My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 294

Chapter 0294 

+25 BONUS 

Marcus had intended to accompany Valerie to her meeting, but Maximus’s sudden absence from the office that morning disrupted his plans. With Maximus untraceable and a full schedule of important meetings awaiting him, Marcus had no choice but to step in as a substitute. Though he felt guilty canceling on Valerie, this was one of those “special cases” where his absence couldn’t be avoided. 

Meanwhile, Maximus, fresh from the clinic, had already called the advertising agency to issue specific instructions: Valerie Bartz’s bodyguards were not to be allowed inside the building. The reasoning had to be believable, so the staff told her it was due to confidentiality rules. Nobody questioned the order from the CEO of Palmer Group, though his direct involvement with their agency was unusual and unsettling. The staff assumed it must be an urgent matter and followed his directive without hesitation. 

Driving at a frantic pace, Maximus wrestled with his thoughts. His mind replayed the one and only time he’d been intimate with his ex–wife, Mary. He remembered every detail–how sure he was that they hadn’t used protection and how she, as far as he recalled, hadn’t been on any form of contraception. After all, they hadn’t been physically involved for most of their marriage. That night had seemed like a turning point, a chance to rebuild what had been lost, to finally become the happy couple they once dreamed of being. 

“Mary, please… let this be a mistake. Please, I hope it’s all a misunderstanding. I don’t know how I’ll handle it if it’s true,” he muttered to himself, gripping the steering wheel tightly. 

He prayed silently to every deity he could think of, hoping against hope that Mary hadn’t hidden something as monumental as his daughter from him. He wanted the answer to be clear and unequivocal: ‘You’re crazy! My daughter is Peter’s!‘ Anything else was unthinkable. Too many emotions churned within him, emotions he didn’t know how to process. His thoughts drifted to Serenity–he gestures, her habits, her mannerisms. He couldn’t help but notice how many of them mirrored his own. 

“No, no. Serenity is Peter’s daughter She has to be.” 

Maximus was trying to convince himself, clinging to the slim possibility that it was all a coincidence. But deep down, he knew the truth might not be what he wanted. What tormented him most wasn’t the idea of betrayal–it was the realization that everything might have been his fault. He had left without an explanation after that night, walking away from Mary when she needed him most. 

He remembered that night clearly. He had left Catherine’s residence in the early hours, intending to break things off with Alexis and catch a flight back to Mary. But Alexis’s announcement that she was pregnant had derailed his plans. His upbringing taught him that children were sacred and regardless of his feelings for Mary, he couldn’t turn his back on Alexis and their unborn child. That decision had changed the course of everything. Mary had suffered a breakdown and been hospitalized. Meanwhile, his grandmother had revealed long–hidden truths about the Preston, Bartz, and Palmer families, unraveling everything he thought he knew. 

Within months, Maximus’s life had spiraled out of control. He lost his position as CEO of Palmer Group, became a father, finalized his divorce from Mary, and watched her return to Galea–pregnant, but not with his child. At least, that’s what he’d believed until now. 

Arriving at the advertising agency’s parking lot, Maximus remained seated in his car for a moment. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. After steadying himself, he grabbed his jacket and the envelope with the test results and walked inside. 

Chapter 0294 

+25 BONUS 

Valerie, meanwhile, was still in the boardroom, trying to shake the oppressive feeling in her chest. She had checked on John, Serenity, and Marcus, each phone call giving her some relief. But as the door to the boardroom opened, her unease returned with full force. 

A tall figure stepped inside, and she instinctively turned to see who it was. Her heart sank as her Maximus’s piercing eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.