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Chapter 17
Last Updated:
2025-04-04 04:11:46
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The Price Of Us Chapter 18
JACE POVWork had been hell.Every unfinished deal, every contract I had abandoned five years ago, was waiting for me like a vengeful ghost. I barely had time to breathe, moving from one meeting to another, shaking hands with men who once called me reckless, earning back the respect I had thrown away.I never wanted this.When I brought Anna here, it was supposed to be a honeymoon—a chance for us to escape, to just be. But Italy wasn’t just where my family lived. It was where the past had buried its claws in me, refusing to let go.And I needed to cut those ties for good.My father’s estate held more than just bitter memories. It held money. Resources. Connections. My parents built an empire, and even if they never intended for me to inherit it all, there were still assets—hidden things that could give me the power to stand on my own, without relying on them.That’s why I had to be here. That’s why I had to play their game, just long enough to win.But I hadn’t been home since yeste
Last Updated : 2025-04-05The Price Of Us Chapter 19
JACE POVThe days had felt like a blur—endless meetings, strategy discussions, and negotiations that left me drained. I was trying to tie up loose ends, to secure everything before taking Anna far away from all this toxicity. Her company—her legacy—was still under my name, and I had been working in the shadows to ensure that if anything ever happened, she would never be at the mercy of my family or anyone else. I was setting up offshore accounts, restructuring ownership, making sure that she could walk away from this wealthier, more powerful, and completely independent.I just needed time but I could sense something shifting. Anna had been distant since our argument about Vanya. She wasn’t cold, but there was a hesitation in her touch, in the way her eyes lingered on me when she thought I wasn’t looking. I told myself she just needed time. After everything, trust wasn’t something that could be rebuilt overnight.A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I gave the permiss
Last Updated : 2025-04-05The Price Of Us Chapter 20
ANNA POVThe door clicked shut behind Jace, and for a long moment, I just stood there, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. What the hell had just happened? One second, I was curled up on the couch, waiting for him to come home—waiting to tell him that maybe, just maybe, we could start over. And the next, he was looking at me like I was a stranger. Like he didn’t know if he could trust me. I sank back onto the couch, my hands trembling as I tried to piece everything together. “Did you ever resent me for taking your company?”“Did you ever forgive me for buying Valerian Industries?”It had come out of nowhere. I had seen the look in his eyes when he asked—so raw, so desperate for an answer that would put his mind at ease. And I had hesitated. Not because I still hated him. But because I didn’t know how to explain it. How could I put into words that I had spent so long resenting him, fighting him, trying to find a way to escape this marriage… only to realize that the lines be
Last Updated : 2025-04-05The Price Of Us Chapter 21
ANNA POV.The clock on the bedside table ticked endlessly, each second stretching into eternity. I lay on my side, staring at the door, waiting for him.And then— he came in.Jace.The scent of his cologne lingered in the air, and for a brief, foolish second, my heart ached with hope.Maybe this time, he’d talk to me. Maybe this time, he’d look at me and see me—not her. But he didn’t.He tossed his jacket onto the chair, loosened his tie, unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and ran a hand through his hair—just like he used to.But he didn’t look at me. Not once. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching, waiting and hoping. Hoping that maybe tonight, he’d say something. That maybe tonight, he’d look at me and see that I was breaking, that I was drowning. That I was still his wife but he didn’t. He grabbed a file from the nightstand, checked his watch, and turned his back to me. Like I wasn’t even there. Like I was nothing.I let out a shaky breath, my hands curling into fists. I wa
Last Updated : 2025-04-06The Price Of Us Chapter 22
JACE POV.I came home late again.The house was quiet, too quiet. The kind of silence that seeped into your bones and made you feel like something was missing.I loosened my tie, rolling my shoulders as I stepped into the bedroom. The lights were dim, the air stale, as if no one had breathed life into this space for hours.I glanced toward the bed out of habit, expecting to see Anna’s curled-up form, maybe fast asleep, maybe waiting for me with tired, disappointed eyes.But the bed was empty.A strange feeling settled in my chest, something between unease and guilt. I didn’t know what I had expected. Things had been falling apart for weeks. She had stopped trying to reach me. Stopped looking at me with those eyes full of silent questions. I had kept my distance, thinking it was for the best.And now?I ran a hand down my face, letting out a sharp breath. Maybe she was in the guest room. Maybe she was just avoiding me the way I had been avoiding her.Fine. I deserved that.I turned aw
Last Updated : 2025-04-06The Price Of Us Chapter 23
ANNA POV.The plane hummed steadily beneath me, a dull vibration that echoed the turmoil in my chest. I stared blankly out the window, watching as Italy faded into the distance. The farther we climbed, the heavier my heart felt, but I shoved the feeling deep down where it couldn't reach me. I chose this. I wanted this. Then why did my fingers tremble as I clutched the thin airplane blanket? Why did my stomach twist—not from the turbulence, but from the weight of everything I was leaving behind? I pressed a hand to my belly, my nails digging into the fabric of my sweater. I was free.No more looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next betrayal. No more walking through those halls, feeling like a stranger in my own home. No more Jace. I squeezed my eyes shut. Jace.Even thinking his name was a knife to my chest. He didn’t even come looking for me. I had left our bed, our home, our life and he hadn’t stopped me. He didn’t fight for me. Didn’t ask where I was going. He
Last Updated : 2025-04-06The Price Of Us Chapter 24
ANNA POV.The days in Auckland passed in a blur. I kept myself busy—because if I stopped, even for a second, the weight of everything would crash down on me. I spent the first day settling into Airbnb, sorting through my meager belongings, and making lists. I needed an apartment. A job. A way to build something for myself here. I didn’t think about him.I didn’t think about the tests, neatly hidden in the bottom drawer of the bathroom vanity. I ignored the nausea that still crept up at random times, the exhaustion that clung to my body like a second skin. I told myself this was temporary. That once I found my footing, once I had a plan, I’d figure out what to do. But the truth was, I already knew. I just didn’t want to face it. ***Three days later. I sat in the waiting room, my hands clenched in my lap. The white walls felt suffocating, the air too still. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime. I shouldn’t be here. Ishould have walked out the moment I stepp
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The Price Of Us Chapter 25
JACE POVThe mansion felt different without her. Cold. Empty. Like something had been ripped out and nothing—not the expensive furniture, not the whiskey burning down my throat, not even the endless files on my desk—could fill the damn void she left behind. But she chose this. She left. I gripped the crystal glass in my hand, staring at the amber liquid swirling inside. I’d told myself I wouldn’t drink today, but here I was again, trying to drown out thoughts of her. The audio played in my head like a damn curse. “I won’t step out of this estate until the money is in my hands.”“If you want me gone, I want more.”“One hundred million dollars.”“Wouldn’t want your precious Jace to be stuck in a loveless marriage, would we?”That last line cut the deepest. Loveless. Had that been her truth all along? That it was all just a transaction to her? I downed the whiskey in one go, the burn in my throat nowhere near the one in my chest. I should hate her. I wanted to hate her.
Last Updated : 2025-04-07
Latest chapter
The Price Of Us Chapter 40
JACE POVThe following day’s night stretched on, but I couldn’t seem to forget the events of the last few days. It felt like everything had come together, and I could finally breathe easy. Anna was by my side, as always, but tonight felt different. We had spent so much time putting the pieces together—me, quietly working behind the scenes, making sure we’d have a life free from the shadows of my family’s control.I knew she’d been wondering when it would all come to fruition. I’d told her, after all. I’m working on something. I had only let her in on the edges of my plan before, but tonight… tonight, I could tell her it was all set. It had worked.I leaned back against the couch, pulling her closer. The fire crackled softly in the background, the warmth of the room making everything feel safe. She tilted her head to look at me, her brow furrowed slightly. She had known this moment was coming. She’d known what I was working on, even if she didn’t know all the details. She had truste
The Price Of Us Chapter 39
JACE POVThe conference room door shut with a solid click, muffling the roar outside.I stood there for a second, hand still on the handle, just listening. The reporters were yelling over each other, demanding follow-ups, headlines already flying across news outlets like vultures. I didn’t care.I turned around—and she was there.Anna.Backlit by the soft afternoon light pouring through the tall windows, still in the same cream dress, her heels off now. Her hand had drifted instinctively back to her stomach. It always did when she was overwhelmed. I knew that about her. I remembered everything about her, even when I tried not to.I crossed the space between us slowly.“You okay?” I asked.She didn’t answer right away. Just looked up at me with eyes full of something I couldn’t name—shock, maybe. Relief. Grief. All of it tangled together.“I didn’t think you’d say all of that,” she whispered. “You deserved every word.”Her breath hitched. “You really left nothing behind.”“No. Not th
The Price Of Us Chapter 38
ANNA POV.For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.The marble floor beneath me felt cold and unfamiliar, but Jace’s voice—strong, unwavering—was the only thing anchoring me. My heart pounded against my ribs as every stare settled on me like a spotlight.“Anna is my wife.”He said it like a vow. Like a shield. Like something sacred.I stood behind him, spine straight, shoulders squared—even though my hands trembled slightly against the silk of my dress. My other hand instinctively rested over the swell of my belly. I wasn’t just standing here as the woman they’d tried to erase.I was standing here as a mother. As his wife.As someone who had come back not to beg—but to fight.Vanya’s eyes burned into me like acid. “You’re really going to let her ruin everything?”She spat the words like venom, but they didn’t touch me. Not this time.Because Jace stepped even closer, and without looking back, reached for my hand.Our fingers intertwined.I felt the tremor in him too—but he didn’t flinc
The Price Of Us Chapter 37
JACE POVBy the time the wheels of the jet touched down in Italy, the afternoon sun was casting a golden hue over the private tarmac. I glanced at Anna beside me, watching as she took a deep breath, her fingers unconsciously pressing against her belly. She was nervous. I reached over, intertwining our fingers. “We’re home,” I murmured. She didn’t say anything, just nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on the window. I knew what she was thinking—what awaited us. My family. The people who had driven her away. The people I would protect her from, no matter what. The drive from the private airstrip to the estate was quiet. Anna sat beside me, her hands resting on her belly, her eyes scanning the familiar roads with a mix of emotions. I knew what she was thinking—what awaited her behind those gates. The memories, the pain, the people who had driven her away.I squeezed her hand. “You okay?”She exhaled softly, nodding. “As okay as I can be.”I brought her hand to my lips, pressing a
The Price Of Us Chapter 36
ANNA POV.Italy. The word alone sent a cold shiver down my spine. I sat still, fingers gripping the sheets as if they were the only thing grounding me. My mind was already racing ahead, painting vivid images of the last time I was in that country. The humiliation. The heartbreak. The way Jace’s mother and Vanya had torn me apart, piece by piece, until I had no fight left in me. And now, he wanted me to go back. I shook my head, my heart pounding. “No. Absolutely not.”Jace, who had been sitting beside me, turned fully to face me. “Anna—”“Jace, no!” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “I am not going back there. Not after everything.”“It won’t be like before.”I let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t know that.”“I do.” His jaw tightened. “Because I won’t let them treat you like that again.” “You think your mother will just suddenly change? That she’ll be welcoming, excited to see me? She already won, Jace. She got what she wanted. You were about to m
The Price Of Us Chapter 35
JACE POVThe next morning, I woke up to the soft warmth of Anna curled against me, her steady breathing a quiet reassurance that she was here, real, and mine again.Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden hue over her skin, making her look even more breathtaking than I remembered. For a long moment, I just lay there, watching her, committing every detail to memory—the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the way a few strands of her hair had fallen across her face, the peaceful expression she wore. She stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before her eyes fluttered open. Sleepy and soft, she blinked up at me, confusion giving way to recognition. A slow, drowsy smile spread across her lips. “You’re still here.”I cupped her cheek, running my thumb along her jaw. “I told you, Anna. I’m not going anywhere.”Her smile widened just a little before she buried her face into my chest. “What time is it?”“Time to find out if we’re having a son or a daughter.”That
The Price Of Us Chapter 34
ANNA POVI had been pacing in the living room, my heart hammering in my chest. The moment Jace opened that door, I knew it was Anton. And I hated that my first reaction wasn’t anger but exhaustion. I was tired of him, tired of the constant calls, the uninvited appearances, the fake concern. But more than that, I was tired of this part of my past that wouldn’t stay buried. The voices outside were growing louder, and when I heard Jace’s low, dangerous tone, I knew this wasn’t going to end well. I took a deep breath and moved toward the door, gripping the handle before pulling it open. The cold evening air hit my skin, but it wasn’t nearly as chilling as the scene in front of me.Jace stood in the doorway, rigid with barely restrained fury, while Anton had that same damn smirk on his face—the one that used to fool me. Not anymore. “Anna,”!Anton turned to me, his expression shifting in an instant. “Finally. Maybe now we can have a rational conversation.”I crossed my arms. “A
The Price Of Us Chapter 33
JACE POVFinally, she let out a slow breath. “I didn’t want to believe them,” she admitted. “But everything was falling apart. You barely spoke to me. It was easier to believe you never cared than to believe I had been that easy to discard.”My chest tightened. “Anna, I have never—” “You let me leave, Jace!” she cut me off, her voice rising. “You let me walk away like I was nothing to you!”I didn’t even realize I had moved until my hands were on her shoulders. “Because I was stupid and angry and hurt!” I rasped. “I thought you didn’t love me! And by the time I figured it out, you were gone.”Her breath hitched, her eyes darting to my face. “It doesn’t change anything.”“It changes everything.” I lowered my voice. “I love you, Anna. I loved you then, and I love you now.”Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, stepping back from my touch. “Even if I wanted to, Jace… I can’t go back with you.”My stomach dropped. “Why not?”“Because your family will never accept u
The Price Of Us Chapter 32
JACE POVAnna’s car disappeared into the distance, leaving me standing in the middle of the street, stunned. I had known she would be furious, but the pure rage in her voice still rattled me. And Anton. What the fuck was he doing in New Zealand? The thought of that bastard lurking around Anna made my blood boil. Had he followed her here? Was he trying to worm his way back into her life? I clenched my fists. If he so much as breathed in the wrong direction around her, I would make sure he regretted it. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I exhaled sharply, running a hand down my face before answering. “Yeah?”“We have her location,” the PI said. “She’s staying in a neighborhood near the city center. I’ll send you the address now.”I let out a slow breath. “Thanks, but I already found her.”There was a pause. “That was fast.”“I got lucky,” I muttered, my mind already spinning. “Send the details to my phone.” I cut the call.Anna was pregnant. That meant she had found out ba
