TimeNovelThad flown by. The Bartzes were about to leave, and with them, Serenity and Alden. In just a week, everything would change again.
It was clear that once the Bartzes returned to Hesperia, the families in Valentia would start making moves too. As everyone already knew, Theodore would stay in Florentia, Maximus in Valeria running PBE Group, and Peter, ever the free spirit, would work from halongside his wife and daughters.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtMaximus was sitting at his desk, going through pending tasks, when a phone call snapped him out of his focus.
"Mr. Evans, I think we need to talk..." said the voice on the other end.
"Who's speaking?" Maximus replied, not recognizing it.
"Pierre Legrand..." cthe reply, followed by a weary sigh.
"Mr. Legrand, weren't you supposed to letknow when you arrived in the country?" "Mr. Evans, I'm calling because I've arrived. And I want to see about meeting my son." "As I told you during our last call, Paul already knows you exist. I've left the decision up to him, and he hasn't agreed to see you. What do you wantto do? I respect my son's decision-and you should too." "Mr. Evans, he's a teenager. Of course he's not going to want to. But if you don't step in or lay things out for him, he's never going to agree to meet me." "I'm not going to force my son into anything. He's old enough to make his own decisions-especially when it comes to someone he doesn't know and doesn't want to know." "Mr. Evans, I'm parked right outside your house-well, outside the Evans mansion. You'd better cdown and open the gate, because I'm done waiting. Otherwise, I'll take whatever legal steps are necessary." "I just want to meet Paul. I don't want to take him away. I don't want to have to resort to a court order, though you and I both know how easily a judge could grant it, including custody." "Mr. Legrand, are you threatening me?" "No, Mr. Evans. I don't make threats-I follow through. And before you know it, my lawyers and all my power will be in motion to get what I want." "What happened to the civilized man who said he didn't want any trouble?" "The sthing that happened to your promises. I've waited long enough." "Fine, Mr. Legrand. You win. But if you don't learn to respect your son's choices, you're the one who'll lose the most." "You don't know Paul very well, and clearly, you don't have kids. I have five. And if I've learned anything, it's that the most important thing is respecting their choices and guiding them the best we can." "Well, we'll see about that, Evans. I want to meet my son and I've waited long enough. So you better tell him I'm here." Not wanting to escalate things—because he knew exactly the kind of influence that man had, and that he really could take Paul if he pushed it-Maximus did what seemed most reasonable.
He had the mansion gates opened and watched as a sleek Bugatti drove up the path leading to the house. He informed the butler of an unexpected visitor, got up from his desk, and walked to the room where Paul was doing homework under his sister's orders.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Paul, son, can I cin?" Maximus asked gently.
"Yeah, Dad, what's up?" "Remember our last few talks?" "Yeah..." the boy said, lowering his gaze.
"Remember I told you Pierre Legrand was coming to Valentia?" "Yeah... but I'm not ready to see him." "I think you are. You're strong and smart. You'll know how to handle yourself in front of him. Ask him your questions, tell him your doubts. Give him a chance... Not everything about him has to be bad." "Take me, for example-your grandpa Magnus is a great grandfather, even if he doesn't love all our chaos. And you can't deny that his advice has saved your skin more than once." "Yeah, but he's different..." "No. The difference is, I decided to give him a chance." "Dad..." "I'm not asking you to see him and immediately call him 'Dad.' I'm just asking you to talk to him-hear his side. Maybe you'll be surprised by a few things." "Dad... but he's not even here right now, so maybe next time, if he visits again, I'll think about it. There's no point in talking about it now."
"Son... Pierre is in the front room right now, and he'll be taken out to then garden live tried to delay this meeting as long as I could, but I can't anymore... Please helpwith this." "That man has no right to show up here and pretend like he wants to get to know me." "I know... But it's tyou met Pierre. Just give him a chance-that's all I'm asking."
Paul thought about it. He was cold sweating. He really didn't want to om face the situation. Just knowing that man was inside the shouse was enough to make him angry and it showed. Paul knew his mother had been involved with that man, and no matter how hard Maximus had tried to protect or clean up her image, the reality was obvious now.
"Okay, Dad-but don't expect hugs and heartwarming scenes, alright?"
"Of course not. I'm just asking you to meet him, hear him out, and form om your own opinion. Don't get caught up in your assumptions or in how things happened. Just give yourself the chance to know him."
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