Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Price Of Us: Kabanata 111 - Kabanata 120

JACE POV.I carried her up the steps onto the yacht, her face resting against my chest. She didn’t look up, just kept her eyes closed, her body too stiff against mine. My heart ached for her. I could feel the weight of her pain, and it made the whole world feel unbearably heavy.Once inside the cabin, I set her down on one of the plush sofas, the soft lighting from the lamps casting a calm glow around us. I sat beside her, but she still wouldn’t meet my eyes. She just kept staring at her hands, her fingers twitching slightly as if she couldn’t quite control them.I wanted to ask her what happened, to demand an explanation, but I held back. She wasn’t ready to talk yet. I could see that much. But I was here for her, and that was all that mattered right now.Instead, I reached out, gently pulling her into my arms again. She hesitated for a second, but then she melted into me, her body trembling slightly as I wrapped her in the warmth of my embrace.“Whatever it is,” I whispered into h

JACE POV.The villa was still buzzing with the soft sounds of music and clinking glasses, the golden Tuscan sunset pouring over the vineyard like warm honey. The wedding had ended beautifully. Anna had smiled, genuinely, even if her eyes had been clouded now and then with storms only he could see.I waited until the guests were distracted at the terrace for wine and dolci before slipping away into my study upstairs. I locked the door and took a steadying breath before dialing Vincent.The call picked up on the second ring.“Jace,” he said, brisk and straight to the point. “Heard congratulations are in order.”“Thanks,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “But this isn’t a social call.”His tone sharpened immediately. “Go on.”I closed the window slightly and lowered my voice. “It’s about Anna. Her past. The people she thinks are her parents? They’re not. She overheard them last night… talking about how they eliminated her real parents, stole their name, and raised her under the Vale

JACE POV.The Third Day, Pranzo di Ringraziamento(Thanksgiving lunch)The villa courtyard was awash in golden light, the late morning Tuscan sun kissing the vineyard walls and casting soft shadows beneath the canopy of olive trees. Laughter floated around us—cousins and relatives clinking glasses, old family friends toasting our new union. From the outside, everything looked perfect.But my eyes kept darting toward the gates.I was waiting for Vincent.“Bambini!” one of the older relatives called out cheerfully as Nathan waddled past, his chubby legs carrying him nowhere fast. Anna chuckled beside me, her fingers wrapped around a cold glass of limonata. She was smiling—tired, but beautiful. I reached for her hand, grounding myself in her warmth.Then I saw him.Vincent stepped into the courtyard wearing a sleek navy shirt tucked into pressed trousers. Sunglasses. Relaxed posture. The perfect guest. He blended in without effort, greeting the staff with a polite nod. No one would su

ANNA POV.The last of Vivian’s cries faded behind the clink of champagne glasses being quietly set down. A hush rolled over the garden like mist, trailing after the officers as they led the Hugos away in handcuffs.Eyes followed them.Some wide with disbelief. Others glint with the kind of morbid interest reserved for reality television and car crashes.Vivian was gone. So was Williams.Luciana stepped closer, her jaw tight, trying to maintain her usual poise even as the edges of her voice frayed. “Dio mio, Anna... did it have to happen like this?” she asked, half in disbelief, half in motherly concern. “All these people... this is going to be everywhere by morning.”Her words weren’t cruel, just real. A Lysander’s instinct to protect the family name, even in the midst of revelation.But Alessandro lifted a hand gently to quiet her.He stepped into the flickering lights with an air of quiet authority—not heavy, not theatrical. Just steady, like stone against the wind.“Sometimes,” he

ANNA POV.The waiting room doors swung open, and in poured the storm I had left behind.Teresa first—her face pale, eyes bloodshot, hands trembling as she clutched her rosary like it was the only thing keeping her upright.Luciana and Alessandro followed, both visibly shaken, the former still in her champagne silk gown now smudged at the hem. Her mask of composure was cracked, and for once, she didn’t try to fix it.Then came Jace.He looked like he’d run through fire.His jacket was gone. His tie, crooked. His eyes—those same eyes that had always held a quiet storm—were filled with something I had never seen so raw.Terror.He crossed the room in three long strides and pulled me into his arms without a word. I collapsed against his chest, letting go of the last thread of strength I had left.“He’s okay,” I whispered, over and over. “They said he’s okay.”His grip around me tightened. “I know. I know, baby. I’m here. We’re here.”He didn’t let go as the doctor returned.“Signore, Sign