My Love Until the Last Goodbye by Alut

Chapter 0239 It was 10:00 p.m., and Marcus was drinking and smoking on the balcony of the hotel room where he'd decided to stay. He had been waiting for a decent hour to call the one woman who could bring peace to his heart. The day had been far from easy, and he still felt unsettled by his actions, though he tried to calm himself by recalling the files of those who had to meet their end today.

When the clock finally struck 11:00 p.m., Marcus picked up his phone and made the call he had been waiting for all evening.

"Valerie?" "Marcus! Hi! How are you? Did you make it there safely? How was the trip? You should already be asleep!" Valerie's worried voice cthrough the line.

"Calm down, calm down!” Marcus said with a smile, warmth spreading through his chest. “Everything's fine! I just had a lot to deal with today, and by the tI was ready to call, it was already the middle of the night for you. I didn't want to avou, so I waited for a better time." "You hadso worried! Don't do that again! I don't care what tit is-I'll always answer, okay? I love you!" Valerie's voice softened, her heart settling down.

F In the past, Peter had called her on his way home, and the last thing she had said to him was, "I'm craving pizza. That painful memory haunted her, making her act this way how. She couldn't tell Marcus she loved him-not fully -but a soft "I love you" slipped out naturally. Even though she wasn't by his side, those simple words warmed Marcus's heart and eased his anxiety.

"Valerie, my love, everything's fine. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. I didn't realize you'd be so worried. I promise it won't happen again!" Marcus said gently.

"Good! Now, did you eat dinner?" Marcus had to lie. After the day he'd had, he didn't have the appetite to eat. His stomach held only alcohol. "Yes, my love! I had pizza!" "Marcus Bartz! You need to eat something more substantial. No wonder you're so thin!" Valerie scolded him. “Heh, heh, heh, you know my body so well!" he teased in a playful tone.

"I-I didn't mean it like that! That's not what I meant!" Valerie stammered, flustered and embarrassed.

"Hey... why don't you ask Frederick for stoff? When I get back, I want to take you and Serenity to the beach for a week. We need a break," Marcus said, changing the subject.

"Oh, that's right! You promised Serenity a trip to the beach. She keeps looking at the ocean and saying we're going there..." Valerie said calmly, though she was trying to hide her excitement.

"Yes! Think about where you'd like to go. I have a house in CoravelA, and the beaches there are great. But if you have another place in mind, letknow, and that's where we'll go!" "Marcus... But when you get back, won't you have a lot of work waiting for you? Wouldn't it be better to clear sof it first?" Valerie asked, concerned.

The year before, Marcus had been gone for an entire month Even though Frederick had managed the company during his absence, there were always things that needed Marcus's final approval.

"Don't worry about that! I'm handling everything here in Valentia so I can get back earlier and keep my promise to Serenity," Marcus said patiently.

1/2 Chapter 0239 'Okay. But if there's work to be done when you return, we can wait. Don't stress about us, okay?" Valerie replied gently.

"Alright, but it won't be necessary!" Marcus planned to spend this week alone. Just being in Valentia suffocated him. Even last year, when he'd stayed the entire month, the feeling had been the sno matter where he slept. But now things were different. He had someone waiting for him-a beautiful woman and her lovely daughter. They were his anchor amidst so much turmoil.

Valerie, on the other hand, was thrilled at the idea of choosing the vacation spot. Solaria crossed her mind-a dream she had once shared with her grandfather but had never been able to fulfill. She was excited but didn't want to show it. The last tshe had been at the beach was during her honeymoon with Maximus. What started as a happy trip had ended painfully, as she realized there that Maximus would never love her. They had flown to the beach together, but she returned halone and heartbroken.

Valerie got lost in the memory for a moment until Marcus's voice brought her back. "Valerie? Are you still there? Is something wrong?" Marcus asked, concerned.

"Oh, no! Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about where I'd like us to go. I've always wanted to visit Solaria. Gould we go there? It's far, though, so we could just go to Coravela. I don't want to trouble you," Valerie said, feeling guilty for even asking "Solaria, huh?" "No, no! Any beach you choose is fine!" Valerie added quickly, ashamed of her request. She knew Solaria was a great spot but also a popular and expensive destination.

After she spoke, she heard the sound of typing on a keyboard. The conversation went silent for a few minutes.

"All set! I just booked a room at Hotel Mawimbi. The place looks nice, but if you don't like it, we can move tom another one. The important thing is having somewhere to stay. Honestly, I lived in Coravela for years and never heard of it, but the beaches look amazing. It'll be a wonderful vacation."

Valerie was stunned. This man, without hesitation, had made the reservation. For years her entiren youth, even she had wanted to visit Π Solaria but never could. Now, this man, who had only recently entered her life, had unknowingly given her one of the greatest gifts. "Did you really book it?" Valerie asked, her voice filled with surprise as she tried to hold back a lump in her throat.

"Yes! Unless you have somewhere else in mind? If you do, Il cancel and wait for you to choose. Just letknow, and I'll book it. We could go without a reservation, but with Serenity, I don't want to risk not having a comfortable place for her." "No, no! Solaria is perfect. That's where I want to go," Valerie said, finally accepting the trip.

"Great, my beautiful, lovely, sexy lady! I need to go now. You should get ready for work, and I need to get ssleep-I'm pretty tired. I'll call you during your lunch break, okay?" "Okay!" After the call ended, Marcus felt a wave of warmth from Valerie. It calmed his heart and his anxiety. He smiled, thinking of how she was like a young girl of 15 or 16. Her occasional indecisiveness and the way her tone betrayed her emotions made her easy to read.