My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 324

Chapter 0324 

Chapter 0324 

Maximus walked out of the company building, each step heavier than the last. That place was suffocating him- or rather, staying there made it likely he’d kill someone himself. Laura had saved him from doing something irreparable, from choking the life out of Alexia–his wife of twenty years, the woman who had held the title of ” Mrs. Palmer.” But that title, like their marriage, had been stained by her actions. 

mus’s thoughts raced as he drove away. Alexia had deceived him for two decades. How had he not seen it? He still remembered the day he first held “his son” in his arms feeling an overwhelming sense of purpose and love. But now he knew the truth: the boy wasn’t his; he was the result of an unspeakable betrayal. Worse, his “son” had grown into someone dark and twisted, a product of secrets and lies. 

He called Matthew and asked him to take Laura home. He couldn’t bear for her to stay in that place another minute. As for himself, he couldn’t go home–not to that house that was now nothing more than a monument to twenty years of lies. Instead, he headed toward the Palmer mansion. But as he neared the estate, he changed course. He needed to clear his head, and Villa Borghese, with its tranquil gardens and lake, seemed like the perfect place. 

As he walked near the lake, the sound of a woman sobbing broke through his thoughts. He froze, momentarily alarmed. The park was supposed to be closed. What if someone was hurt? He followed the sound and was stunned to hear a voice, filled with raw emotion, speaking words that felt like daggers to his heart. 

“Peter… Pretending Serenity was your daughter–it sounded so good, so right, but that was when you were still here… “You have no idea how much I wish I could turn back time! I wish you were here… I miss you, Peter!” 

Maximus felt his chest tighten, as though the air had been knocked out of him. Today, he had learned that the son he’d raised was not his, but his own father’s. And now, hearing Valerie’s anguished words about Peter, he was struck with the painful realization that he was never the man she had loved. He was a shadow of his brother, the adventurous and kind soul who had captured her heart. 

Still, he couldn’t stop himself from approaching her. 

“I’m not Peter,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “But I am here…” 

Valerie turned to face him, her tear–streaked face glowing faintly in the dim light. 

“May I sit?” he asked, though he was already lowering himself beside her. 

“What are you doing here?” Valerie asked coldly, trying to mask her vulnerability. 

“I could ask you the same,” Maximus replied, looking out over the lake. “I come here when I can’t take it anymore. I don’t do it often, but when my mind is in chaos, this place helps me sort things out. Besides…” he sighed, “I don’t think I have a home to go back to anymore So I’m on my way back to the mansion.” 

“Is it really closed?” Valerie asked, startled. 

“Yes. Haven’t you noticed the time?” Maximus asked gently. 

Valerie’s phone had died, and she rarely wore a watch. She hadn’t realized how late it was when she entered the park. 

Maximus took a deep breath before speaking again, his voice softer now. “Mary… forgive me. I know this comes twenty years too late, but I need to say it That week we spent at Catherine’s house… it was the best week of my miserable life. I didn’t want to leave you.” 

“Maximus, what is this about?” Valerie asked, her tone wary. 

“The night we conceived Serenity…” Maximus hesitated, his voice breaking slightly. “That night was perfect. I