ABSOLUTE INSANITY: A forbidden bond

Chapter 281: Not afraid anymore.

Chapter 280

KATYA POV

The living room felt smaller when I stepped into it. Nonna and Romeo both looked up at the same time.

For a split second, everything in me braced — the old instinct, the one that expected my voice to disappear, my thoughts to scatter, my body to lock under the weight of his attention.

But it didn’t happen. My heart was beating fast, yes. But my feet kept moving. Romeo was sitting beside Nonna, his posture relaxed but alert, one arm resting on the chair, his gaze steady as it settled on me.

Not looking surprised.Nonna’s brows drew together slightly. "Katya?" I stopped a few steps inside the room, my hands loosely clasped in front of me.

The words sat heavy in my throat as I took a breath. "I heard what you were saying," I admitted quietly. Nonna’s expression tightened.

"That was not meant for you to worry about," she said firmly. I shook my head.

"I’m not worried," I said. Then, after a small pause, more honestly, "I just... don’t want you making decisions because of me."

Silence settled in the room. I didn’t look at Romeo yet. I kept my eyes on Nonna.

"He’s your grandson," I continued. "This is his home. His family." My fingers tightened briefly before relaxing again. "I came here to start over. Not to come between you and him."

Nonna studied me closely, her sharp gaze searching my face. "And what about you?" she asked. "You told me you wanted distance."

I swallowed. "I do," I said truthfully. "And he knows that."

Now I looked at Romeo. The weight of his eyes met mine immediately. In an instant, the old tension flickered — the memory of fear, of pressure, of everything he used to make me feel.

But I didn’t look away. "He said," I went on, my voice steadier than I expected, "that if I don’t want him in my life, he won’t be."

Romeo didn’t interrupt. Didn’t react. Just watched. I turned back to Nonna. "So if he’s here for you... for this house... I don’t have a problem with that." The words settled between us. Simple. Honest. No drama.

Nonna’s expression changed into something thoughtful. Proud, in a quiet, restrained way at Romeo presence.

She leaned back slightly in her chair, her eyes still on me a small smile covering her lips.

Heat rose faintly in my chest — not embarrassment. Relief. Romeo’s eyes never left my face. Not once. There was no victory in his expression.

No satisfaction. Just something quieter. Something heavier. Like he had expected resistance. Not this.

I realized then that I was still standing there — still in front of him, still holding his gaze.

And I wasn’t shaking. I wasn’t frozen. I wasn’t shrinking.

For the first time, standing in front of him didn’t feel like standing in front of something that could swallow me whole.

Nonna watched the two of us for a long moment. Then she spoke.

"You may stay," she said to Romeo. Relief didn’t touch her tone. It sounded more like a decision than permission.

"But there is no room for you here."

Romeo’s gaze shifted to her slowly. Nonna continued, her voice firm.

"Katya is staying in your old room." I blinked. His old room? Oh shit, I forgot about me staying there but Romeo didn’t look surprised.

Instead, one corner of his mouth moved slightly. "That’s not a problem," he said calmly, he said it like someone who already had something planned ahead.

Nonna’s eyes narrowed. "I think you’re forgetting," he continued evenly, "that the room is two-in-one."

The words took a second to register and when they landed.

I frowned. Two-in-one? I had lived there for months. I had never seen another room. Never noticed another door. Nonna didn’t look convinced.

"No," she said sharply. "I remember. And you said you wouldn’t be in her life, Romeo."

His attention moved back to her. "And I meant it," he said. No hesitation. No softness.

"I’m not here for Katya. I’m here for my family." The room went quiet. There was something steady about his tone. Not defensive. Not emotional.

Just... final. Nonna watched him carefully, as if weighing the truth behind the words.

"That space connects the rooms," she said. "You will see her. You will cross paths." "I won’t interfere with her life," Romeo replied. "If she wants distance, she’ll have it."

His eyes flicked to me then.

Just once. "I gave my word." I looked back at him. Romeo wasn’t the kind of man who said things he didn’t intend to keep.

Nonna was still studying him. "The other side hasn’t been cleared," she said after a moment. "It’s been closed for years. Nothing is arranged."

"I’ll take care of it," Romeo said simply. Like it was already decided. Like inconvenience didn’t exist for him.

Silence settled again. Nonna didn’t look convinced. But she didn’t refuse either.

And suddenly, I realized what this meant. Two rooms. Connected. Close enough to hear movement. Close enough to feel presence. Close enough that distance would no longer be something walls could guarantee.

My first instinct was resistance.

Say no. Tell Nonna to kick him out now. Create space. But then another thought followed.

Or he could stay.

My heart beat a little faster. Six months ago, the idea of being anywhere near him would have been enough to make me leave the house.

Now? Now I had just stood in front of him and spoken without my voice breaking.

Now I had held his gaze. Now I had told him what I wanted. If I asked for distance again... what would that prove?

That nothing had changed. That I was still running. That I was still afraid. I drew in a slow breath.

"I’m fine with it." I wasn’t saying it to prove anything. I was saying it because I wasn’t afraid anymore.

Both of them looked at me. Nonna immediately. Romeo more slowly.

Good.

††

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