Read Online One Last Night by Melanie Milburne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melanie Milburne
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she said crisply. 'I can do this alone if I have to.'
In spite of the dog's leaping excitement at the prospect of a late night walk, Giorgio still fixed his gaze on Maya's with intractability. Hearing her say she didn't need him any more triggered something deep and primal in his blood. He would not let her leave him for a second time without a fight, baby or no baby. 'You have said this is my child, Maya,' he said. 'I am not going to walk away from my own flesh and blood. I have changed my mind. Our marriage will continue indefinitely.'
Chapter Six
OR UNTIL I lose this child, just like I lost all the others , Maya thought as Giorgio strode out of the flat with the dog at his side. She couldn't see him sticking out the long years of a fruitless marriage, not unless something other than duty and obligation bound him to it.
Something like love.
She chided herself for regressing into that fairyland of hope. She had long ago given up on him feeling anything for her. Why torture herself any more when it was even more unlikely he would ever change?
She left the small salone and took the opportunity while Giorgio was out to prepare for bed. She quickly removed her make-up and did her usual skincare routine. She looked at the expensive lotions and potions a little ruefully. She had been tempted to toss them out with all the other things she had been entitled to as a Sabbatini wife over the years, but she hated waste, or that was the reasoning she had used when she had packed her things the day she had left.
She didn't like thinking of that awful day. She had been cowardly about it by leaving when Giorgio was in Switzerland with his team of accountants at a huge financial conference in Zurich. She hadn't thought she would have the strength to go through with it with him there in person, even though over those last few months things had become rather tense and difficult between them. They had argued a lot, bickering over the silliest things just like a live-in couple or flatmates who were thoroughly sick of each other's irritating little habits.
Maya had found it so distressing to think he was starting to hate her. She often saw him looking at her with a brooding sort of expression, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do with her.
They hadn't made love in weeks…well, it had been more like three months. The hormone injections Maya had been given as part of the IVF plan had made her moody and irritable. And then Giorgio had had to provide a sample of sperm, which she knew he found undignified, even though the doctors and staff were totally professional about it.
Sex was a chore, a duty and it had killed any feeling he might have had for her once. Not that he had ever said he loved her. It wasn't part of their relationship. She had known that and married him anyway, hoping he would gradually develop feelings for her. But Giorgio wasn't a feeling type of man. She couldn't imagine him allowing himself to be vulnerable. He held everyone at a distance.
Maya had enough friends in her life to know not all relationships worked out. Even the most secure and settled couples could be torn apart by what life dished up. She had always prided herself that she would never give up on her man. She would be the loyal, loving wife, doing everything she could to make their relationship keep its zing and passion. But in the end she had failed. She had failed because it was not just about her role in the marriage, but Giorgio's too. He had slowly but surely drifted away from her. She had felt it subtly at first and she had been gracious about it, putting it down to the tragic loss of his father and how he had so much extra responsibility as a result.
Those three weeks with Giancarlo lying in a semiconscious state had been one of the most heartbreaking things to witness. It had been cruel to see such a strong and fit man become so weak.
Maya had tried to support her mother-in-law as best she could during that
In spite of the dog's leaping excitement at the prospect of a late night walk, Giorgio still fixed his gaze on Maya's with intractability. Hearing her say she didn't need him any more triggered something deep and primal in his blood. He would not let her leave him for a second time without a fight, baby or no baby. 'You have said this is my child, Maya,' he said. 'I am not going to walk away from my own flesh and blood. I have changed my mind. Our marriage will continue indefinitely.'
Chapter Six
OR UNTIL I lose this child, just like I lost all the others , Maya thought as Giorgio strode out of the flat with the dog at his side. She couldn't see him sticking out the long years of a fruitless marriage, not unless something other than duty and obligation bound him to it.
Something like love.
She chided herself for regressing into that fairyland of hope. She had long ago given up on him feeling anything for her. Why torture herself any more when it was even more unlikely he would ever change?
She left the small salone and took the opportunity while Giorgio was out to prepare for bed. She quickly removed her make-up and did her usual skincare routine. She looked at the expensive lotions and potions a little ruefully. She had been tempted to toss them out with all the other things she had been entitled to as a Sabbatini wife over the years, but she hated waste, or that was the reasoning she had used when she had packed her things the day she had left.
She didn't like thinking of that awful day. She had been cowardly about it by leaving when Giorgio was in Switzerland with his team of accountants at a huge financial conference in Zurich. She hadn't thought she would have the strength to go through with it with him there in person, even though over those last few months things had become rather tense and difficult between them. They had argued a lot, bickering over the silliest things just like a live-in couple or flatmates who were thoroughly sick of each other's irritating little habits.
Maya had found it so distressing to think he was starting to hate her. She often saw him looking at her with a brooding sort of expression, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do with her.
They hadn't made love in weeks…well, it had been more like three months. The hormone injections Maya had been given as part of the IVF plan had made her moody and irritable. And then Giorgio had had to provide a sample of sperm, which she knew he found undignified, even though the doctors and staff were totally professional about it.
Sex was a chore, a duty and it had killed any feeling he might have had for her once. Not that he had ever said he loved her. It wasn't part of their relationship. She had known that and married him anyway, hoping he would gradually develop feelings for her. But Giorgio wasn't a feeling type of man. She couldn't imagine him allowing himself to be vulnerable. He held everyone at a distance.
Maya had enough friends in her life to know not all relationships worked out. Even the most secure and settled couples could be torn apart by what life dished up. She had always prided herself that she would never give up on her man. She would be the loyal, loving wife, doing everything she could to make their relationship keep its zing and passion. But in the end she had failed. She had failed because it was not just about her role in the marriage, but Giorgio's too. He had slowly but surely drifted away from her. She had felt it subtly at first and she had been gracious about it, putting it down to the tragic loss of his father and how he had so much extra responsibility as a result.
Those three weeks with Giancarlo lying in a semiconscious state had been one of the most heartbreaking things to witness. It had been cruel to see such a strong and fit man become so weak.
Maya had tried to support her mother-in-law as best she could during that
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