My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Suddenly, Flora started moving restlessly, as if she somehow knew Peter needed a moment alone with Valerie. Celeste excused herself and took her daughter to check her diaper. Seeing them leave, Valerie felt nervous. Just because she could never be with Peter didn't mean she didn't still feel something deep inside her.

"Valerie... Can we talk?" Peter asked calmly.

Valerie, somewhat incredulous, couldn't say no.

"Yeah, go ahead..." she said with a hint of worry.

"What were we, you and I?" Peter asked, genuinely curious.

"Why are you asking?" Valerie responded, a little surprised.noveldrama

"I want to be completely honest with you. I've been trying to piece together my memories. I've talked to Celeste, my son, Ethan, Serenity, Maximus, and even Marcus. But there's one gap I haven't been able to fill. That gap is you. And now that you're here, I want to know what we were."

"Peter..." was all Valerie could say in response to what she had just heard.

"Everyone expects me to regain my memories at some point... But the harsh, cold truth is that my doctor told me they're not coming back. In trying to save me from having any future deficiencies, my memories were sacrificed."

"Does everyone know?" Valerie asked, shocked.

"No, only Celeste. She's been helping me connect the dots. But to be honest, no matter how much I try to piece together everything they tell me, I feel like the man they describe is someone else."

"Why do you say that?"

"When I woke up from my long sleep, the first thing I saw was the silhouette of a woman. That woman was Celeste. Seeing her there, by my side, with such a joyful expression—I didn't know how to react. At first, I was afraid. And as the days went by and everyone told me about my life, I started coming to terms with my reality.

"I won't lie to you-waking up and thinking I was still 25, only to look in the mirror and see the face of a 48-year-old man, wasn't easy. But if there's one thing I can say, it's that my life is completely different from what I had planned back then.

"I've tried to connect all the stories, but I keep finding gaps. And every time, your name appears. If we were together, know it must have been strange... but it must have been worth it. I know my friend Marcus, and I knew he'd never remarry-or at leást, I never imagined he would. If he did, it's because you must be someone truly special."

"Peter, what happened between Marcus and me was unexpected. We didn't plan

it. It was five years after your supposed death..."

Peter smiled, understanding the position he was putting her in.

"Relax! I'm not here to judge you or blame you for anything. I just want to know

who we were, what we were," Peter said sincerely.

"Well, our relationship was good. It had its time, and it didn't work out..." Valerie said, trying to summarize the situation.

"I figured as much. But what exactly happened?"

"I met you when I was 18. I lived with you for a while you were 25 at the time..."

Valerie said, and in that very moment, she realized something.

Fate was strangely cruel. Peter had just said that when he woke up, he remembered being 25. She met him when he was 25. That meant his active memories were from before they had even met.

"And?" Peter asked, curious.

"We lived together for about nine months. Then I married Maximus, and life changed. Our friendship changed, and..."

Valerie proceeded to tell him a summarized version of their time together. She didn't add any feelings of guilt or pain; she simply narrated it as if it were just another story. Peter listened attentively, satisfied that he was finally getting some answers. But for Valerie, it stirred up a past that was still a little painful.

"Mom! I'm sorry! Sorry for taking so long..." Serenity's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Serenity! Sweetheart! Don't worry, my love."

"Sorry I took so long... I was taking a bath, but with this belly, everything takes longer," Serenity said with a big smile. "Peter!" she added in surprise.

"Hey, kid! Well, now that your daughter's here, I'll leave you in good hands," Peter said as he got up from the couch. "Thanks, Valerie. With just the little you've told me, feel a bit more at peace."