Chapter 79

Seventy-Nine

Around the conference table, the atmosphere shifted abruptly as everyone’s gaze flickered between Gen and Matteo. The tension was palpable, and one by one, people quietly exited the room, Bella being the last to slip away. Yet, Gen remained standing, her palms pressed flat against the polished surface, eyes fixed intently on the table as if willing it to reveal some hidden truth.

“Close the door,” Matteo instructed Bella without looking up. Then, turning his attention to Gen, he added, “Sit down, Genevieve.”

Reluctantly, Gen eased herself back into her chair. Her eyes drifted forward, settling on the coastal painting hung in the hallway beyond the glass wall. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Matteo doing the same. His fists clenched briefly on the table before relaxing, palms flattening against the wood as he exhaled slowly.

“I crossed a line,” he confessed quietly. “I’ve been imagining doing that for…” He flicked his left wrist, a habitual gesture she had quickly learned to recognize as him checking the time on his watch. “Well, it was out of bounds, and I’m truly sorry. From the bottom of my heart.”

Gen nodded, her voice steady. “Thank you.”

He offered a small, wry smile. “I think we can agree that the punishment fits the crime, right?” He stretched out his right hand, revealing a prominent hole and a ring of ink circling his finger.