The Vindication Gents

Chapter 2.22

Christina Dobulski’s POV

“Mama,” Tony greeted me before I was stiffening my back as I was about to meet my future mother-in-law if Tony was serious about his comment just now about the butler.

“Mama, this is Christina, my fiancée,” Tony said, as I turned to look at him sharply. He was smirking at me before his mother was coming at me.

“Let me have a look at you,” she said before she was assessing me up and down. Now I felt like I was being undressed by this woman.

“Well, a little thin, but we can fix that. Do you not take care of your fiancée, Tony? Did I not tell you that woman is a delicate flower? You need to take care of them,” she said before she smacked Tony’s arm.

“Ow. No, Mama. I did take care of her. She just refused to eat the food that I gave her,” Tony said as he was laughing with his mother. I can see the love that was coming from both of them.

“Well, don’t just stand here. Come, we must get you something to eat. It’s lunchtime now,” his mother said as I was smiling politely.

“But it’s 3 pm,” Tony said.

“Hush. There’s no such thing as lunch being too late now, is it?” His mother said before I was being dragged into the house. I looked at Tony as he was waving at me before he went to talk with his butler and hug him.

“So, I have been wondering when he will take you home,” his mum said as we were walking to the kitchen. It was a big ass house as I was looking at the chandelier that was hanging on the ceiling.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he has been going on and on about a girl named Violet, but I don’t think that he would bring Christina home,” she said as she put me on a seat at the counter.

“Violet?” I asked, as I hoped that she would give some clue to me. She just stared at me before she took some leftovers from the fridge.

“Here, let me help you,” I said before I slipped on the floor as I was about to fall back on my butt. Suddenly, someone grabbed me by the waist.

“I left you for a minute and you’re already ready to fall on your butt,” Tony’s amused voice as I was staring up to see his handsome face, who was looking at me, with a smirk plastered on his lips.

“Oh, hush, my darling. You’re the same when you were a teenager,” his mom said, as I can imagine he would be a clumsy one around the house.

“Mama,” he said as his mother patted his cheek. I can see the motherly love coming from his mom to him. I wished I had the same when I was growing up. I sighed.

“Well, up you go,” Tony said as he set me on the stool that was in front of the counter. His mother was setting the cold dessert before she was heating some pasta on the stove.

“Do you like Italy, daughter?” She asked as Tony was getting some water from the fridge.

“Sorry?” I asked as to how she knew I was a foreigner.

“Well, your accent was too formal to be an Italian woman. And Tony does not do local,” she said as Tony was coughing during his drinking.

“Too much information, mama,” he said as he was glaring at his mother. I chuckled as I found he was too cute to be like that. The playful side of Antonio Romano. I cannot believe I was witnessing it right now.

“Here, daughter, eat. You must be hungry,” his mother said before Tony took a seat next to him.

“What about me?”

“Well, you get your food by yourself. You’re a big boy now,” his mother said as she was doing something with a jug and some tea. Now I see where Tony got his fondness for tea from.

“Once you get a daughter, you forget about me already,” Tony mumbled as he was scooping some leftover pasta before his mother smacked the back of his head.

“Watch your tongue, young man. Do not say that in front of my daughter,” his mother warned him as she was pointing her finger at him. Tony chuckled.

“Yes, Donna,” Tony said as he took his seat again next to me before his mother set the tea for us.

“I hope you like Earl Grey?” His mum asked me.

“Of course, I love it,” I said as Tony snickered next to me. I kicked his feet before he was scooping some more pasta and ate it.

“So, tell me, my daughter, where are you from?” She asked as she was sipping on her tea.

“I’m from Hungary,” I said before she stopped in her tracks as she looked at Tony. It was a momentary lapse but I caught it.

What's up with them and Hungary?

She cleared her throat before she urged me to eat some more. I was curious to know about it but I just let it pass for now. I will interrogate Tony later.

“So, will you be staying?” His mother asked Tony before Tony swallowed his food.

“No, I just want you to meet my girlfriend,” he said as I felt the blush coming onto my face.

“Well, I thought she was your fiancée?” His mother asked, arching her eyebrows at him.

“Well, I have not popped the question yet but it will come soon,” he said as I was looking at my food, trying to hide the blush that Tony was being opened by his mom right now.

“Well, you need to eat more, daughter,” his mum said as she was looking at my plate. I shook my head as I was full and I didn’t want to get into a food coma.

“I told you she eats just a little. Not that I don’t take care of her,” Tony said as he took my hand and kissed my knuckles.

“Ah, young love. Okay, now I have to throw you out. You make me sick,” his mother said before we were out of the kitchen after finishing our late lunch, as Tony was telling his mother about his next project that would be in Finland.

“So, will I see you for 2 weeks from now?” His mother asked Tony as they were hugging. I was standing by his side before his mother came to hug me. I was taken back before I went to hug her as well. I forgot how the warmth of a hug could make my heartfelt calm.

“Take care of her, Tony,” she said as she was wiping her eyes.

“Mama, we’re just going home,”

“I know but I am so happy that you have found your love,” his mother said before Tony soothed her. My heart swelled at him as he was so close to his mum.

Unlike me.

We waved her goodbye as Tony shifted into D before speeding off from the foyer and we were back on the road again.

“She seems nice,” I said as we were in silence for the longest time now.

“She likes you,” Tony said as he was smiling at me.

“How do you know?” I asked as I was smiling at his statement. He shrugged.

“Well, are you going to tell me or not?” I asked as I was looking at his side profile. He was even more handsome on this side with his chiseled jaws and everything. With those sunglasses on as well.

“She offered you some food. That’s how you know if we like you or not. As an Italian, food is family,” he explained as I was trying to understand his culture.

“So, if I was offered food by the Italians, would that mean they liked me?”

“Yup,”

“Then, why didn’t you when we first met?” I asked him as he was laughing at me.

“That’s because I saw you first as my employee, not my lover at the time,” Tony said as he smirked at me. I arched my eyebrows at him.

“What about now?” I asked him further. Maybe I will get the food from Tony as a declaration of his love. My heart swelled at that thought.

“What about it?”

“Will you give me food to tell me that you love me?” I asked him as he laughed at me.

“I did make you a tea from my bare hands. I think that was enough to say that I love you,” he replied as he was making a right turn.

“Was that the first time you fell in love with me?” I inquired him. He smirked as he chuckled at my question.

“Well, it’s more than that,” he said, and I was left with another question in mind, but I did not dare to ask.

When was the first time that he ever loved me, when I had just met him during the interview?