Chapter 55
Chapter 55
After breakfast, Laura picked up her bag, ready to leave. “Lewis, Doris, thank you for letting me stay the night. Ari is still at the Webb family’s house, so I need to head back.”
“Don’t mention it. You’re welcome to come by anytime,” Lewis replied generously.
“Laura, if they ever treat you like that again after you go back, just give me a call. I’ll go confront them for you,” Doris said, holding Laura’s hand, clearly reluctant to part with her sister.
“I will. And don’t forget what I told you,” Laura reminded her, referring to the part–time job they discussed.
“I won’t,” Doris replied.
“Laura, it’s the weekend, and I’m off‘ work today. Let me take you back,” Lewis offered.
“No, thanks. I want to visit Mom and Dad before heading back,” Laura said, figuring she wasn’t in a rush to return. “You should take Doris to work instead.”
At Laura’s insistence, Lewis called a car for her. Then, he drove Doris to her workplace.
As they approached the Hampstone Hotel, Doris turned to Lewis and said, “I know everything now. You gave my sister 100 thousand dollars to settle her debt. I’ll pay you back for her. I’ll repay you 2,000 dollars every month once I get my paycheck.”
Lewis was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Laura to tell Doris the truth.
His slender fingers tapped the steering wheel rhythmically as he replied, “No rush. Pay me back all at once when you’ve saved enough. I already have a car, a house, and a wife. I don’t need to save for anything else.”
Doris chuckled. “That’s true. My younger brother’s fiancée asked for a bride price of 100 thousand dollars, but you didn’t pay a cent when we got married. That really worked out well for you.”
“That’s right. So, consider this 100 thousand my bride price for you. No need to repay me,” Lewis replied, his generosity shining through.
Doris raised an eyebrow. “I was kidding. I never expected you to pay the bride price. I’m the one who proposed, after all.”
“I think I should pay it. Just accept it,” Lewis said casually as he turned the wheel and parked on the side of the road.
Doris didn’t feel comfortable about it. “I’m definitely paying you back.”
She could be quite stubborn at times. Lewis didn’t argue further, watching her as she walked away.
Laura returned to the Webb family’s house. In the living room, Matteo’s grandparents, Frank and Martha, and Sophia were chatting happily.
Matteo’s younger sister, Chloe Harkin, had come home to visit, making the atmosphere warm and cheerful–a stark contrast to Laura’s feeling of being an outsider.
The family treated Laura as if she were invisible, continuing their conversation without acknowledging her.
“Hi, Laura,” Chloe greeted. Laura nodded lightly.
“Why bother talking to her?” Sofia pretended to scold Chloe. Then she turned to Laura with disdain. “Laura, how do have the nerve to come back? Are you going to latch onto Matteo again?”
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Laura didn’t get upset. Her tone was calm as she replied, “This is my home. Of course, I’ll come back.”
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Chapter 55
“Your home? Matteo is divorcing you. This isn’t your home anymore. You shameless woman, Sofia sneered. “Your sister and her husband are so protective of you. Why don’t you just go live with them?”
“As long as your son and I aren’t divorced, I have every right to live here, Laura replied with steady composure.
Chloe, confused, whispered to her mother. “Mom, why are Matteo and Laura getting divorced?”
Sofia began to list Laura’s supposed faults. She replied angrily, “She’s been married to your brother for four years and hasn’t given him a son. She complains about every little chore and doesn’t respect me as her mother–in–law.
If he doesn’t divorce her, our family will end with no descendants. Do you want that to happen? Why would we keep someone so useless around anyway?”
“Matteo agreed to the divorce?” Chloe asked skeptically.
After all, her brother had gone through so much trouble to win Laura’s heart and marry her. She’d seen firsthand how much he loved Laura, even to the point of feeling jealous herself.
“Our whole family agrees. How could your brother disagree?” Sofia raised her voice intentionally, completely disregarding Laura’s dignity. “The sooner they divorce, the better.”
Frank and Martha nodded, chiming in to reprimand Laura.
“We all agree. We want to have a great–grandson before we die!” Frank said.
“You’re nothing but trouble and can’t stay in our family any longer,” Martha echoed.
Sofia said resolutely, “Laura, since you can’t have children, don’t waste Matteo’s time. Be sensible and divorce him.”
“Sophia, this is a matter between Matteo and me. If he wants a divorce, he can come and talk to me himself. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head upstairs,” Laura replied calmly.
Her composed demeanor made Sofia feel like she was fighting a losing battle–completely exasperating.
Just as Laura reached the staircase, she saw Matteo coming downstairs. Only then did she realize he had been home all along. He must have heard everything earlier.
“Matteo, perfect timing. Tell her yourself that you want a divorce,” Sofia said, trying to prompt him into action.
“Mom, I’ll talk to her upstairs,” Matteo said from the top of the stairs, looking down at Laura. “Come with me.”
Laura followed Matteo upstairs, carrying her bag.
As Matteo walked away, Sofia stood up and called after him. “Matteo, don’t soften up! We all support this divorce!”
Chloe walked over and stood beside her mother. “Mom, Matteo loves Laura so much. Will he really go through with it?”
“Our family is traditional. The daughter–in–law’s duty is to carry on the family line. Your brother marrying her was a mistake. He’s still in his prime. After the divorce, he can get married again and have a son.
That’s the only way he’ll truly be happy. Don’t worry. He knows what’s important,” Sofia said, patting Chloe’s hand gently.
Inside the bedroom, neither Matteo nor Laura spoke first.
Matteo finally sat on the sofa at the end of the bed. “Laura, you stayed out all night. Don’t you have anything to say?”
“What do you want me to say?” Laura replied, slowly raising her head and meeting his gaze. “You saw everything that happened yesterday. It was your mother being unreasonable.
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Chapter 55
She didn’t just slander me–she insulted Doris’s husband, too! If their marriage suffers because of her, I won’t let it slide.”
“My mom doesn’t say things nicely, but she means well. Everything she does is for my sake. Besides, it’s in the past. Why can’t you just let it go?
She’s my mom. Can’t you give her some leeway?” Matteo said, failing to offer a single comforting word.
“Just because she’s older, I should endure everything?” Laura felt deeply aggrieved.
“So, what do you want me to do? Criticize my mom? She’s my mother!” Matteo frowned, feeling that Laura was making a big deal out of nothing.
Laura clenched her fists, telling herself to bear with it a little longer.
She couldn’t afford to initiate the divorce now. If she acted rashly, it would only alert them to her plans. She needed to figure out an exit strategy before taking her daughter and leaving this family for good.
“I’m going to make dinner,” Laura said with a calm tone before turning to leave. Matteo followed her out of the bedroom and watched her go into the kitchen.
Sofia walked over and pulled Matteo into the living room. “How did the talk go? Did she agree to the divorce?”
“Mom, I’ve already scolded Laura. Ari needs her mother, and we need Laura to manage the household. Besides, Laura and I haven’t reached the point where divorce is absolutely necessary,” Matteo explained.
“Matteo, let me make this clear: you only have one mother, but your wife is not irreplaceable!” Sofia said, angry that her plan to drive Laura out had failed.
“Our family cannot be without descendants. Otherwise, how will I rest in peace knowing I’ve let down your father and our ancestors?”
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