Semua Bab THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME : Bab 91 - Bab 100

The lights were dim, and the smell of takeout hung thick in the small apartment — fried chicken and something spicy Maria couldn’t quite place. She was curled beside Luca on their lumpy mattress, her half-eaten noodles cooling on her lap as the movie played, the sound filling the otherwise quiet room. It was one of those horror movies that stretched out the silence until something horrifying leapt at you. Maria’s skin crawled. She hated these kinds of movies. But she’d picked it. Luca, however, seemed completely unfazed. He leaned against the wall, eating noodles with slow, casual bites, his focus unwavering — like he was watching a documentary. Maria shot him a sideways look, irritated but grudgingly impressed. How is he so calm? Suddenly, a loud screech tore from the TV. Maria tensed, heart hammering. Her chopsticks slipped from her hand, clattering to the f

Luca stumbled into the apartment, the door slamming shut behind him with a heavy thud. The air around him reeked of smoke, sweat, and cheap whiskey, and the faint trace of cologne he’d sprayed on in a poor attempt to mask it all clung weakly to his skin. His shirt was half-unbuttoned, belt hanging loose, jeans slung low on his hips. He looked wrecked—like he’d barely made it home in one piece.But Maria didn’t see the mess first.She saw him.And for one agonizing moment, the wall of anger she’d been holding onto all evening—tight and trembling like a dam about to burst—crumbled. Just at the sight of him.Her arms slowly loosened from around her knees. Her breath caught.He looked so lost.So hers.Luca blinked, eyes hazy, but they found her like gravity. His lips curved faintly, a ghost of that cocky grin he wore far too often. “Miss me, baby?” he murmured, voice hoarse, thick with exhaustion and som

The estate was still. Outside, the distant city lights flickered like dying embers, swallowed by the weight of the night. A quiet breeze rustled the trees beyond the tall gates, but the sound was faint, muffled by thick curtains drawn across the windows. Inside, the bedroom was wrapped in an almost sacred hush—the kind that settled over a house holding something fragile. The kind of silence that clung to the walls, heavy with the weight of everything that could go wrong.The room was dim, lit only by the faint golden glow of a bedside lamp. It cast gentle shadows over the ornate furniture, softened the sharp corners, and made the world seem smaller, safer.And in the middle of it all, Luca held Maria the way he always did—like she was his entire world. His arms were wrapped over her belly, protective and reverent, cradling not just her but the life they had created together. She was warm against his chest, her breath slow and

The night wore on, stars scattered above them like spilled diamonds, while the music shifted from elegant jazz to something sultrier—low, heady beats that vibrated through the deck like a heartbeat. The kind of music that made people do impulsive, expensive things. The air was thick with the scent of saltwater and champagne, the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses mingling with the occasional sharp bark of an expensive heel tapping the marble floors.Maria had kicked off her heels and was now lounging barefoot, her feet resting in Luca’s lap after he’d returned from the poker table. His palm moved slowly along her calves, thumb pressing into the arch of her foot with quiet reverence, like a man discovering a hidden treasure, though the rest of the world might have considered her just another beautiful, wealthy woman.“You’re staring,” she said without opening her eyes, voice soft, laced with a teasing tone.“You’re glowing

Maria lay back against the pillows, the cool gel of the ultrasound wand sending a chill across her skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth of Luca’s gaze that burned into her. He stood behind the doctor, his arms crossed, his expression stoic—always the protector, always watching. His presence alone was a quiet comfort. Her protector. Her husband. The soft, rhythmic sound of a heartbeat filled the room, steady and reassuring. Maria exhaled in relief, the tension in her shoulders slowly releasing. But then, the doctor’s brows furrowed slightly as he adjusted the probe. He glanced up, locking eyes with Luca. "Mr. Avancii, have you stopped smoking around your wife?" Luca stiffened, his jaw tightening. "I don’t smoke near her." The doctor didn’t seem convinced. "One of the twins' heartbeats is slightly slower than the other." Maria’s stomach dr