My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 309

Chapter 0309 

Nearly three hours had passed when Lucius and Leonardo arrived at the Flavian Cemetery, For Leonardo, being there was an uncomfortable experience. On one hand, he felt pride for his family, but on the other, standing in that place filled him with guilt and shame. Resting there were Martina and Peter–two people whose deaths weighed heavily on his conscience. Walking those cold paths alongside Lucius only made it harder. 

Leonardo carried a bouquet of white roses, Martina’s favorite, and placed them delicately on her grave. He stood there silently for a few moments, murmured some inaudible words, and then stepped away. Standing before her tombstone always felt like facing her unflinching gaze, as though she could see straight into his soul and discern the regret and revulsion he harbored for his past actions. 

Lucius stood quietly beside his father, observing him. He understood the complexity of his father’s emotions but refrained from saying anything. What was done was done. Lucius, for his part, had known the truth for about six years that Leonardo was his biological father, not Maximus. While he didn’t know the full story, he was aware of the affair between Leonardo and his mother, and how it had ultimately resulted in Maximus being positioned as his father. 

When Lucius first discovered the truth, it had hit him like a bucket of ice water. Over time, though, he had come to accept it. After all, Leonardo had always been present in his life, albeit from a distance. He had guided and advised him far more than Maximus ever had. Maximus’s responsibilities with the company—and his personal Indiscretions–had kept him distant from his supposed son creating an inevitable comparison that favored Leonardo. 

“Father, we should go.” Lucius said gently as Leonardo lingered at Peter’s grave. The fresh peonies there made replacing the flowers unnecessary. 

“Yes, let’s go, son,” Leonardo said, his voice thick with emotion. 

Even now, years later, Leonardo still found it hard to accept that Peter was gone. But knowing that Serenity was alive and back in Valentia brought him a sense of solace. She was a Palmer, and Leonardo envisioned her as part of the family’s new generation. 

He had grand plans for a new company, one that would be founded by Lucius, Laura, and Serenity. Leonardo intended to guide them from the shadows. This new enterprise would be untouchable by Marcus Bartz, ensuring that Bartz couldn’t manipulate or control it for his own ends. Thanks to the millions Leonardo had siphoned off with the help of Frank and Alexia, he had the resources to start from scratch. 

The plan was seamless–he only needed to bring Serenity into the fold. With his grandchildren and son at the helm and himself as the silent overseer, Leonardo believed nothing could go wrong. That is, unless Bartz discovered that the missing capital he had long sought was in Leonardo’s possession. For now, Marcus belleved Frank Levett was solely to blame for the financial scandal–a misunderstanding that had cost Frank dearly. 

Lost in his scheming, Leonardo was startled back to reality by Lucius’s voice. 

“Father, we’ve arrived at the company. Do you want to go in now, or should we wait a bit?” Lucius asked, sensing his father’s distraction. 

“Let’s go, son. Let’s see what Maximus has in store for us. Whatever it is, it shouldn’t affect us anymore,” Leonardo replied calmly. 

Η 

“Of course, Father,” Lucius said, stepping out of the car and circling around to open the passenger door for his father. 

Together, they entered the CEO’s conference room. As they walked through the hallways, Leonardo couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia. The walls had changed over the years, remodeled and modernized, erasing the history they once bore. These halls, which had been painstakingly built and maintained under his watch, were now