CHAPTER 92: IN THE GRIP OF LOVE

"How can you say that to my girlfriend!"

His mom froze, staring at him in disbelief. It was the first time her son had ever raised his voice at her.

"R-Relax, son, I was just kidding..."

Rosanna muttered before forcing a smile. Yet behind that smile, she couldn’t hide the grimace tugging at her lips as she studied the girl standing beside Rome.

His son’s girlfriend was beautiful, yes, but simple. Her clothes were modest, lacking the luxury brands Rosanna was so used to seeing on the daughters of her wealthy acquaintances.

Compared to those elegant young women who had shown interest in Rome, his girlfriend was... plain and ordinary.

He can’t really be serious about her, Rosanna thought bitterly. Has my son really lowered his standards this far?

"I mean..I was just surprised to see that you actually brought your girl here. I honestly thought she was just some random girl at first—"

"Mom." Rome cut her off sharply. "My girlfriend is here. Please stop saying things that might offend her."

"But I didn’t say anything that might offend her, son."

Rosanna’s voice grew colder, her smile fading. She was now displeased at being corrected by her son.

Rome clenched his jaw. He knew his mom well. She was blunt to the point of cruelty, and if her reaction now was any indication, Sylvia had already failed to meet her standards.

"Then you should at least introduce yourself properly, mom."

He tightened his hold on Sylvia’s hand and pulled her closer, clasping her fingers with his.

"You heard her name already. She’s Sylvia Lincolm, my girlfriend."

Rosanna’s gaze flickered to their intertwined hands. For a brief moment, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I’m Rosanna Sanchez Hariston. Rome’s mother." she said curtly.

Rome’s grip on Sylvia’s hand tightened even more.

At that moment, Greece stepped in, a wide grin plastered on his face as he casually slung an arm around their mom’s shoulders.

"What are we still doing here, guys? Come on, let’s head to the dining area. Mom prepared everything herself when she heard you were coming, Rome."

Rome’s eyes narrowed. "I’m with my girlfriend, Greece. You should at least introduce yourself first."

Even his brother’s casual dismissal of Sylvia’s presence was enough to irritate him. He had not expected Greece, of all people, to also ignore her like that.

"Oh... where are my manners?" Daniel scratched the back of his head before extending his hand to Sylvia.

Sylvia hesitated but still reached his hand and shook it.

"By the way, I’m Daniel Greece Hariston, Rome’s twin brother. You can just call me Daniel, or Greece, whichever you prefer... or maybe you can even call me baby if you want." He then winked playfully.

Sylvia instantly stiffened when his grip tightened around her hand and his smile turned flirtatious. Startled, she quickly let go as if burned.

Rome’s eyes darkened immediately. He stepped forward and pulled Sylvia behind him, shielding her from his brother.

"Back off, Daniel." he growled.

"H-haha, chill, bro... I was just kidding when I said that."

Daniel lifted both hands in mock surrender, though the smirk never fully left his face.

"You’d better be. And don’t you ever try that again, or I might just forget you’re my brother."

"Pffft—okay, okay. My bad. Sorry." Daniel chuckled before turning to Sylvia with a gentler expression. "Sorry too, Ms. Sylvia, if I offended you."

Sylvia gave only a faint nod, her fingers instinctively clinging to Rome’s arm. Feeling her grip, Rome slipped an arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper.

"Are you okay? Do you still want to continue dinner with them, or... we can leave right now if you’d rather not stay?"

"N-no... I mean, I’m fine. I can manage this much." she whispered back, though her voice betrayed her unease.

"You sure?"

Sylvia nodded, though deep down she wanted nothing more than to escape. The way Rome’s mom had been secretly glaring at her made her feel anything but welcome.

"Come on, guys, let’s eat. Mom prepared everything." Daniel said cheerfully, already walking toward the dining room.

Rome’s mom trailed after him in silence.

Once everyone settled at the table, her cold voice broke the heavy air, making Sylvia flinch.

"So... how exactly did you two meet?"

"Uhm... we met at—" Sylvia started nervously.

"We met at school, Mom. We’re in the same course."

Rome cut her off before she could finish. He could already sense how uncomfortable she was under his mother’s gaze.

"Oh, I see." Rosanna’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Then that must mean you’re the daughter of some business tycoon. Who is your father? Are you, by any chance, related to the Lincolm family in Europe—the influential family that owns the largest pharmaceutical company there?"

Sylvia’s grip on her fork tightened, her knuckles turning pale. She suddenly found it hard to swallow even a bite of food, every movement weighed down by the cold, unrelenting eyes of Rome’s mother, who seemed to study her every gesture.

"N-no, ma’am..." Sylvia stammered softly, lowering her gaze. "I’m just... an orphan who was fortunate enough to study at Rome’s school."

Rosanna’s brows furrowed. "An orphan and a scholar? So you’re not connected to the Lincolm pharmaceutical—"

"Mom." Rome immediately cut in.

"Sylvia is a scholar at my school. You heard her. Don’t make her repeat herself. My girlfriend is a hardworking woman, the only one who qualified for the scholarship. She’s smart, and that’s exactly what I love about her."

"Rome, son, I didn’t say anything wrong." Rosanna’s tone was deceptively calm but edged with steel. "I was merely asking her. If you keep answering for her, how am I supposed to know your girlfriend for who she really is? Shouldn’t you let her speak for herself?"

Her sharp words stung Sylvia, who lowered her head to hide her unease. She reached under the table and gently took Rome’s hand, squeezing it as if to assure him she could handle it.

Rome glanced at her, hesitation flickering in his eyes.

"So, Sylvia," Rosanna pressed, her gaze never leaving her. "How did the two of you really meet?"

This time, Sylvia lifted her head and met Rosanna’s piercing stare head-on.

"M-me and Rome... we met at the university. We’re in the same course, so we often see each other there. He’s kind and loving, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with your son."

Rome froze for a moment as heat crept up his ears and cheeks. The Sylvia he knew was never this expressive about her feelings.

Hearing her say those words out loud made his heart race uncontrollably. He realized all over again just how deeply he was falling for her.

Rosanna, however, had the complete opposite reaction. Her lips pressed into a thin line as her cold eyes narrowed at Sylvia. To her, it looked as though her son was utterly bewitched by this girl, something she couldn’t accept.

In her mind, a woman of such low standing, and an orphan no less, had no right to be with her son.

"You fell in love with him just because of that?" Rosanna’s voice echoed, leaving both Rome and Sylvia stunned.

"You know, anyone can say those words with their eyes closed. Isn’t it possible you only love him because he’s rich, because his family is powerful and influential?"

"Mom."

Rome’s jaw tightened as his temper flared, his palm slamming against the dining table, making Sylvia flinch.

He reached for Sylvia’s hand, gripping it firmly as he rose to his feet.

"If you’re only going to disrespect Sylvia, then we’ll leave. I won’t allow anyone, family or not, to dictate our relationship. Not even you, Mom."

He turned to Sylvia. "Let’s go."

Hesitant, Sylvia slowly stood before lowering her head as Rosanna’s sharp, disapproving glare bore into her.

From the corner of her eye, she even noticed Greece smirking, but she chose to ignore it.

Tightening her grip on Rome’s hand, she followed him out of the Hariston mansion without once looking back.

***********

"H-hey, Rome... I’m okay... y-you don’t need to, ahh... worry about me. Stop f-for a moment and l-let’s talk..."

Sylvia’s voice trembled, but instead of listening, Rome pressed his lips harder against the side of her neck.

They were parked just outside Sylvia’s apartment, the dim glow of the streetlights casting shadows across the car windows.

"Y-your mom probably said that b-because she’s just worried... maybe she thinks I don’t deserve you...and we dont belong to each other.."

Rome froze at those words. He already hated hearing them from his mom, but he never expected Sylvia to say the same.

His hand tightened unconsciously on her shoulder, his gaze turning cold.

"W-wait, R-Rome... y-your hand..."

Sylvia winced, her voice breaking as she tried to pry his grip away.

The tension snapped.

Rome immediately realized what he had done. His expression softened as his gaze fell on the faint red mark blooming on her shoulder.

Guilt flickered across his face before he leaned down and pressed a kiss against it, his lips tracing over the redness until it deepened into a small bite mark.

A soft moan escaped Sylvia’s lips, and he resumed trailing kisses along her skin.

"W-wait, Rome... someone might see us here... let’s talk first inside my apartment." she whispered.

Rome slowly pulled back, his eyes hazy as if intoxicated.

"I don’t want to hear those words from you again."

Sylvia blinked. "W-what words?"

"Those words, that we don’t belong together. No one has the right to say that about us, and no one has the power to tear us apart. You’re mine, and mine alone. No one can take you away from me."

Sylvia froze under his piercing gaze, unsettled by the strange edge of fear in his tone.

Her expression softened. Maybe Rome was just afraid of losing her, the same way she feared losing him.

She leaned closer, brushing her lips against his.

"I am yours, and you are mine. I won’t say those words again if you don’t want me to. And no one can take me away from you. The same goes for you... so don’t let yourself get taken by another girl, okay?" she teased gently.

A satisfied smile curved Rome’s lips before he kissed her again, deeper this time.

"Yes. We belong to each other. And no one—not my family or anyone else, can ever separate us."