One year, one love by Aurora Miller

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Laura returned to the Tanglewood Oaks neighborhood at nine o’clock, cradling her sleeping daughter Arianna in her arms. The night was quiet, save for the soft crunch of gravel beneath her shoes as she approached the house.

Stepping into the living room, she saw Sofia seated on the couch, holding Blair, a pristine white poodle she adored as if it were her own child. The faint sound of the television played in the background, but Sofia’s sharp gaze was fixed on Laura.

“Sofia, you’re still up?” Laura asked, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Arianna.

Sofia’s expression darkened with annoyance. “Oh, so you finally decided to come home. Had your fill of fun out there, have you?”

“It’s not like that,” Laura said, attempting to keep her tone calm. “The Robinson family had too many relatives over, and I got tied up helping. It was a busy day.” She shifted Arianna’s weight slightly in her arms. “I’ll just take Ari upstairs to bed first.”

“Stop right there.” Sofia’s icy voice cut through the air like a whip.

Laura froze mid–step, then turned to face her mother–in–law. “Sofia, is there something else?”

“There’s a lot,” Sofia said, her tone lated with disapproval. She began listing tasks, each word a pointed barb. “Do you have any idea how much work piled up around here while you weren’t home?

“The house hasn’t been cleaned, the kitchen’s a mess, and Martha’s laundry–along with ours–is still sitting in the washroom, untouched. The flowers outside haven’t been moved to the rack, Blair hasn’t had her bath, and-”

“Sofia, I’m exhausted,” Laura interrupted gently, trying to negotiate. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow morning? I promise I’ll get up early and take care of everything.”

“Absolutely not,” Sofia snapped, stroking Blair’s fur with a deliberate air of authority. “Has no one ever taught you that procrastination is a bad habit? Tomorrow will have its own set of tasks.

“You’ll rest when the work is done. Start by bathing Blair. It needs its rest too. And remember, my clothes are to be hand- washed. I’ll inspect everything when I wake up.”

There was no room for argument in Sofia’s tone, and Laura swallowed her frustration. “Alright,” she murmured, resigned.

Taking Arianna upstairs, Laura carefully tucked her daughter into bed, wiping her small face and body before pulling up the blanket.

Once Arianna was settled, Laura changed into a comfortable set of loungewear and descended the stairs. The night’s chores stretched out before her like a mountain she had no choice but to climb.

She started with the laundry, tossing the sheets into the washing machine before heading to the bathroom with Blair in tow. Bathing the poodle was a meticulous process, from washing and rinsing to blow–drying her pristine coat.

After placing Blair in her cozy pet house, Laura moved on to hand–washing Sofia’s delicate garments, scrubbing each piece with care.

Next came tidying the kitchen, wiping every surface until it gleamed. Then she stepped outside to move the flower pots onto their racks. Finally, she swept the floors, the rhythmic motion of the broom dulling her senses as exhaustion took hold.

When the last task was done, Laura dragged herself upstairs, every muscle in her body aching with fatigue. After a quick shower, she collapsed onto the bed, the clock on her bedside table reading 2 a.m.

Not long after, she heard the sound of the front door creaking open. The unmistakable scent of unfamiliar perfume hit her first, followed by the acrid tang of cigarettes and alcohol as Matteo entered the room.

Laura’s chest tightened. Her nose burned as she fought the urge to cry. ‘How many times has this happened now?‘ she

1/4

Wed, 26

Chapter 24

lost count of the nights

85%

she handled often bore traces of his infidelity–strands of hair that weren’t hers, faint smudges of lipstick,

a well–worn script. He claimed it was all part of the game, just harmless flirting at business functions.

had been more than accommodating and told

said quietly, her voice barely carrying the weight of

carelessness, his lips curving into a faint smirk. “How else am I supposed to seal business deals? No deals, no money

much. It’s not good for you and it’ll make you feel sick.” Laura pushed back her weariness, lifting the blanket and swinging her legs off the bed. “I’ll make you a

back onto the bed with startling force. His grip tightened around

raced, unease clawing at her insides. “What are you doing, Matteo?” she asked aloud, her voice trembling.

he tossed aside her hands and leaned down, pressing his lips against the side of

as she squirmed beneath him, her words edged with

let out a derisive laugh, the sound cold and sharp. He shook his head as if she’d told a bad

over your head and food on the table, and you have

in this house falls on me, Matteo. I just

doing laundry? That’s hardly what I’d call hard work, Laura. Quit whining and cut

work,” she said, her voice firm despite the ache in her soul.

When they married, she’d been reluctant to leave her job, but Matteo had insisted she quit to focus

years, she’d poured herself into the role of homemaker, only to have her efforts dismissed as insignificant.

dreaming. Your job is to take care of my

this time, the scent of another woman’s perfume hit her like a

betrayal rose in her throat, and her lashes trembled as she blinked back tears. She took a sharp breath and whispered, her voice shaking with raw emotion, “Matteo,

words igniting his temper. His

2/4

13:19

Chapter 24

26 Feb

her, his eyes blazing with anger. “Did you just call me gross?”

some nerve,” he hissed, his hold tightening. “What, are you still not over your ex? You’d rather sleep with

her, dredging up old wounds she’d

45

I had a boyfriend before we got together. You told me it didn’t matter, that you didn’t care about my past as long as

sweet and convincing, now felt like daggers in her chest. ‘Men’s promises are nothing

had been in a steady relationship when she first met Matteo, a

at first sight. He pursued her relentlessly, showering her with extravagant gifts

her father, Jimmy, who joined forces with Peyton to pressure Laura into breaking up with her

his unwavering devotion moved her. After

a family. A year later, Laura gave birth to their daughter, Arianna. But Sofia was far from satisfied–she began pressing Laura to