Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Laura’s tough exterior crumbled the moment Doris said “I can protect you now“. Those simple words shattered the walls she’d built around her heart, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Laura felt warmth seep into the cracks of her battered soul.
“Oh, Doris…” Laura whispered, her voice breaking.
Doris pulled Laura into a gentle hug, her arms steady and reassuring. “Laura, I know you’re exhausted, and I know you’re strong. But you don’t have to do this alone anymore.”
Laura clung to Doris like she was a lifeline, her hands clutching tightly at the fabric of Doris’s coat. She buried her face in Doris’s shoulder and finally let the tears she’d been holding back flow freely.
Doris said nothing but just stroked Laura’s back, giving her all the space she needed to let it out.
After a long while, Laura’s sobs began to quiet. She stepped back and wiped her tear–streaked face. Her eyes, though red and swollen, had a clarity to them in the dim evening light.
Laura met Doris’s eyes and admitted, “Yeah, you are right. The house was bought with money from Ryan because of you, so Dad asked me to get 130 thousand dollars from Matteo for Rupert’s wedding.
“It has nothing to do with Matteo. How could I even bring myself to ask him for money? Yesterday, when Dad pushed me about the money, I gave him every last penny I’d saved–30,000 dollars in total.
“Then today, he called again, demanding the rest immediately. I had no choice, Doris. I had to borrow 100 thousand dollars from Meghan to send to him.”
Doris’s fists clenched. She took a deep breath to steady her voice and replied, “Laura, Dad knows you’re too kind to say no, and that’s why he keeps pushing you.
Let’s be real: you’ve given him the money, and you’ll never get it back from Dad. But this stops now.
“Ryan’s one–million–dollar debt is not your burden to carry. If you keep giving in, Dad and Rupert will keep taking from you, and they won’t even thank you for it. Worse, they’ll think it’s your responsibility.
“Laura, listen to me–you have to tell Matteo. He should know this. If you hide this from him, he’ll blame you once he learns this.
“As long as we both firmly refuse to give Dad money, he can’t force us anyway. Some complaints from him are better than the consequences of his squeeze, got it? If Dad threatens to ask for money from Matteo, don’t stop him. I believe Matteo
knows how to handle Dad.”
Laura nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “I see.”
Doris let out a relieved sigh, though she wasn’t entirely sure Laura would follow through.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a card, pressing it into Laura’s hand. “Take this. There are 65,000 dollars on this card. Use it to pay back Meghan. I’ll figure out the rest.”
Laura shook her head and tried to push the card back. “No. I can’t take this. This is my mess. I’ll handle it myself. You’re married now. Your money should go toward your own family.”
“This was money I saved before I got married,” Doris said, hoping to ease Laura’s guilt.
“No, I can’t take it,” Laura said in a firm tone. “Doris, I’m older than you. You have to listen to me on this.”
Doris crossed her arms and answered, “No way. This time, you’re listening to me. You’ve always been there for me. Now, it’s
my turn.”
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As they were trying to persuade each other, the sound of an engine disrupted their argument. A sleek black Mercedes pulled into the driveway, its headlights cutting through the twilight.
The tinted window rolled down, and Matteo leaned out, his brow furrowed slightly. “Laura? Doris? What are you two doing out here!”
Laura seized the moment and quickly slipped the card back into Doris’s bag before turning to greet Matteo. “Honey, you’re
back
“Hi, Matteo.” Doris said with a polite smile.
Matteo stepped out of the car, loosening his tie as he walked over. “Doris, it’s not often you visit us. Come inside and join us
for dinner.”
Laura jumped in to answer, “I already asked her, but she said she had something urgent to do.”
“What could be so urgent? Come on, have dinner first,” Matteo turned to Doris and suggested.
Doris hesitated, knowing full well why Laura was trying to send her away. But she wasn’t in the mood to have dinner now. The smile on her face faded, and she said in a serious tone, “Maybe next time, Matteo. Hey, I do have something to talk to you about.”
Laura’s smile faltered, and she nervously bit her lips. She said, trying to sound casual, “Doris, Matteo’s had a long day. Why don’t you talk another time?”
Laura knew Doris must be angry after seeing how Matteo’s mother treated her. Plus, the money issue made Doris’s emotions more heated. Laura didn’t want Matteo to know the mess, so she tried to send Doris away to avoid more trouble.
Doris gave Laura a look, seeing right through her attempt to dodge the issue. She could feel Laura’s unease, but there was too much at stake to keep quiet.
“Laura, let her talk. I want to hear it,” Matteo said, clearly picking up on Laura’s reluctance for Doris to say more.
Doris kept her tone calm but firm. “Matteo, I know you work hard, but Laura isn’t exactly lounging around either. She’s taking care of your mother, your grandma, Arianna, and the housework. Even if it goes unnoticed, her effort is there.
“It’ll be appreciated if you can show Laura more care. She’s your wife, the woman you once couldn’t stop talking about, the one you promised to take care of for life. I hope you don’t forget that. You’d disappoint more than just her if you did.”
Doris was careful with her words. She knew Laura wanted to keep the peace in her marriage, and using sharp words would only create more tension between the two of them.
“Oh, what does that mean?” Matteo said, narrowing his eyes. “Laura’s been complaining to you that I’m not treating her right?”
“Laura’s not the type to complain. She never says anything bad about you,” Doris replied. She glanced at Laura before continuing, “Anyway, I’ll leave you two to talk. Laura, I’ll visit again soon.”
“Alright,” Laura said with a nod.
After Doris left, Matteo and Laura walked back into the house together.
Only then did Laura notice that several items that had been on the sofa earlier were gone.
“Ari,” Matteo called out, “where are the bags and boxes?”
Arianna looked toward Sofia and replied, “Grandma took them.”
Laura turned to Sofia, her tone resolute. “Sofia, those are mine. Please give them back.”
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Chapter 28
Sofia instantly put on a long face, looking clearly annoyed. “Yours? The money you’re spending comes from my son. Why shouldn’t I take what I want? You’re living under my roof, spending Matteo’s hard–earned money on God knows what.”
Sofia turned to Matteo, her voice dripping with feigned concern. “Son, do you see how she’s using the money you give her for the house? She’s wasting it on buying fancy supplements and an entire set of luxury skincare products. She doesn’t lift a finger around here, just spends and spends!”
Laura clenched her fists, her voice shaking with frustration. “Sofia, I didn’t touch a penny of the household budget. Those were gifts from Doris,”
Sofia let out a mocking laugh and said, “Oh, please. Since when did your family have money for such expensive things? You expect me to believe that?”
Arianna stepped forward, her small voice piping up. “Grandma, it’s true. Aunt Doris bought them. She even made me a
cake.”
Sofia waved her hand dismissively and gave Arianna a slight push. “Shut up, kid. You know nothing.”
The push wasn’t hard, but Arianna lost her balance and fell to the floor.
Laura rushed to pick up her daughter, her tone sharp. “Sofia, give me back what Doris bought me, now.”
Sofia gasped, clutching her chest in mock outrage. “Matteo, do you hear her? Look how your wife talks to me!”
Matteo’s face instantly turned dark, and his voice was heavy with disapproval. “Laura, even if those things are yours, does it matter if my mom takes them? You’re supposed to respect her.
“She raised me alone after my father passed. Do you know how hard that was for her? You can’t let her have some gifts without making a scene? How could you yell at her for some petty things?”
Laura stood her ground, her spine straight as a rod. “Matteo, respect goes both ways. I’m happy to give her things willingly, but taking without asking is stealing.”
“Stealing?!” Sofia shrieked while pounding her chest dramatically. “Matteo, did you hear that? She’s calling me, your birth mother, a thief! I can’t take this anymore. I’ll go back to my house tomorrow. Let her have this house all to herself since I’m such an inconvenience!”
Matteo’s expression grew even darker. He turned to Laura, his voice low and commanding. “Apologize to my mom. Now!”
Laura’s head snapped up in disbelief, and she retorted, “Why should I apologize? She’s the one who took my things without asking.”
“Enough!” Matteo’s voice roared through the room, and before Laura could react, he slapped her hard across the face. The crack of it echoed in the stunned silence. Matteo said through gritted teeth, “Laura, You disappointed me this time. I really regretted marrying you.”
Laura stumbled slightly but didn’t fall. Her cheek burned, but the pain that gripped her heart was worse. She stared at Matteo, her face stoic even as tears threatened to spill.
She
she
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Chapter 29
