novelxo Chapter 268
Chapter 0268
Time passed quickly, and Diana was just 15 days away from returning to Hesperia Her relationship with Maximus had become something undefined-not quite a friendship, but not a romantic relationship either. In secret, Maximus dreaded the thought of letting her go. His mind was a chaotic mess. Diana, on the other hand, was clear about her boundaries. A relationship with a married man was not something she wanted, even if she hadn't said it outright. On multiple occasions, she'd told him he needed to take control of his life-leave behind the ghosts of his past, and if he wasn't happy, seriously consider divorce for the sake of himself and his family.
But something else weighed on Maximus's mind. Even if he did separate from his wife, he wasn't sure Diana would accept him once she knew the full truth about Mary. He realized he had to tell her everything. There were still two Fridays left before she would board a plane back to Hesperia. The sky was clear as they sat at their usual lookout point. Diana silently hoped Maximus would make decision-one way or the other-but she didn't want to push him. She had been down that road before and lost. Life was giving her another chance, but once again, he was carrying someone else in his heart.
"Diana, there's something I need to tell you..." Maximus said, his tone serious.
"What is it?" Diana asked, sensing this might be the moment he chose his family over her.
Deep down, Diana felt guilty for wishing he would leave his family. But she had grown fond of him, this tormented man who made her want to care for him and help him heal his old wounds.
"I'm not the man you think I am," Maximus said with a heavy heart
Finally, he had decided to tell her the truth about his first marriage. This moment would determine many of his future decisions.
"I married Mary when I was 29, and she was just 19. From the very beginning, I gave her a terrible life. I
hit her, humiliated her whenever I had the chance, and cheated on her with Alexis," he confessed, letting out a long sigh. "Maximus, what are you saying?" Diana responded, shocked.
"It was all a misunderstanding-a damned misunderstanding-and because of it, I made her life a living hell. For over three years, she suffered my presence, my absence, and everything that came with being married to me. My grandmother, Catherine, had given me an ultimatum. She wanted me to settle down and stay far away from Alexis. She had good instincts-you would have liked her. She never approved of my second wife. In fact, she despised her."
Maximus paused, his voice thick with emotion. "After more than three years of marriage, Mary asked me for a divorce. At first, I refused. Back then, I was the proud Maximus Palmer. No one rejected me-not in my mind, anyway. When I wouldn't let her go, she tried to take her own life. I had pushed her to that point. Our life was already a nightmare. When I finally decided to fix things, Alexis told me she was pregnant with my first child. That's when I made the painful decision to let Mary go.'
Diana's eyes filled with tears as she listened. She couldn't reconcile the man in front of her with the heartless -person he described. But it explained the ghosts that haunted him, the weight he carried. Life had not been kind to
him, and now he was reaping the bitter fruits of his past actions.
"Maximus... why did you do that? Did you never think about her? I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe you didn't know what you were doing. Your age and hers are no excuse. Why did she endure so much? If I'd been in her place..." Diana clenched her fists, her voice trembling. "Oh my God, Maximus-you wouldn't have walked away unscathed if you'd dared lay a hand on me."
"Diana, she was the most innocent in all of this. Alexis, my grandmother, and especially me-we were the ones who orchestrated her suffering. She never had a chance to defend herself. I never gave her one." Chapter 0268
That night, Maximus broke down, releasing years of pent-up guilt and pain. Diana felt overwhelming sadness for Mary. It was clear why she had left without saying goodbye Her life must have been unbearable. No tears could make up for the horrors she had endured.