A Woman's Empire

XLVII

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

Spending two weeks with Camilla and Stella was more than enough. Although Audrielle loved them dearly, she couldn't keep up with Stella wanting to play Barbies or pick flowers and make mud cakes or ride horses through the golden paddocks and blistering sun all while looking after Orlando too.

Leo woke up to the sun shining through the sheer curtains. He looked down at his chest to see Audrielle huddled right next to him. Her face resting on his bare chest and her slow and steady breathing ever so slightly tickling his skin. Her dark eyelashes fanned her cheekbones and her messy hair was pools of brown honey.

He admired his wife's beauty that radiated from her, even in such innocent times like when she was sleeping. As Leo continued to stare at his wife, to the right of him was Orlando who was wide awake in his crib clawing at the teddies that hung on little strings above him.

It was at that moment that Leo felt truly happy. Complete. He was back home, in Italy, visiting his mom and little sister with his wife and new born son. If a stranger where to see them, it would look like a happy family.

A happy family.

Something that Audrielle and Leo were far from. Orlando might have been the glue that kept them together, but Leo could slowly feel it. Audrielle had distanced herself so far that there was no going back. Leo fucked up big time and he knew it. It was now time for him to face his consequences and that was that Audrielle no longer loved him.

Leo suddenly realised that Audrielle was everything he needed. She was a woman with a soul full of kindness and warmth. She was compassionate about others and had a high level of maturity. A faint dimple would appear when she was very happy and her smile would grow ten times bigger when she would talk about the things she loved. Her touch was soft and pure but she had a raging fire inside of her. No matter how much pain Leo caused her, she would grow from it and flourish into a mature, independent woman.

A stray tear rolled down Leo's face when he grasped onto the fact that he no longer had that. That Audrielle was cold and had rebuilt her walls as Leo desperately tried to knock them down. But it was too late. He had knocked them down before, several times but each time Audrielle pieced herself back together, she built them stronger and stronger until they were so strong that Leo could no longer get to her.

Suddenly Audrielle groaned in her sleep and her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the brightness of the room. Leo was fast to wipe his emotions away and plastered on a fake smile. The complete opposite to the sadness he was feeling a second ago.

"Good morning." He whispered, his voice husky and unsteady.

Audrielle faintly smiled and sat up. Hoping out of bed, Audrielle stretched her arms out in the air before running her hands through her hair. She picked up her pajama shirt from the floor and placed it over her head.

"Coffee?" Audrielle asked as she picked Orlando up.

"Yes please." Leo sighed, sitting up in bed with his back against the headboard.

Audrielle made her way down stairs with Orlando in her arms. Camilla greeted them and cooed at Orlando, taking him off of Audrielle so she could make herself her regular cup of tea and for Leo, his black coffee.

By the time the tea had brewed and the aroma of coffee bellowed strongly in the air, Leo was out of bed and dressed.

"Buongiorno mamma." Leo smiled, kissing her on the cheek before tickled Orlando's button nose.

(Translation: Good morning mom)

He then walked into the kitchen and as Audrielle was stirring her tea, he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. Audrielle's body stiffened at the contact and she saw Camilla send Leo a glare.