My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus) novel Chapter 810

Marcus sat in silence for a moment after speaking with Serenity and Alden, feeling an emptiness in his chest. He couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that his little girl was no longer a little girl—she was a woman, one who had chosen her life partner.

"Alden, you should take Serenity home. She needs to rest. The trip was long, and she must be exhausted. In her condition, she shouldn’t be pushing herself like this. I understand you want to stay here with Peter, but she needs to rest."

"Yes, that’s something I’ve been thinking about," Alden admitted. "But before we leave, we need to talk to Mrs. Bartz. I think both Serenity and you would agree that this conversation still needs to happen."

Marcus wanted to argue, but he couldn’t. He and Serenity had always done things behind Valerie’s back, but this wasn’t a simple mischief. This was something they had to address now. He also knew his wife was overwhelmed and upset—part of her anger had been directed at Serenity, but Marcus understood that he was her real concern. She was afraid of his reaction.

Before Serenity could face her mother, Marcus had to talk to his wife first.

"Mr. Bartz, I’m going to check if there’s a room available for Serenity to rest in. Can I leave my wife with you?" Alden asked hesitantly.

The word wife hit Marcus like a dagger to the chest. From now on, someone else would be looking out for Serenity. His baby, his little girl, was leaving the nest.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he forced his voice to stay steady. "Go ahead. And while you’re at it, find something for her to eat—she and the baby shouldn’t be skipping meals."

"Of course… I’ll be right back," Alden replied. He turned to Serenity, gently letting go of her hand. "I’ll be back soon, my love."

Marcus was sitting in an armchair, but the moment Alden walked away, he moved to sit beside his daughter. Serenity kept her gaze lowered, unable to meet his eyes.

"Serene… What am I going to do with you?" Marcus murmured, pulling her into his arms.

He held her tightly against his chest and sighed.

"You made me a grandfather! And I’m way too young for that. You couldn’t even let me have the satisfaction of rubbing it in Maximus’s face, could you?"

"What?" Serenity asked, confused.

"Maximus is younger than me, and Laura made him a grandpa first."

"Dad!"