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Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Price Of Us: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

136 Kabanata

Chapter 71

JACE POV.The scent of rosemary and lemon lingered in the air, blending with the warm flicker of candlelight. I hadn’t expected this. I hadn’t expected her—not like this.Anna looked like a memory I hadn’t realized I’d forgotten. Stunning. Composed. Radiant in that dress I used to love on her. And it hit me hard—how long it had been since I really looked at her. Since I really saw her.But my throat was tight, and the air between us felt too still, like the calm before something I didn’t know how to face.I kept my eyes on the plate, forcing down bite after bite, each one tasting like guilt.Because I could still smell Sophie’s perfume on my shirt.And Anna… God, Anna had gone out of her way. I saw it in the way the table was set, the food carefully plated, the wine uncorked just right. I saw it in the way she smiled, even as her eyes searched mine for something—reassurance, connection, maybe a flicker of the man I used to be.But I couldn’t meet her halfway. Not yet.Not with the li
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-05-09
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Chapter 72

ANNA POV.The door clicked shut.I stood there for a moment, staring at it, his kiss still warm on my lips. It should’ve comforted me. It used to. But now, all it did raised more questions.Jace had smiled, touched me gently, kissed me like I was something precious. But it didn’t settle the storm brewing in my chest. If anything, it made it worse. Because the tenderness felt a little too careful. A little too… orchestrated.He was hiding something.I wasn’t sure when the feeling had started, but it lingered like the scent of Sophie’s perfume in his study—cloying, out of place, and impossible to ignore.I turned away and wandered into the kitchen, the floor cool against my bare feet. Nathan’s soft babbling echoed from the baby monitor, and I reached for a mug, trying to drown my thoughts in coffee. But even the rich aroma didn’t soothe me.My mind kept circling back.The late nights at the office. The missed calls. The way he pulled away sometimes, emotionally more than physically.
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Chapter 73

JACE POV.I stared out my office window, the city sprawling beneath me, endless and alive. But my mind wasn’t on the deals or the meetings lined up for the day. It was on Anna.Last night had shaken me more than I wanted to admit. The way she looked at me when I walked through the door, her eyes so full of hope and love—it hit me right in the chest. And when I kissed her goodbye this morning… God, I could feel her slipping through my fingers, even as she held on tight.I’d been messing up.Not in the loud, obvious ways—but in the quiet ones. The late nights, the distance, the way I’d let things with Sophie get too close to a line I had no business approaching. I’d been telling myself it was nothing. That it was harmless.But it wasn’t harmless. Not when Anna’s eyes held doubt. Not when I knew better.I scrubbed a hand down my face and sat back in my chair, staring at the framed picture of Anna and Nathan on my desk. Nathan’s chubby cheeks, Anna’s bright smile. My family. My everythin
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Chapter 74

ANNA POV.I woke to the smell of coffee.For a second, I thought I was dreaming—until I turned over and saw Jace standing by the bed, a tray balanced in his hands and the softest smile on his face.“Good morning, beautiful,” he said.I blinked, sitting up, my hair a mess, eyes still foggy from sleep. “What… is this?”He set the tray down carefully—a full spread of pancakes, eggs, fresh fruit, and a steaming mug of coffee. “Breakfast in bed. White dove.”I stared at him, my heart doing this stupid, hopeful little flip. “Jace…”“No,” he cut in gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. “No arguments today. Just let me take care of you for once.”It was simple, really. Nothing extravagant. But somehow, it meant everything. After weeks of distance, of feeling like I was carrying the weight of us alone, here he was—showing up in the way I’d been aching for.I smiled, my chest tight. “Okay,” I whispered. “Thank you.”He leaned in and kissed my forehead, then my lips—soft, unhurried. “Eat,” he
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Chapter 75

ANNA POV.The peaceful quiet between us stretched out, the world outside feeling so distant, like it didn’t matter anymore. It was just me and Jace, and that was enough for now.I took another bite of pancakes, savoring the sweetness and the warmth of the moment. But as I put the fork down, a thought crossed my mind, and I looked up at him, catching his eye.“So, are you going to be late for work today?” I asked, only half teasing, still unsure if I was ready to let go of the routine we’d fallen into. “You do have a company to run.”Jace chuckled, his smile widening in that way I adored. “Work? Anna, I’m the owner. I can decide not to go to work for a year if I want.” He raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “I could work from home, but today? I just want to reconnect with you.”I blinked, feeling a flutter of surprise and relief. “You’re serious?” “Dead serious,” he replied, his voice sincere, no hint of hesitation. “You and me, today. No distractions. I want us to ge
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-05-10
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Chapter 76

ANNA POV.Less than an hour later, the doorbell rang, and I could hear footsteps echoing in the hallway. Jace was absorbed in his phone, not noticing the familiar sound. I shifted Nathan in my arms as the housekeeper answered the door.Sophie walked in, a smile already on her face. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Lysander,” she greeted me, her tone smooth, polite—but there was something about it that always felt too practiced. She didn’t wait for a response before she moved toward Nathan, who was happily gurgling in my arms. “Oh! He is growing up so fast,” Sophie said as she leaned down to lift him from me. “He’s a true Lysander, isn't he?” I let her take Nathan, even though something about the way she said Lysander didn’t sit right with me. It felt a little too affectionate, too familiar.“Thank you,” I muttered, giving her a tight smile, and I could feel my hands curling into a small fist as she held Nathan a little too long, cooing at him. I cleared my throat. “I think I’ll take him bac
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Chapter 77

JACE POV.It was just past nine when I settled into my office, scrolling through emails and trying to catch up before the day got busy. A soft knock came at the door, and a second later, Sophie stepped in with my usual coffee.“Morning, Mr. Lysander,” she said quietly, placing the cup on my desk.“Morning,” I replied automatically, but my eyes stayed on her a beat longer than usual.She wasn’t… herself. No bright smile, no usual chipper tone. Her face looked drawn, her eyes downcast, and she barely met my gaze before turning to leave.“Sophie,” I called after her, frowning. “Wait a second.”She stopped, her hand on the door handle, and turned back to me, her expression carefully blank. “Yes, Mr. Lysander?”I leaned back in my chair, watching her. “Is everything okay? You seem… off today.”She gave a tight smile and shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You don’t look fine.”“I am,” she insisted a little too quickly, her eyes flicking away.
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Chapter 78

JACE POV.It had been a few days, and thankfully, whatever weirdness there was between Sophie and me seemed to have faded. Work was back to normal—no tension, no awkward silences. In fact, we’d been unusually productive, knocking out meetings and reports like clockwork.I was heading back to my office after a quick check-in with one of the managers when I passed Sophie’s desk—and paused. I heard it—quiet, muffled sniffing.I frowned and stepped closer. “Sophie?”She quickly wiped at her face, trying to turn her chair away, but not before I caught sight of her red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks.“Hey—what’s wrong?” I asked, concerned despite myself.She shook her head, barely able to form words. “It’s nothing, Mr. Lysander. I’m sorry. I just—please, don’t worry about it.”But she was clearly not okay. I hesitated, glancing around. “Come on. Let’s go to my office.”She followed me in, wiping her face with a tissue, her shoulders shaking. I closed the door behind us and gestured for her
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Chapter 79

JACE POV.I didn’t hesitate—I followed her down the hall, my pulse hammering. “Anna, please. Don’t just walk away.”She was in the bedroom already, yanking the drawer open, grabbing clothes like she was gearing up to sleep in another room. I moved fast, closing the drawer before she could slam it shut.“Talk to me,” I said, voice low but urgent. “Don’t do this.”She shook her head, eyes glossy with anger and hurt. “I trusted you, Jace. I trusted you after everything—and now this? You lied to my face.”I let out a hard breath. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have lied. I panicked because I knew how it would look, and honestly? I didn’t want you to feel how you’re feeling right now. I messed up.”She crossed her arms, backing away a step, but she wasn’t leaving yet—and that gave me hope.“I swear to you,” I pressed on, meeting her eyes, “there’s nothing between me and Sophie. Nothing. She was crying, Anna. Her mom’s seriously ill, and she broke down. I didn’t invite it, and I didn’t encourag
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Chapter 80

JACE POV.The office was dead quiet except for the soft whir of the air conditioning and the occasional click of Sophie’s pen as she tapped it against her notebook. The clock on the wall ticked past 8 p.m., but it felt later. We’d been at it for hours, dissecting timelines, debating budgets, and mapping out contingencies for the new project. My eyes burned from staring at the screen too long.“We’ll need to rework the vendor schedule if we’re pushing up the launch date,” Sophie said, her voice low but clipped, eyes narrowing at the spreadsheet like it had personally offended her.I leaned back, exhaling hard, and rubbed my jaw. “Yeah. No point rushing if it means cutting corners. Let’s flag it for the board.”She made a note, fingers moving quickly, and for a brief moment, the silence settled again between us—comfortable, but taut. Sophie always kept things professional, but tonight there was something else, an energy I couldn’t quite place.My phone vibrated on the table, breaking
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-05-12
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