Chapter 148 —The Red Line

Narrator:

Eros sat stiffly, his back straight and his hands on his legs. He cleared his throat before speaking.

“It's an honor, Mr. Adler... that you called me.”

Roman let out a brief, dry, but genuine laugh. He looked at him with his head tilted, as if he didn't know whether to laugh more... or take pity on him.

“Come on, Eros,” he said, "seriously, ‘Mr. Adler’? We were talking about music and nonsense when I was at your house. And now you come up with this formality?

Eros blinked, somewhere between embarrassed and relieved. He smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck.

“Sorry, it's just... this isn't the same.”

“No, it's not,” Roman replied, without changing his tone. “But you're still you. And that's what I need.”

Eros nodded, more relaxed. He rested his forearms on the table and waited.

Roman took a second. He watched him, as if measuring every reaction. Then he asked, with apparent lightness:

“What do you think of my daughter?”

Eros was speechle