My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Theodore took a sip of his drink, staring out the massive window of his Burj Khalifa penthouse. From there, the city looked tiny-just another sprawling landscape beneath his feet.

But despite the breathtaking view, his mind was elsewhere.

His son.

The boy had inherited much of his genetics-tall and athletic, with a strong, defined jawline just like his own. His deep, expressive brown eyes were identical to his mother's, and his dark, thick, straight hair was also a gift from her. His skin was a warm, light brown. But the one thing that stood out the most?

His smile.

It was exactly like Fiona's.

The photo Oscar Harris, his lawyer, had left him sat on the table nearby.

It unnerved him.

It didn't bring him pride or comfort-it brought guilt.

[23 Years Ago]

Fiona had been just a girl-one who had fallen victim to human trafficking.

Theodore had met her during a mission-one of the first he had taken after being forced to work for Peter Palmer.

Back then, he hadn't severed ties with the Levett family yet, but Peter was already making moves to invest in the Middle East.

A business meeting had turned into a night of drinking at an exclusive club-one filled with alcohol and women.

Theodore had never been a fan of these kinds of environments, but that night, he stayed.

Like most men in his world, he had been with his fair share of women. He had spent nights in the company of women from bars, but he had never paid for one.

That was something he didn't believe in.

But that night, she caught his attention.

She was younger than the rest.

The heavy makeup made her look older, but the way her eyes darted around, the delicate features of her face he was sure she couldn't have been more than twenty.

She sat in the corner, waiting for someone to choose her.

But despite her exotic beauty, she didn't compare to the other women around her -women who flaunted their bodies with confidence, who had long perfected the art of seduction.

The men weren't interested in her.

Not until one of the handlers approached her.

Whatever he whispered made her eyes widen in fear, and she immediately stood, moving through the crowd in search of company.

Her efforts failed-most of the men had already chosen their companions.

She scanned the room, spotting two groups-one of young, wealthy men and another with older, more established men.

Logically, she should have chosen the younger men.

But she didn't.

She walked toward the older men instead.

Fiona had a beauty that not many women possessed.

Big, deep brown eyes framed by thick lashes.

Long, glossy, dark hair cascading down her back.

Delicate, harmonious features.

Yet, the group of men rejected her.

Her face immediately filled with panic.

And that didn't go unnoticed by Theodore.

Before he even knew what he was doing, he had already spoken-

"She's with me."

Her relief was instant.

Fiona knew exactly what these companionships were supposed to lead to.

She had to deliver.

If she didn't, she would have to pay for it—either in money or in flesh.

By now, she had already endured years of

ors, but tonight, the

terrified her. Content beleef

mere thought of losing a

They left the club together.

Theodore was well aware that the men in charge of these girls were watching them from a distance.

The moment they arrived at his suite, Fiona immediately tried to do what was expected of her.

But Theodore stopped her.

"What's your name?" he asked, pouring himself a drink.

"You can call me whatever you want," she replied automatically.

"Your real name."

She sighed, clearly frustrated.

"Sir, please don't make my job harder than it already is. Just do what you need to do, and let's get

this over with. You know someone is waiting for me outside. Right?"

"That's exactly why I'm asking."

She hesitated.

"My name is Fiona. Fiona Sawyer. Does that make you feel better?"

"Why are you in this life, Fiona?"

"Sir, really, this isn't necessary. You can do whatever you want to me—just don't

make this complicated."

"Fiona," he said, locking eyes with

her. "I watched you for five minutes at that club. And in those five

minutes, saw a girl who's far too young for this. You're wearing makeup to look older, but you can't be more than twenty.

"I saw that man threaten you. Am I wrong?"

She froze.

"What you do is not by choice. You are being exploited.

"That is exactly why I don't involve myself with prostitutes."

There was silence.

"Where is your family?"

Fiona's entire body went stiff.

She had no idea what to say.

She never encountered men like this.

She always chose older clients because they were straightforward—they wanted

what they wanted, and that was it.

Younger men could be cruel, perverse-so she avoided them whenever possible.

But tonight, she had been caught completely off guard by the man in front of her.

"My family, sir? I don't have a family," she finally said.

She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath.

"Forgive me for wasting your time. But if you're not going to do anything with me, I understand.

"But I need you to pay for my time.noveldrama

"Otherwise, I'll get into trouble."

Theodore studied her for a long moment before speaking.

"I'm going to ask you something, Fiona.

"Do you want to get out of this life?"

She flinched.

"What?"

"I can get you out. But you'll do everything I tell you-without question.

"Do you understand?"

Her heart pounded.

"What are you saying? Is this just some trick to get out of paying me?"

"Yes or no?"