My Love Until the Last Goodbye by Alut

Once everything was said and done, Lucius walked to the study, where Maximus was already waiting for him, reviewing some documents related to the merger.

"Have you said goodbye to everyone?" Maximus asked, looking at his son with a sad expression.

"Yeah. Amanda's saying her goodbyes too... Thank you, Maximus. Really-thank you for letting me spend time with my siblings. Thank you for letting me see them again," Lucius said, his voice heavy with emotion.

Maximus looked at him, got up from his chair, walked around the desk, and pulled his son into a strong hug.

"You, Lucius... you're my son. Never think I would deny you the right to come here. If you told me right now you didn't want to leave, I'd go talk to Moriarty myself and convince him to let you stay-even if I had to sell my soul to the devil to do it."

"If you want to stay, I'll talk to him and make it happen."

"Thanks... but I'm a man now. And what kind of man would I be if I let you fight my battles for me?" Lucius said, steady and certain.

"Alright, son. I won't push. But I want you to know this-this house, and everything we have, will always be open to you and your girlfriend. By the way... I really like her. I'm glad you're finally living the kind of life a young man your age should be living."

"Thanks, Maximus. Really... These days here have been amazing. And yes, I'll do everything I can to come back. I hope I can make it happen," the young man said, completely sincere.

"Wherever you are, you know you have me—and all of us.

"Please, don't isolate yourself. I know we were never very close, but... as long as we're alive, there's always time to start over."

"I know... I know, Dad," Lucius said, a little shyly.

When Maximus heard his son finally call him "Dad," a strange warmth spread through his chest, and he couldn't help but pull him into another tight embrace.

"I love you, son. Never forget that. It doesn't matter how much time passes. It doesn't matter how far apart we are. It doesn't matter what happened in the past.

just as you are. And I hope life gives us the chance to keep seeing each other more often," Maximus said—and

have something for you. It's been waiting

out a small case. Judging by the way it looked, it clearly had been kept for a long

years..." Maximus said, handing the case to

looked at him,

"What is it?"

it," Maximus said, clearly

opened the box. Inside was a white gold

most important part was

my son... Only time will show you

welling up in his eyes. His father took the watch and gently fastened it around his left wrist, then

be my son... my baby boy that I used to visit at night after long days

"You probably don't remember—it

so long ago-but I'd stay with you almost until dawn. You'd

arms while

in that chair in

there will never be enough time in the

I was absent," Maximus said,

Lucius whispered, doing his best not to cry as

hug meant

been hugged like that by Lucius since the boy was maybe four or

had taken those moments

watch is where it belongs. Maybe one day, when

to him," Maximus said

that, Dad," Lucius