All Chapters of THE PRICE OF THEIR NAME : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

99 Chapters

Chapter 71: The Paper Trail

The afternoon was thick with the scent of old paper and floor wax. Dmitri had summoned Leo to the library to "assist with filing," a task that was really just a test of Leo’s patience and obedience. The room was vast, filled with tall shelves that reached toward the ceiling, but today it felt like a tomb."Sit there, Leo," Dmitri said, pointing to a small desk tucked in the corner. "These folders need to be organized by date. Don't read them. Just look at the stamps on the top right."Dmitri was busy at his own desk, his brow furrowed as he scanned a laptop screen. He looked tired, his usual sharp edge softened by a hint of frustration. He kept tapping his pen against the desk, a rhythmic sound that made Leo’s skin crawl."Is everything okay, Dmitri?" Leo asked, reaching for the first stack of papers.Dmitri didn't look up. "Business is a series of problems that need to be solved, Leo. Some problems are just louder than others. Do the filing."Leo began to work. Most of the papers wer

Last Updated : 2026-01-05

Chapter 72: The Missing Friend

The rain drummed against the studio windows, a steady, lonely sound that matched the rhythm of Leo’s heart. He hadn't slept since he saw the bank statement. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those zeros—the price tag attached to his soul.He sat on the floor, surrounded by half-finished canvases. He felt like a ghost haunting a museum. Everything around him was beautiful, expensive, and fake."I need to hear a real voice," he whispered to the empty room. "Just one person who knew me before I became an 'asset'."Chloe. His best friend from the art college. The girl who used to share her cheap noodles with him and laugh at his terrible jokes. She was the only tether left to the world where he was just Leo, the guy who worried about rent, not the guy who owned millions in a hidden account.Ivan had given him a new phone weeks ago. It was sleek, gold-rimmed, and felt heavy in his hand. He hadn't used it for anything other than taking reference photos for his work. He had been too scar

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 73: The Night of Three Hearts

The mansion was silent, save for the low hum of the heating and the occasional crackle of the fireplace in the main lounge. Leo hadn't gone back to his studio. He couldn't face the canvases. Instead, he had wandered into the library, sitting on a plush velvet sofa, staring at the embers.He didn't hear them come in. He only realized he wasn't alone when the weight of the sofa shifted on both sides of him. Ivan sat to his left, and Dmitri to his right. They didn't say anything at first. They just sat there, flanking him, their presence heavy and warm in the dimly lit room."You’re still thinking about the phone call," Dmitri said. His voice was unusually soft, lacking its usual sharp edge.Leo leaned his head back against the cushions. "How can I not? You guys cut me off from the world. It’s like I don’t exist anymore.""We didn't do it to be cruel, Leo," Ivan murmured. He reached out, his fingers brushing against Leo’s sleeve. "We did it because we know what it’s like to have the worl

Last Updated : 2026-01-07

Chapter 74: The Artistic Validation

The morning sunlight was sharp and unforgiving as it poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the gallery wing. Leo stood in front of his latest piece, a large canvas dominated by swirling blues and jagged, nervous lines of white. His hands were stained with charcoal, and his eyes were tired.He heard the heavy doors at the end of the hall creak open. Two sets of footsteps approached. He didn't need to turn around to know it was them. The air always seemed to grow thicker when they entered a room."He’s here," Ivan said. His voice was bright, almost excited. "Julian Vane is in the foyer."Leo felt a knot tie itself in his stomach. Julian Vane was the most feared art critic in the country. A single paragraph from him could make a career or bury it under a mountain of ridicule. "I’m not ready," Leo whispered, wiping his hands on a rag. "The varnish isn't even fully dry on the edges.""You’re more than ready," Dmitri said, stepping up beside him. He looked at the painting with a st

Last Updated : 2026-01-08

Chapter 75: The Weight of Gold

The morning was quiet, but for Leo, the silence felt heavy. He stood in the center of his dressing room, a space larger than the entire apartment he had shared with his mother years ago. The walls were lined with mirrors that reflected his tired face from every angle.He walked toward the long rows of suits and shirts. He ran his fingers over the fabrics. Silk so thin it felt like water, wool so soft it shouldn't have been durable, and leather that smelled of expensive wood and old money."I didn't choose any of this," Leo whispered to the empty room.He pulled a navy blue blazer from its velvet hanger. He looked at the tag. It was a brand he had only seen in glossy magazines back when he was a starving student. He held it up against himself. It fit perfectly. Of course it did. They had his measurements. They probably knew the circumference of his wrist better than he did."Do I even like blue?" he asked his reflection. He couldn't remember. It felt like his own tastes had been bleach

Last Updated : 2026-01-09

Chapter 76: Finch’s Invitation

The afternoon sun was sliding down the glass walls of the studio, casting long, thin shadows across the floor. Leo sat on his stool, but he wasn't painting. He was staring at a blank canvas. The white surface felt like a wall he couldn't climb.Every time he picked up a brush, he thought about the navy blazer in his closet. He thought about the way Ivan had looked at him—like a collector looking at a rare vase.The studio door creaked. It was a soft sound, but it made Leo jump. He turned to see Dmitri walking in. He wasn't wearing a suit today; he was in a black sweater that made him look even more imposing."You haven't added a single stroke in three hours," Dmitri said, his voice echoing in the high-ceilinged room. He wasn't looking at Leo; he was looking at the empty canvas."I'm not a machine, Dmitri," Leo said, wiping his hands on a rag. "I can't just turn it on because you want me to."Dmitri walked over to the window, looking out at the sprawling gardens. "We don't expect you t

Last Updated : 2026-01-10

Chapter 77: The Security Breach

Dinner was a quiet affair, but it wasn't the peaceful kind of quiet. It was the kind of silence that feels like a stretched wire.Leo sat at the long table, picking at a piece of roasted chicken. He hadn't tasted a single bite. Every time his phone buzzed in his pocket—even if it was just a low battery notification—his whole body flinched. Across from him, Ivan was watching him with a concerned frown, while Dmitri sat at the head of the table, cutting his meat with surgical precision."You're not eating, Leo," Ivan said softly. He reached out as if to touch Leo’s hand, but Leo pulled back to grab a water glass. "I had the chef prepare this specifically because you liked it last week. Is something wrong with the seasoning?""I’m just not hungry, Ivan," Leo said, staring down at his plate. "I had a long day in the studio.""Dmitri told me you didn't paint anything," Ivan countered. His voice wasn't mean, but it had a sharp edge of disappointment. "He said you spent the afternoon staring

Last Updated : 2026-01-11

Chapter 78: The Rural Escape

The drive had taken nearly six hours. Leo watched the city lights fade into the rearview mirror, replaced first by endless highways and finally by the dark, towering silhouettes of pine trees. He didn't ask where they were going. He didn't see the point.Dmitri was driving, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel, while Ivan sat in the back with Leo, holding his hand. It wasn't a gentle hold; it was a firm grip that reminded Leo he wasn't allowed to move."You'll love it here, Leo," Ivan whispered, his thumb tracing circles over Leo's knuckles. "No noise. No crowds. No phones for people to send you frightening messages. Just the three of us and the fresh air.""It’s a cage with better scenery, Ivan," Leo said, leaning his head against the cold window. "You can call it a vacation, but we both know why we're here. You're hiding me.""We are protecting you," Dmitri corrected from the front. He glanced at the rearview mirror, his eyes catching Leo's. "The city is compromised. Every person

Last Updated : 2026-01-14

Chapter 79: The Hunter’s Instinct

The morning at the cabin started with a deceptive kind of peace. I've spent several days here now, tucked away in the woods where the only sound is the wind through the pines. It feels like a dream, but the kind of dream where you eventually realize the walls are too thick and the doors don't have handles on your side.I sat at the small kitchen table, staring at a cup of coffee that had gone cold. Dmitri was outside on the porch, his back to me, looking out at the foggy treeline. Ivan was somewhere upstairs; I could hear the faint creak of floorboards above my head."You're staring again, Leo."I jumped slightly. I hadn't heard Ivan come down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen, his hair messy from sleep, looking more human than I’d seen him in weeks. He sat across from me and reached out, his thumb brushing over my knuckles."What are you thinking about?" he asked. His voice was soft, devoid of that sharp edge he usually used in the city."I was thinking about how quiet it is," I

Last Updated : 2026-01-20

Chapter 80: The Gift of Silence

The sun was just beginning to peek through the curtains when I felt the bed shift. I didn't open my eyes yet. I didn't want the world to start. After yesterday—the smoke, the noise, the weight of the gun—my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton.I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. It didn’t shake me. It was just there. A heavy, warm weight that grounded me."Dmitri?" I murmured, my voice thick with sleep.I turned over and saw Ivan. He was propped up on his elbow, watching me. Usually, Ivan was the one with the sharp remarks or the dark jokes at breakfast. But today, he just looked at me. His eyes were wide and clear, reflecting the morning light.He didn't say 'Good morning.' He didn't ask how I slept. He simply reached out and traced the line of my jaw with his pointer finger."Are you okay?" I asked.He didn't answer. He leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine. I could feel his pulse. I could hear his steady breathing. He closed his eyes, and for a long moment, we just e

Last Updated : 2026-01-20

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