ABSOLUTE INSANITY: A forbidden bond-Chapter 213: Check

Chapter 213

KATYA POV

I followed behind Mr. Antonio down the corridor, my footsteps soft against the polished floor, each one echoing louder in my head than it should have.

The walk felt longer than it was. We stopped in front of the office. Mr. Antonio reached for the handle, opened the door, and then unexpectedly stepped aside.

He didn’t announce me. Didn’t go in first. He just... waited.

My chest tightened. Why am I the one entering first?

Normally, he would step in ahead of me, announce his presence to his boss. Or he’d at least follow close behind. But this time, he didn’t move.

Is he not coming in at all?The thought sent a faint ripple of unease down my spine.

I glanced at him, uncertain.

Antonio met my look calmly, his expression unreadable. Then he lifted his hand slightly, palm open, gesturing toward the doorway.

Go on. No reassurance. No explanation.

Just expectation.

I swallowed, my fingers curling once at my side before I forced myself forward. And stepped into Romeo’s office.

The first thing that hit me was the heavy smell of cigarettes, sharp and lingering, curling around the edges of the room like smoke in memory.

Romeo was there, seated in his high-backed chair, eyes fixed on the papers spread neatly in front of him, cigarette in hand.

A pen rested between his fingers, tapping silently against the desk now and then, deliberate, controlled.

He hadn’t noticed me yet or he didn’t want to.

The sound of the door clicking shut behind me startled me, and I flinched slightly, looking back—Mr. Antonio hadn’t entered.

I turned back toward the room, and Romeo’s eyes lifted from the paper. And they were on me.

Straight on, unflinching. Cold, measuring, intense.

My pulse stuttered, my chest tightening in a way that made it hard to breathe. Every nerve in my body screamed that I shouldn’t meet his gaze, and yet I couldn’t look away.

The pen paused mid-tap, suspended like time itself had decided to watch.

And suddenly, the room didn’t smell like cigarettes anymore. It smelled like everything I hadn’t expected.

Authority. Danger. And something that made my stomach twist in ways I didn’t want to name. I froze, caught between stepping forward and staying rooted to the spot.

Romeo said nothing. He didn’t rise, didn’t gesture. He just waited, and that waiting—oh, that waiting—felt heavier than any words he could speak.

I shifted slightly, trying to keep my hands from trembling, trying to remind myself that I was just here for some reason, some unknown reason, and that I had to behave.

And yet, my mind raced.

Why was I here first? Why did Antonio stay out I swallowed, the sound loud in the tense silence, and stepped fully into the room.

Romeo’s eyes never left mine while he brought his cigarette to his lips. "Good morning," I awkwardly said, trying to sound steady. Romeo exhaled slowly, the smoke curling lazily into the air.

For the briefest instant, I caught the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth—something amused, almost dangerous.

Then it was gone, vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving only that unreadable expression behind.

He didn’t speak immediately. I swallowed again, suddenly aware of how loud my heartbeat sounded in my ears.

Finally, he set the pen down and gestured toward the chair across from his desk. The movement was simple, smooth, but it carried authority that made my stomach twist.

"Sit," he said, his voice low and even. I hesitated only a fraction of a second before moving toward the chair.

My fingers brushed the seat nervously as I lowered myself down, careful not to make any sudden movements.

The desk felt like a barrier, but it did nothing to lessen the intensity of his gaze. It was all around me, impossible to ignore.

I kept my hands folded neatly in my lap, eyes flicking briefly to the papers in front of him, to the pen, to anything but those piercing eyes.

And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking, why did that smirk appear at all? What did it mean? Was it amusement at me? At the situation? Or something else entirely?

I drew in a shallow breath, forcing myself to sit straighter. Whatever this was about, I had to be ready.

Romeo leaned back slightly in his chair, smoke trailing upward like a slow curtain between us. His eyes stayed locked on mine.

"I would like to talk about this morning," Romeo said finally, his voice low. My mind froze.

That morning... my stomach dropped, heart hammering. Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no...

The basement. The heat in his eyes. The kiss. My chest constricted, thoughts spinning in frantic loops. What is he about to say? Did he tell anyone? Did he hate it?

What the fuck. I opened my mouth, panicked, but no words came out. I couldn’t even look at him. My hands clenched in my lap.

Then he continued, calm, controlled: "Like I said... you have no use to this house."

The words slammed into me, sharp and unexpected. My mind scrambled. What? No use? Does that mean... what?

Before I could form a coherent thought, Romeo reached into a drawer beside him and pulled out a small piece of paper, holding it out toward me.

I blinked. Paper? My heart stuttered. I stared at it, confused. My fingers hesitated over the edge before I gingerly took it. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

It was a check. My eyes flicked back up at him, trying to read what he meant, but his expression was unreadable. Calm, measured. Dangerous.

"That," he said, voice steady, "is an open check. Put whatever amount you need, so you can take care of yourself." His eyes didn’t leave mine. "You’re free to leave."

Free... to leave? My mind spun. Why is everything so weird today? Nonna’s dream, Antonio’s sudden apology... the kiss... and now this? What does he mean, free?

I stayed seated, staring down at the check, as if touching it might make the words make sense. My fingers shook slightly, and my chest felt impossibly tight.

Romeo leaned back again, smoke curling slowly from his cigarette. His gaze didn’t waver. "I don’t normally do this," he said, the wordscarrying weight, "so take this... with gratitude. Before I change my mind."

Gratitude. Change his mind. My thoughts swirled faster than my pulse.

I swallowed hard, unsure what to say, unsure how to feel. The check was real, the freedom he offered was real—but so much about the way he said it, the way he looked at me, made everything dizzying and uncertain.

And all I could think was... today, nothing was making sense.

"Why?"

††

Bonus 3

What do y’all think lol.

Was this what y’all expected.

Would there be a twist or is this the end of them

Hahahah