All Chapters of THE PRICE OF THEIR NAME : Chapter 91 - Chapter 99

The morning after I handed the note to the driver felt different than any other morning. I woke up before the sun was fully over the horizon. For the first time in weeks, I didn't feel the usual weight in my chest. I had done something. I had reached out to the world outside these walls. I lay in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling and imagining that piece of paper traveling through the city. I hoped it was already in the hands of someone who could help me.I got out of bed and dressed slowly. I chose a simple sweater and jeans, wanting to feel like myself for as long as possible before the gala preparations started again. I walked down to the dining room, expecting to see the usual spread of breakfast and the twins buried in their tablets.Instead, the room was empty. It was also very quiet. Usually, there was a sound of staff moving in the kitchen or the hum of the vacuum in the hallway. Today, the house felt like it was holding its breath.I wandered toward the kitchen to f

I didn't think I would be able to sleep at all after Dmitri left my room. The weight of the watch on my wrist felt like a physical anchor, keeping me pinned to the mattress. But eventually, the exhaustion of the day won. I drifted off into a sleep that felt more like falling down a well than resting.The dream started in our old house. It wasn't the mansion I lived in now. It was the small, cramped apartment from my childhood where the walls always smelled like stale coffee and old paper. I saw my father sitting at the kitchen table. He looked much older than I remembered. His shoulders were slumped, and his hands were shaking as he tried to organize a stack of legal documents."They're coming for everything, Leo," he whispered without looking up at me. "They don't just take your money. They take your shadow. They take the air out of your lungs."I tried to reach out to him, but the floor felt like it was made of water. Every step I took moved me further away. Then, the walls of the a

The drive back to the estate didn't happen right away. Ivan had been stopped by a group of investors near the exit, and Dmitri had been pulled into a corner by a woman who looked like she held the keys to half the city's real estate. For the first time all night, their grip loosened just enough for me to breathe."I’m going to get a glass of water," I told Dmitri.He looked at me, his eyes scanning the immediate area. "Stay at the bar. Don't move from there. I’ll be over in two minutes.""I can walk ten feet by myself, Dmitri," I said. My voice was more tired than I meant it to be.He sighed and nodded toward the long marble bar at the far end of the hall. "Go. Two minutes."I walked away before he could change his mind. The crowd was a blur of expensive fabrics and forced laughter. When I reached the bar, I didn't ask for water. I just stood there, leaning my elbows against the cool surface, looking down at my hands. My palms were sweating."You look like you're planning an escape,"

I woke up with a plan. If the twins wouldn't tell me the truth, I would find it myself. I waited until I heard the familiar sound of their cars leaving the driveway. Once the house settled into its usual morning rhythm, I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop.I wanted to find more than just a grainy photo of a fire. I wanted to know about the lawsuits, the rumors, and the connections between the Moretti family and the Volkovs that weren't printed in the official biographies.I typed "Volkov business controversy" into the search bar. The screen flickered for a second, and then a message appeared: No results found. Please check your spelling.I frowned. That was impossible. Even the most squeaky-clean billionaires had a few bad press cycles. I tried a different approach. I searched for the name of the judge who had handled my father’s estate.Access Denied. This site is restricted by your network administrator.I felt a chill run down my spine. I tried a news site I visited every da

The fever had left me weak, but my mind was sharper than it had been in weeks. I was sitting out on the balcony attached to my room, wrapped in a thick cardigan despite the afternoon heat. I just needed to feel the fresh air. I was tired of the smell of medicine and the sterile scent of the vents.The sliding glass door creaked open. I didn't turn around. I knew it was Ivan by the weight of his footsteps. He didn't say anything at first. He just walked to the railing and stood there, looking out over the manicured gardens of the estate."You should be resting," he said eventually. His voice wasn't demanding, just quiet."I am resting," I replied. "I'm sitting down. I’m breathing. That counts."Ivan leaned his elbows on the railing. He looked tired. He had traded his usual suit jacket for a dark sweater, and his hair wasn't perfectly styled for once. He looked more human like this, which made what I was about to ask feel even more dangerous."Ivan," I said, looking at his profile. "How