on him."

"Don't worry, Mom! Oh, and tell Ethan to log in as soon as he can."

"I will, but don't spend too much time on your tablet. Just a little while, okay? Remember, you're helping your dad."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Valerie got up and left for the Palmer house. Funny how that wasn't an issue for Marcus anymore. Maybe it was an aet of goodwill. Or maybe it was just that, now that Peter had no memories of his past, Marcus finally felt at ease.