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Chapter 23
Last Updated:
2025-04-06 03:01:12
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The 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 : 2025-04-07The Price Of Us Chapter 26
ANNA POV.The sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the apartment, blending with the soft hum of my laptop. I had settled into a routine—wake up, work, attend my prenatal checkups, and try to convince myself that I was fine. That I was moving on. Some days, I even believed it. New Zealand was peaceful, a far cry from the chaos I had left behind. No whispers of betrayal. No suffocating expectations. Just me and my baby, starting over. Still, the nights were the hardest. That was when the memories crept in, unwelcome and unrelenting. The way Jace used to hold me like I was the only thing keeping him grounded. The warmth of his touch. The quiet moments between us when the rest of the world faded away. I hated that I still thought about him. I hated that no matter how much I tried to bury the past, he still haunted me. But I was healing. Slowly. Or at least, I thought I was. Until I saw them. I had left the TV on for background noise, barely paying attention as I
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The Price Of Us Chapter 27
JACE POVThe walls of my father’s study felt suffocating. The thick scent of mahogany and aged whiskey hung in the air as the lawyer placed a stack of documents on the desk. My mother sat beside me, her hands clenched in her lap, seething. Across from us, my father leaned back in his chair, face unreadable, his fingers drumming against the armrest. “This is ridiculous,” Luciana snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. “We have searched everywhere, and still, no one can find her? She’s doing this on purpose, the little devil. She knows exactly what she’s doing.” I swallowed hard, keeping my expression blank. The moment Anna left, I told myself I would move on. That I had no reason to care. But hearing my mother talk about her like this sent a strange, bitter taste to the back of my throat. “She took our money and vanished without a trace,” my mother continued, her nails digging into her palm. “A woman like that—manipulative, greedy—was never fit to be your wife, Jace.” I cl
Last Updated : 2025-04-08The Price Of Us Chapter 28
JACE POVI sat frozen on the stone bench, Teresa’s words crashing over me like a brutal storm. My chest ached, my pulse hammered in my ears. “You knew they didn't like her, Signor. So tell me—what makes you think they wouldn’t do whatever it took to separate you?”Her voice replayed in my head, over and over, like a cruel taunt. I clenched my jaw, my hands curling into fists. “You knew how they treated her. And you let them win.”Damn it. A sharp exhale left me as I pushed off the bench, my movements rigid with tension. My mind raced through the past months, through every cold glance, every subtle jab from my mother, every smirk Vanya had thrown Anna’s way. And me? I had been too blind. Too caught up in work. Too wrapped in my own frustrations to see what was happening right in front of me. I should have known. I should have fucking known. The realization settled in my stomach like lead, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something crack inside me. Not just
Last Updated : 2025-04-08The Price Of Us Chapter 29
ANNA POVThe cramping started early that morning, a dull ache that made me pause as I reached for my phone. I pressed a hand to my stomach, exhaling slowly. It wasn’t unbearable, but it was enough to make me uneasy. I had read that cramps could be normal during pregnancy, but the anxiety still crept in, filling every corner of my mind. I should probably get checked. Just to be safe. With that decision made, I reached for my phone to book an appointment, but before I could dial the clinic, a notification popped up. Anton Clyde: We need to talk, Anna.My stomach twisted—not from the cramps this time, but from the sheer frustration of seeing his name. 5 weeks had passed. A whole month and a week, and he was still doing this. Calling, texting, emailing. No matter how many times I ignored him, he just wouldn’t stop. I still didn’t know how he had gotten my new number, but I had my suspicions. He must have stalked my social media, piecing together clues like a desperate man grasp
Last Updated : 2025-04-08The Price Of Us Chapter 30
JACE POVThe hum of the jet had long faded, replaced by the distant murmur of the airport as I stepped onto New Zealand soil. A rush of cool night air hit me, but it did nothing to ease the anxiety tightening in my chest. She was here. Somewhere in this country, in this city—Anna was here. And I was too damn late. I knew she would have seen the email by now. Hours had passed since the lawyers sent it. What if she had already signed it? What if, at this very moment, she was finalizing the last step that would sever us forever? The thought made me sick. I forced my legs to move, heading toward the nearest transport hub. There were car rental options, but I wasn’t thinking straight. My mind was a whirlwind of regret, frustration, and the desperate hope that I wasn’t too late. Instead, I boarded a bus bound for Auckland, blending into the quiet crowd of passengers. The ride was long, giving me too much time to think. I stared out the window, watching the blurred city lig
Last Updated : 2025-04-09The Price Of Us Chapter 31
ANNA POVI should have left the moment I saw him. The second my eyes locked onto Jace’s through that cafe window, my body screamed at me to run. To slip out the back, to vanish before he got close enough to see what I had been hiding. But I had hesitated and now it was too late. His voice cut through the thick, suffocating air between us. “You’re pregnant.”A statement. Not a question. His eyes—those piercing blue eyes that once made me feel safe—were locked onto my stomach, his expression shifting from shock to something I couldn’t quite name. Pain. Anger. Desperation. I hated that part of me wanted to explain. That part of me still ached at the look on his face. But I had spent months piecing myself back together. Months convincing myself that I didn’t need his validation, his understanding. And yet, here he was. Standing in front of me. Blowing apart the careful distance I had built. I forced myself to stay still, even as my pulse thundered. “Would it have made a
Last Updated : 2025-04-09
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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
