My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

After talking with Valerie for a while, Peter went to see Celeste and their

daughters. He had listened carefully to everything Valerie had told him, and he could feel some of the gaps in his memory slowly filling in. But that lingering emptiness... that, he still couldn't shake.

When he entered the room, he saw Celeste sitting by the window, feeding little Martina. She turned to look at him and smiled the moment she noticed him there.

"How are you?" Celeste asked gently.

"A little overwhelmed, but I finally talked to her..." Peter admitted, still feeling strange.

Celeste had known he would want to talk to Valerie at some point, so she didn't need to be a genius to figure out that when he hadn't come straight to her earlier, it was because he had taken the opportunity.

"Take things slow. If you need time to process everything, then take it. Don't rush yourself," she said, noticing how unsettled he seemed.

"It's not that... it's just... there's this feeling I still can't describe. It's not discomfort, not sadness, not disappointment-I don't know what to call it. All I know is that, yes, I've filled in some blanks, but I don't know where that leaves me," Peter said with complete honesty.

"Come here," Celeste said, motioning for him to approach.

He followed her gesture, kneeling beside her so they were at eye level.

"Peter, my love, I love you-and I know you know that," Celeste said as she cupped his cheek. "I know it's not easy trying to recover your past. Take all the time you need, but don't get stuck in it. Right now, your daughters need you. Your mother, your son, and your grandson need you. I need you.

"I know your past matters, but what matters more is your present. That's what I hold onto. The people who are still here we worry about you, we love you, and we'll always be by your side."

"Thank you, my love," Peter whispered before pressing a kiss to her lips.

That kiss grounded him. The moment their lips touched, he felt a wave of calm wash over him. Even though his memories were lost, being with the woman who had given him his daughters helped steady him.

He didn't want to say it, didn't want to admit it, but seeing and talking to Valerie had thrown his entire world into chaos. It was like a hurricane had torn through the peace he had managed to build.

But with Celeste... with their daughters... with the scent of his babies in the air, the warmth of Celeste's touch, the simple act of holding her close-it was like standing on the shore, watching the waves roll in and out. That was what being with Celeste and their daughters felt like.

"Hey... can you pass me Flora? It's time for her to eat too," Celeste said, shifting the conversation.

"Of course just a second," Peter replied, carefully placing Martinadn her crib. He leaned down to kiss her tiny cheek before turning to pick up Flora, who stared at him as i mesmerized.

"My little one, come here. It's time to eat," he murmured, lifting her gently into his

arms.

After handing Flora to Celeste, Peter straightened up and said, "I'm going to check on my mother. I'll be back soon."

"Go ahead, don't worry about us. Just take some time to clear your mind," Celeste said, trying to sound reassuring.

As she watched him leave the room, she felt a heavy weight settle in her chest. Even without his memories, she could tell that talking to Valerie had affected him. How exactly? Only he knew.

She silently prayed that it was just a temporary reaction that it was simply his way of adjusting to this new version of his own history.

Peter walked to his mother's room but found it empty. Noticing the open balcony doors, he stepped outside to look for her. He didn't have to search for long.

"Mom, what are you doing?" he asked, stepping beside her.

Aria turned to look at her son, smiling softly.

"I came to check on the garden. It helps me feel at peace. I love tending to the flowers. Back at one of the monasteries, I used to take care of the gardens-it helped quiet my demons," she said as she carefully removed some wilted flowers from a planter.

"Does it really help you relax? Are you stressed about something?" Peter asked, curious.

"There's just been so much

happening, son. So many emotions all at once. You and your family are

new to me-I'm still trying to adjust. But won't deny that I miss my old life a little.

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to be here, but there are moments when a strange feeling washes over me, and that's when I try not to overthink things too much," she admitted.

"I think I feel the same way..." Peter murmured, reaching out to help her trim a few flowers.noveldrama

"Why?" Aria asked, her curiosity piqued.