My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Lucius let out a humorless chuckle. "Maximus, I was already living in London. We weren't exactly together even then."

"I know!" Maximus ran a hand down his face. "And I also know that the same mistakes I made with your uncle Peter... I made with you. I should have never let you go to London. But it was never my decision, and you know it. You and your mother wanted it that way. And I'm not here to blame anyone-I just need you to understand that, just like all your brothers, I love you. And it hurts that you're not with us."

Lucius clenched his jaw, looking away. "Maximus... How can you still love me after everything I've done?" he asked, shame creeping into his voice.

"Because you're my son, Lucius," Maximus said simply. "You don't understand it yet because you're not a father. But one day, you will be. And I hope, when that day comes, you realize that nothing-nothing-could ever erase the love a parent has for their child."

Maximus inhaled sharply, as if bracing himself for the weight of his next words. "You don't know what it was like for me to hold you for the first time. To see you, so tiny, so delicate. You don't know what it was like for me to sneak into your room at night, just to watch you sleep, to see how peaceful you looked."

His voice wavered slightly, memories hitting him all at once. "I used to love breathing in that baby scent of yours, holding you, just standing there for a while. It didn't matter how exhausted I was from work—I always did it. Your mother never saw that."

Maximus paused, running a hand over his face before continuing. "Both she and I... we had our demons. And I swear, if I had known what was really happening back then, things never would have spiraled the way they did."

Lucius said nothing, but his eyes burned with something-anger, sadness, regret? Maybe all of them.

"God, Lucius... if only I could turn back time. If only I could go back to those days when you were just a little boy running through the garden. Back to when you were two years old and used to sneak into my study. Maybe you don't remember, but I do. I remember my little boy, the one who didn't care about anything else but getting me to take him outside."

Lucius swallowed hard, his breath catching in his throat.

"You probably don't remember this either, but you used to drag me to the fridge

just so I could open the door and let you grab one or two strawberries. You loved strawberries."

Silence settled between them.

Maximus took another deep breath. "I won't lie to you. I don't know when I lost you don't know when things started slipping away. One day, it was just you and me, and then then your brothers came. The house fett smaller, the fights with your mother got worse. And sometimes... sometimes I stayed at the office longer than I should have-not because of work, but because I didn't want you or your siblings to see us fighting."

His voice broke slightly. "I just wanted a family. I wanted my wife. My kids. I wanted a couple of dogs, maybe some cats-everything I never had growing up."

He shook his head. "And now, I have it. But the only thing missing is you."

Lucius's vision blurred with tears. He blinked quickly, trying to keep them from falling.

"Your brothers are growing up so fast," Maximus continued. "Things have settled down. Paul had his first girlfriend got his heart broken, too. Turns out love isn't as easy as t seems." A sad smile played at his lips. "And Maurice... that kid is going to drive me crazy when he grows up. I swear, he's going to be the one that gives me the most gray hairs. I can feel it in my bones. Just ask your uncle Peter."

Lucius's head snapped up, his throat tight. "You're in contact with him?"noveldrama

Maximus nodded. "Yeah. We see each other from time to time. He just became a father-had twin girls."

Lucius let out a shaky breath, a tear finally slipping down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, but Maximus had already seen it.

"Lucius..." Maximus stepped forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "You might not believe me, but it's the truth. You're my son, and I can't keep living without knowing how you are can't keep wondering if'll ever see you again." His voice broke completely now. "You're my son, and I love you. You're my son, and I miss you."

Lucius felt his body tense as Maximus suddenly pulled him into a crushing

embrace. He barely had time to react.

"I don't want to force you into anything," Maximus whispered. "But I cannot keep

making the same mistake over and over again."