My Love Until the Last Goodbye by Alut

Maximus looked at the young man, stared him in the eyes-and saw exactly what he'd been hoping to see. After receiving the full report on Adrian's life, he already knew the guy was telling the truth.

At moments, he could even see himself reflected in the young man. Though, if he was being honest, Adrian was younger than he had been back then-—and still, he might be more mature than Maximus was at that age.

Sure, he didn't agree with how the kid had handled things when he found out he was going to be a father. But that was something only Laura could judge.

Maximus was here for one thing: to confirm if this young man was someone who kept his word, and whether he'd fight for his right to be a father.

Maximus's thoughts wandered to Albert Priego-the infamous Grandpa Albert. The only family Mary had at the time. He was sure that if that man had known about all the crap Maximus had put his granddaughter through, he would never have let him near her-or their child.

So, he searched for the right words to express himself and began to speak.

"Well, Adrian, you've told me what you think... but how do you plan to do what you're saying? Because from where I'm sitting, right now you're in no condition to work, your family abandoned you over a pending divorce, you don't even have enough money to make it through the month, you've got no job, and as far as I know, no one's hiring you."

"Wow, you really made a neat list of my failures, Mr. Palmer," Adrian said. "But I'll figure it out... One way or another, I'll get through this. I want to be part of my daughter's life, and if that means working ten times harder at everything I do, then I'll do it.

"Mr. Palmer... I understand. You're Laura's father-you want to make sure no one else hurts her. I know what I did wrong. I acted like an idiot. I was irresponsible, irrational... and honestly, a total jerk.

most. But I swear to you-I did look for her. I searched for months. When I realized what a

"She left the country."

kind of power or money you all have, but I wished I had. I would've done anything in that moment to track her down-her and my

time, I thought they'd never come back. I thought that was my punishment—that I'd

You know we're a family of fading wealth. My family, fed up with all my failures, found a way to force me into marriage. And yes—maybe I was pressured-but not

picture where, through my wife's family's

was the dumbest thing I've ever believed. Eventually, I had to accept that the life I

where are you going with all

your daughter. I didn't marry

I thought with

over

might find Laura and

BUMS

child.

go well, obviously. And I'm not proud of it, but