Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Laura returned to the Tanglewood Oaks neighborhood at nine oclock , 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 Sofias sharp gaze was fixed on Laura . Sofia , youre still up ? Laura asked , keeping her voice low so as not to wake Arianna . Sofias expression darkened with annoyance . Oh , so you finally decided to come home . Had your fill of fun out there , have you ? Its 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 Ariannas weight slightly in her arms . Ill just take Ari upstairs to bed first . Stop right there . Sofias 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 ? Theres 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 werent home ? The house hasnt been cleaned , the kitchens a mess , and Marthas laundry along with ours is still sitting in the washroom , untouched . The flowers outside havent been moved to the rack , Blair hasnt had her bath , and- Sofia , Im exhausted , Laura interrupted gently , trying to negotiate . Cant it wait until tomorrow morning ? I promise Ill get up early and take care of everything . Absolutely not , Sofia snapped , stroking Blairs 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 . Youll rest when the work is done . Start by bathing Blair . It needs its rest too . And remember , my clothes are to be hand- washed . Ill inspect everything when I wake up . There was no room for argument in Sofias 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 nights 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 Sofias 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 . Lauras chest tightened . Her nose burned as she fought the urge to cry . How many times has this happened now ? she 1/4 13:19 Wed , 26 Feb • Chapter 24 thought bitterly . She had long lost count of the nights her husband came home reeking of another womans perfume . 85 % It wasnt just the scent . The laundry she handled often bore traces of his infidelity strands of hair that werent hers , faint smudges of lipstick , or a stray business card from a random woman tucked into his pockets . His excuses were always the same , a well worn script . He claimed it was all part of the game , just harmless flirting at business functions . He even went as far as to say that he had been more than accommodating and told her not to make a fuss over things that werent worth her time . Youve been drinking , Laura said quietly , her voice barely carrying the weight of her exhaustion . Matteo unbuttoned his shirt with deliberate carelessness , his lips curving into a faint smirk . How else am I supposed to seal business deals ? No deals , no money to support you , Ari , and this household . Youve had too much . Its not good for you and itll make you feel sick . Laura pushed back her weariness , lifting the blanket and swinging her legs off the bed . Ill make you a hangover cure . Before her feet touched the ground , Matteos hand shot out , yanking her back onto the bed with startling force . His grip tightened around her wrists , pinning them above her head . Her heart raced , unease clawing at her insides . What are you doing , Matteo ? she asked aloud , her voice trembling . What do you think I want ? His tone dripped with condescension as he tossed aside her hands and leaned down , pressing his lips against the side of her neck . Youre my wife . Ill do whatever I damn well please . Please , not tonight , Laura pleaded as she squirmed beneath him , her words edged with desperation . Im exhausted . Can we not do this ? He let out a derisive laugh , the sound cold and sharp . He shook his head as if shed told a bad joke . Exhausted ? All you do is look after the kid and tidy up the house . I work my ass off to keep a roof over your head and food on the table , and you have the audacity to talk to me about being tired ? Her voice cracked with frustration and utter exhaustion as she countered , Every chore in this house falls on me , Matteo . I just finished everything and barely got into bed. Dont make me laugh , he sneered , cutting her off . Cooking , cleaning , doing laundry ? Thats hardly what Id call hard work , Laura . Quit whining and cut the act . If its so easy , then Ill go back to work , she said , her voice firm despite the ache in her soul . The idea was one shed considered countless times . When they married , shed been reluctant to leave her job , but Matteo had insisted she quit to focus on their family . For four years , shed poured herself into the role of homemaker , only to have her efforts dismissed as insignificant . Matteos laugh was icy , a dagger disguised as a smile . Yeah , right . Keep dreaming . Your job is to take care of my parents and cater to me . Thats it . He punctuated his words by leaning in closer , his lips brushing her skin again . But this time , the scent of another womans perfume hit her like a slap , tormenting her soul . The familiar sting of 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 , if youve been with another woman , dont touch me . Its gross . The air between them grew heavy , her words igniting his temper . His hand shot to her chin , gripping it tightly as he glared 2/4 13:19 Chapter 24 26 Feb down at her , his eyes blazing with anger . Did you just call me gross ? Youve got some nerve , he hissed, his hold tightening . What , are you still not over your ex ? Youd rather sleep with him , huh ? You whore . The words sliced through her , dredging up old wounds shed thought had healed . Her voice faltered as she responded , 45 You knew I had a boyfriend before we got together . You told me it didnt matter , that you didnt care about my past as long as I chose you . Those words , once so sweet and convincing , now felt like daggers in her chest . Mens promises are nothing but lies , she thought bitterly , her heart heavy with regret . Laura had been in a steady relationship when she first met Matteo , a strikingly confident client of her company . Matteo , captivated by her graceful beauty and gentle demeanor , fell hard for her at first sight . He pursued her relentlessly , showering her with extravagant gifts and even going so far as to visit her home uninvited . His boldness and generosity quickly won over her father , Jimmy , who joined forces with Peyton to pressure Laura into breaking up with her boyfriend . Matteos persistence eventually broke through Lauras reservations . Despite her initial hesitation , his unwavering devotion moved her . After six months of dating , and under her fathers encouragement , she agreed to marry him . Once married , Matteos mother , Sofia , pushed Laura to quit her job and focus on starting a family . A year later , Laura gave birth to their daughter , Arianna . But Sofia was far from satisfied she began pressing Laura to have more children . Later , when Laura became pregnant again , a tragic fall led to a miscarriage , and she never became pregnant after that . Sofias displeasure turned into outright hostility . She began to openly criticize Laura , blaming her for everything and nitpicking her every move . Whenever conflict arose between Sofia and Laura , Matteo consistently sided with his mother . The once loving bond between Laura and Matteo began to fray under Sofias interference . For four long years , Lauras life revolved entirely around Matteo , Arianna, and Matteos mother and grandmother . She had no personal time , no meaningful social connections , and no outlet to be herself . The vibrant , confident woman she once was had faded into a weary , unrecognizable shadow of her former self . The spark in Matteos eyes when he looked at her had long disappeared , replaced with disdain . And on occasion , he would even say things like how foolish he had been to ever fall for her in the first place . I was a fool , Matteo said with a bitter chuckle . Laura , as long as were not divorced , youre still my wife , and you will fulfill your duties as one . Youd better behave yourself , or dont blame me if things get physical . Laura was too drained to resist . Physically , she was no match for Matteo , and her spirit was already battered beyond recognition . She endured in silence as he took what he wanted from her , treating her as little more than an object for his satisfaction . Yet Matteo , dissatisfied with her lack of reaction , grew even more frustrated and bored . His grip on her was less about passion and more about control , his goal to torture her and force some kind of response be it a cry , a protest , anything . But Laura bit down hard on her lip , refusing to give him the satisfaction . Her stubborn silence only stoked Matteos fury . Finally , he pushed himself off her in frustration and glared at her , muttering angrily , Its like having sex with a mannequin . Are you even a woman ? Laura remained motionless , lying lifelessly on the bed , her gaze fixed on the ceiling . 3/4 13:19 Wed , 26 Feb Chapter 24 Did you hear me ? Or have you gone deaf now ? Matteo snapped , his voice rising . Her silence was like gasoline poured onto a roaring fire . Matteos already simmering anger boiled over , and in a fit of rage , he yanked her up from the bed and tossed her onto the cold , hard floor . Laura let out a muffled gasp of pain , the shock of impact making her body tremble . Well , at least youre not mute , Matteo sneered , a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he stalked off toward the bathroom . The Matteo who had once adored her , who had treated her with tenderness and care during their courtship four years ago , was gone . In his place was a man she could barely recognize , someone who lashed out at her with words and fists the moment things didnt go his way . Alone in the room , Laura could no longer hold back the flood of emotions . Tears spilled from her eyes , soaking her pillow as her muffled sobs echoed the despair she carried deep in her heart . 田 AD Comment Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!