ABSOLUTE INSANITY: A forbidden bond-Chapter 119: Lies

Chapter 119: Lies
Chapter 119
ROMEO’S POV
The moment the office door shut behind Antonio, the room finally felt quiet again.
The meeting had dragged longer than I wanted, mostly because Valerio kept circling the same points like a man trying to negotiate with echoes.
At least now he sat still, hands clasped over his knee, pretending not to be embarrassed about what happened earlier.
I leaned back in my chair, tapping my pen once against the table. "Shall we sign?"
Valerio cleared his throat. "Your offer. The percentages—"
"Right," I cut in, lifting a brow. "The part we couldn’t discuss properly... because you brought pest you weren’t supposed to bring."
His shoulders tensed. Good. He should feel that. I hadn’t raised my voice when I asked him to send the girl out.
I didn’t need to. I simply reminded him of the rules. This wasn’t a social visit, and she wasn’t invited. I was lenaint when he came ahead of the schedule time.
He understood immediately. The shame on his face told me he knew he had overstepped. And that’s why Marina was no longer sitting in my front.
She was downstairs now, wandering around, waiting for her dad. if she wasn’t a Valerio, I would have kicked her out of the estate gates but her father is someone that I needed at the moment.
Valerio exhaled heavily. "I apologize again, Don Salvatore. She insisted on coming. I should have stopped her."
Lies, the old man still thinks he could be slay in their intentions for me to fall for their lousy try in matching Mee and the Barbie doll.
"You should have," I replied calmly. "Next time, you will."
Antonio returned to the room with a folder and placed it in front of me. I flipped it open, skimming the last page of numbers, my mind drifting only briefly.
Marina Valerio had walked in here acting like she owned my house. Then left with that same confidence.
I clicked my pen, snapping the folder shut as it was signed. "Good. We’re done here."
Valerio stood immediately, relief practically dripping off him, he brought his hand for a shake and I gave it to him.
His grip was damp when I shook his hand. Desperation always had a smell, and today he reeked of it. "Thank you for your time, Don Salvatore," he said, bowing his head slightly.
I nodded once. "Antonio will walk you out."
The older man gave a stiff smile, adjusted his suit jacket, and followed Antonio toward the door.
He paused only once, glancing back at me like he wanted to say something else. I raised an eyebrow. He wisely swallowed whatever thought he’d had and left.
The moment the door clicked shut, I exhaled slowly. Finally. Peace.
The room felt cleaner without Valerio’s nervous energy clinging to the air. And without his daughter’s perfume still floating around like she’d tried to mark territory that wasn’t hers.
I set the signed folder aside and rubbed my temples.
Of all the things I expected today, dealing with a grown man who couldn’t try throwing his daughter onto my face like she’s some commodity.
Bringing her into a meeting... Was he out of his mind? I had been lenient — more than lenient — because the Valerios were useful right now.
But if Marina had belonged to any other family?She wouldn’t have made it past the gates.
Somewhere three floors down, Marina Valerio was probably still strutting around like she belonged here.
Whatever plan they thought they had — the fake sweet smiles, the convenient timing, the idea that I’d see his daughter and lose all sense — it was pathetic.
I didn’t have time for childish games. Not when I’m currently immobile. Not when I can’t even walk on my two feet .
A soft knock tapped on the doorframe And Antonio peeked in. "They’ve left, Romeo. But Valerio asked if you’d like him summoned again tomorrow."
"No," I said immediately. "I’ll call when I need him."
Antonio nodded. "Understood."
I picked up the signed documents, flipping through them one last time.
Progress. Stability. Control.
Everything mattered right now. The last thing I needed was a Valerio girl wandering my house causing problems. Or worse... imagining she could ever be part of it.
I let the quiet settle again, letting my eyes drift to the window. The sky outside was shifting into late afternoon, that dim hour where everything looked harsher, edged, impatient.
A faint sound of footsteps in the hallway pulled my attention. Antonio had just left moments ago—too soon for him to return.
The door burst open without so much as a knock.
Only one woman in this house entered like she built the place with her bare hands.
Nonna.
She marched in with her cane tapping sharply against the marble, her voice already floating ahead of her. My nonna could walk using a cane but not for long.
"Romeo! Che brutta faccia hai—why do you look like death chewing a lemon?"
Right behind her, pushing her wheelchair with both hands and zero choice in the matter, was Katya.
She avoided my eyes at first, focusing on steering Nonna’s chair far enough into the room so the old woman could anchor herself directly in front of my desk like an unscheduled storm.
What got in this woman ass today. Normally we both avoid ourselves after she had confronted me about Katya bruise and me telling her off.
But now what the fuck is she doing here? Nonna jabbed a finger toward my papers. oh fuck me. "Business, business, business. You’re too young to look this tired."
Old hag please, fuck of politely. Katya glanced up, her eyes flickering towards me before a quick read of the room.
Nonna waved at Katya without looking back. "Park me there, tesoro. I need to be near him. If he tries to pretend he’s busy, I want to be close enough to hit him."
I leaned back slightly in my chair, watching them carefully. Nonna always had this uncanny way of barging in and taking over the room, and today was no exception.
Nonna’s eyes were sharp, scanning me, then flicking around the office, landing somewhere in the middle distance.
"Romeo," she said, tilting her head, "tell me....Was that beautiful girl really a Valerio?"
I froze. My fingers hovered over the folder on my desk. Why was my nonna asking this so unexpected.
And how did she know the Valerio’s was here?