My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

"Dad..." said Laura, standing from her seat and raising her glass. "You are the

best father life could have given me—or any of us. I know your youth wasn't easy, and every piece of advice you give us comes from something you lived through.

"I love you. And I love that Diana is in your life, because in the end, you needed to be happy. You needed someone who could love you with the same intensity only you know how to give.

"Thank you, Diana! Thank you for coming into my father's life and being the perfect woman for him—and for us. Welcome officially to the family! Congratulations-I know you're going to be a wonderful mom!"

Everyone applauded. Who better than Laura to say those words to her father? She had once been the forgotten girl, the rejected one, but now she was an important part of the world Maximus had once dreamed of as a child.

"Maximus, you're a remarkable man, and if Laura said that, then I know it's true.

"I haven't been in your life much as a daughter, but in the few moments life has given us together, I've seen for myself what an extraordinary man you are, and that anyone can change for the better. I love you, Dad..." said Serenity, lifting her glass.

Paul and Maurice-two young boys—raised their juice glasses, wanting to toast to their father's obvious happiness. Since they'd seen him with Diana, they had to admit he didn't resemble the man they once knew.

"Daddy... Maurice and I love you. You're our dad, and you take care of us with so much love and kindness. It's clear you're happy with Diana, and we're happy with her too."

Maximus listened to the short but meaningful words from his children, and he couldn't help but feel proud of the decision he once made the best decision of his life. Leaving behind the meaningless life he had, to chase the dream of building a real family and a true home.

Because what was the point of owning a mansion if that place couldn't be called a home? But now, with his wife, his children, his father, and their pets, that huge house was finally a real home.

After a few more toasts, the party carried on until nearly midnight, when Maximus and Diana headed to the airport for their sweet honeymoon.

It would be the third time Maximus went through something like this. He tried not

to think about the past, but it was hard not to. With Mary, everything had ended in disaster-it had been the beginning of the end.

With Alexia, there wasn't even time for a honeymoon. He married her as soon as Lucius was born, and from there, it had been twenty years of pure hell.

At the time, that hell had felt like a marriage-not a great one, but a "normal" one. Now, he knew it had been neither.

He looked at the woman sitting beside him in the back seat. She was still wearing her beautiful wedding dress.

He took in every detail. Right now, she was fast asleep. Her pregnancy wasn't yet visible in her belly, but her face... for some reason, it glowed with a special light- and that didn't go unnoticed by Maximus.

When they arrived at the airport, he got out of the car and helped his wife down. Then, without hesitation, he lifted her in his arms and carried her up the steps of the private jet that would take them on their honeymoon.

Strangely enough, the destination haunted him-Santorini.

What was it about that place that wouldn't leave him alone? He didn't know. But when Diana had chosen it, he simply said yes, thinking enough time had passed and the past would stay where it belonged.noveldrama

"My dear, beautiful wife are you ready to begin this journey with this old man?" Maximus said, pointing at himself.

"My dear and handsome husband-I'm more than ready to go wherever life takes us! I don't see an old man here. I see the man of my life. I see the father of our beautiful baby."

"All right then... off to Santorini we go."

"You'll see, this time, everything will

different."

"Let's hope so..." Maximus said, not hiding the nervousness in his voice.

"This time you're going with me.

This time, you got married fully aware of what you were doing. This

time, you and I love each other with

everything we are and everything

we've been through.

I know your past, and you know my present. There are no secrets-so let's enjoy

this week, just the two of us, away from the kids and everything else.

This week might be the only break we get, because after that, it'll be all about the baby, the kids, and everything else life throws at us."

"And I'm going to enjoy every minute of this week-and everything that comes after. You know this is the first time I'll actually get to experience a pregnancy?"

"No..."

"Well, yeah. With Serenity, I didn't get the chance. With Lucius, even less-I was tangled up in divorce, arguments, problems. It was a mess.

With my other kids, things were always complicated, there were constant fights, and I never really got to live those moments like I should have.

But with our baby, I want to be there for everything-for all your doctor's appointments, the ultrasounds... I want to be there when you pick out the first tiny clothes. I want to build the crib, paint the room-I want to do it aff, everything I never got to do before."

"Maximus..." Diana whispered, tears in her eyes.

"My love... You are the greatest gift life has given me as a man.

Of course I have my kids, but they'll grow up. They'll leave one day. They'll go find

their own happiness.

But you-you and I-we'll keep

walking together for as long as life

lets us. And when I look back at everything I've been through, I know I must've done something *really* good, because in the end, you came into my life. And now, I know-I won't die alone."

"No, you'll never be alone again, my love. Never..."

"Thank you, my love..."