My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 0165 

Marcus and Valerie arrived home, and true to his word Marcus didn’t let the dress last long. He pulled her close, showering her with kisses and caresses, leaving no space for the lingering tension of the evening. After their passionate moment, Valerie fell asleep in his arms, but Marcus’s restless mind wouldn’t let him follow. 

He got up quietly, pulling on a pair of pajama pants, and poured himself a glass of whiskey before stepping outside to the garden. Reclining on the lounge chair by the pool, Marcus stared up at the starry sky. The tranquility of the Valentian night couldn’t still the storm of memories and emotions within him. Being back in Valentia affected him more than he let on–too many ghosts, too much history. Closing his eyes, he drifted back to a night that would forever haunt him: the longest night of his life. 

[Galea] – 

Marcus Bartz had grabbed only his laptop bag before boarding the jet waiting for him. He was tense, his mind racing as he tried to prepare for the inevitable storm awaiting him in Galea. 

“Sir, are you going to inform Peter’s family before you arrive?” Frederick asked, his tone hesitant. 

Marcus sighed heavily, his fingers tightening around the strap of his bag. “Yes, but not until two hours before we land. If I tell them now, they’ll only react rashly. Peter’s final wishes need to be respected, no matter the chaos waiting for me.” 

Frederick nodded solemnly. “You’re right, sir. As you told Agnes, there will be time for mourning later. Right now, you need to focus.” 

“I only hope Darius managed to hold off the police,” Marcus muttered. “The woman Peter lived with is pregnant. I don’t want the shock to harm the baby. 

Frederick glanced at Marcus sympathetically. “Sir, sooner or later, she’ll have to know. You can’t shield her from this forever.” 

Marcus rubbed a hand down his face, feeling the weight of a thousand sleepless nights settle on his shoulders. “Frederick, I’m so tired. I’ve been running from everything for years, and for what? I don’t even know why life keeps me here anymore.” 

Frederick’s voice was firm yet empathetic. “Sir, you stay alive because you have unfinished business. You have Frank Levett to deal with. Peter’s death may have been an accident, but once we’re in Galea, we’ll find out what caused it.” 

Marcus gave a bitter laugh. “Life’s a cruel joke, Frederick. I was ready to die years ago, but instead, Peter -the one with a future, a fiancée, a child on the way is the one who’s gone. What do I have? Just this endless thirst for vengeance.” 

Frederick knew better than to dismiss Marcus’s words. He had heard them before, often during Marcus’s darker nights, when the grief over his late wife and son was too much to bear. The only thing keeping Marcus grounded was his unyielding determination to make Frank Levett pay for his crimes. 

+25 BONUS 

Chapter 0165 

around herself, and saw him lying there, staring at the stars. She recognized the look in his eyes–the same haunted expression he wore on nights when memories overwhelmed him. 

She quietly joined him, sitting beside him on the lounge chair and pulling him into a warm embrace. 

“Everything will be okay, my love,” she whispered, planting a tender kiss on his temple. “Peter would have wanted this. You’ve done so much for us, more than I could ever repay.”