My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 724

Chapter 0724 

“Peter,” Dr. Hill said gently, “as I’ve told you, I can’t share what my patients tell me. But tell me what happened after that?” 

“Maximus sent his men, and they caught me off guard. They beat me to within an inch of my life. My brother was out of control. He took Mary with him again. For obvious reasons, I didn’t see her for a while after that. It wasn’t until she found the courage to ask for a divorce that things began to change. When our grandmother found out, she reluctantly approved of the separation. 

“I was with Mary through the entire healing process. I thought it was finally my moment–if she accepted me, I’d dedicate my life to making her happy. I’d live to make us happy. But then, another surprise came. While at this very clinic, she found out she was pregnant.” 

Peter paused, his voice heavy with emotion. “To be honest, the news caught me completely off guard. I didn’t know how to react. It was my brother’s child–the same man who’d nearly killed me. A part of me rejected the idea. God, I struggled with the demons in my head, the ones telling me not to accept it. But in the end, I pushed those thoughts aside. 

“I talked to her. I told her it didn’t matter that she was pregnant. I loved her, and I would love everything about her. If she accepted me, I’d be the best father to the baby she was carrying. The only thing I asked in return was that my brother never find out about the child.” 

Peter exhaled deeply, his expression a mix of guilt and regret. “I know it was selfish, but it was what I wanted. I couldn’t bear the thought of Maximus being near her or the baby, not after everything he’d put her through.” 

“Peter,” Dr. Hill interjected softly, “did you ever consider what she wanted?” 

“What?” 

“Did you think about what she wanted?” 

“Not really,” Peter admitted, his gaze shifting downward. “I just didn’t want Maximus near her or the baby. I didn’t want…” 

“What didn’t you want, Peter?” 

“I didn’t want him to have an excuse to try to get her back, Peter admitted, his voice strained. “I wasn’t naive. I could see how he looked at her. I knew he regretted everything he’d done. If he had found out the baby was his, he would have gone after her. He would have convinced her…” Peter sighed heavily, as though releasing years of pent -up 

frustration. “And she and I… we wouldn’t have lasted. I know that. My brother would’ve fought for her, and he would’ve won.” 

“Why do you think that?” 

“Because deep down…” Peter’s voice faltered, and he lowered his head. “Deep down, I knew I was living… a one- sided love. Mary stayed with me, not because she loved me, but because I offered to be the father of her child. I offered her a family, a life of peace and stability. I loved her enough to give her èverything, even though she couldn’t return my feelings at the time. I convinced myself that, eventually, she’d realize how much I loved her, and she’d learn to love me back.” 

As those words left his lips, Peter felt a sharp, almost unbearable pain in his chest. It was the weight of a truth he had just admitted–something he had never been able to say to Mary, let alone to himself. Deep down, he had always known that she didn’t love him. 

No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, the reality never changed. They had lived together, shared moments, and had countless opportunities to build a life, but it had never truly happened. They had gone through