All Chapters of THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME : Chapter 61 - Chapter 65

The morning was bright—deceptively bright, as if the events of last night had never happened. The sun hung high, casting golden light over the estate, birds chirped in the distance, and the scent of fresh dew clung to the air.But the only evidence of the blood spilled in the dark hours before lay in the red stains the housekeepers were scrubbing off the stone pathways."Twenty-one men," one of the younger maids whispered, glancing over her shoulder as she wrung out her cloth, the water in her bucket turning pink. "That’s what Mr Collins said."Another housekeeper, older and more experienced, clicked her tongue. "And not one of them managed to step past the second courtyard.""They said snipers took them out before they even reached the main house.""Who were they?""Idiots, clearly."A gardener, kneeling beside a row of blood-speckled roses, muttered, "Only fools come for Luca Avancii in his own home and expect to leave alive."The staff exchanged uneasy glances as they worked. Some

The bed was cold.Maria stirred beneath the sheets, blinking against the morning light filtering through the curtains. Her hand instinctively reached across the mattress, searching for warmth, for the familiar solid presence of Luca.Nothing.Her stomach clenched.She sat up slowly, pushing back her hair as she glanced toward the en-suite bathroom. The door was open. Empty.He left.A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she turned to the nightstand. His watch was gone. His phone charger was missing.Luca always left something behind when he was in a rush—his cufflinks, his laptop, something. But today? It was as if he had made sure not to leave a single trace of himself in their bedroom.Maria swallowed hard.He was still angry.She had known it last night, had felt it in the way he looked at her, in the way he let her go without a second glance.But some part of her had foolishly

Maria stirred, yawning as she stretched beneath the sheets as the faintest morning light seeped through the curtains. The bed felt too large, too empty, and instinctively, she reached out beside her—only to feel nothing but the lingering warmth where Luca had been.Her eyes fluttered open. He was already awake.Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she turned her head toward the other side of the room. There he was—standing by the window, bathed in soft golden light. His back was to her, the rigid tension in his muscles clear even from where she lay. His hands were braced against the desk, head slightly bowed, as if he were lost in thought.Maria didn’t move immediately. She simply watched him.It was rare to see Luca like this—unguarded, unaware of her gaze. A man who always held control so tightly was now completely still, the weight of something unseen pressing heavily on him.Her heart clenched.She slipped out of bed q