He Mercilessly Abandoned His Pregnant Wife For His Mistress, Smirking As He Cast Her Aside

Two years passed.

Life moved forward with the unstoppable force of a majestic river. In the rolling hills of Tuscany, the Valerius estate was a sanctuary of golden sunshine, olive groves, and endless peace.

Little Leo was now a bright, energetic two-year-old with dark curls and a laugh that filled every corner of the ancient estate. He spent his mornings running through the gardens with Cassian, who had surprisingly turned into the most overly protective, doting uncle in existence, teaching the toddler how to identify different types of trees and, much to Maximus’s annoyance, how to give orders to security personnel.

"Uncle Cassy said I can have a pony!" Leo announced proudly during breakfast on the terrace, his face covered in wild blueberry jam.

"Uncle Cassy needs to stop spoiling you," Maximus laughed, wiping her son's face with a napkin.

Alexander sat across from them, reading through financial reports on a sleek tablet while sipping his espresso. "Let him spoil the boy, Maxi. Cassian spent thirty years being the scariest man on three continents. Seeing him host a tea party with Leo's stuffed bears is worth every penny I spend on security."

Cassian walked onto the terrace, wearing sunglasses and holding a fresh file, totally unbothered by his brother's teasing. He bent down, lifted Leo into his arms, and threw him into the air, making the boy squeal with delight.

"Morning, little lion," Cassian grinned, before looking at Maximus with a subtle shift in his eyes. "We got a report from Detroit."

Maximus paused, setting her coffee cup down. "Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong," Cassian said indifferently. "Just... finality. Martha Sterling passed away last week in a state facility. Natural causes, complicated by stress and poor healthcare. Liam didn't even have enough money to cover a private funeral. The city handled it."

Maximus took a quiet breath, feeling a small, solemn beat in her heart, but no regret. "And Liam?"

"He tried to apply for bankruptcy protection again, but his creditors took everything he had left. He’s currently living in a shelter, working odd day-labor jobs. He doesn't speak to anyone. He tells people he used to be a prince, but everyone thinks he’s crazy."