FORGOTTEN LOVE
1553 Words
Years passed, and life continued to move forward, even though Laura felt like she was standing still.
After completing college, Laura returned home and quietly continued working in her father’s company. By now, she had grown more mature, more skilled, and even more disciplined. Her talent for painting had also improved significantly, though she no longer painted freely like she used to. Everything she created now was strictly for the company, carefully managed under her mother’s control.
Laura no longer questioned much.
She simply obeyed.
Patricia, on the other hand, was no longer in the country. After finishing high school, she had traveled abroad to further her studies in one of the most prestigious universities. Maria was extremely proud of her younger daughter and often spoke about her achievements with pride.
“She is building a future,” Maria would always say.
But when it came to Laura, she rarely said anything at all.
Interestingly, Maria’s dependence on Laura’s paintings had increased over time. Even while Patricia was abroad, Maria continued receiving paintings from Laura, which she sent to international buyers and exhibitions. The success of the art business continued to grow, bringing in even more wealth.
To Maria, this was enough.
As long as the money kept coming in, she was satisfied.
And Laura, though emotionally exhausted, continued working silently. She never complained. Even when she felt broken inside, she hid it well. She believed that if she kept being useful, her mother would eventually see her differently.
She still held onto that hope.
That fragile, painful hope.
One evening, after a long day at work, Laura returned home earlier than usual. The house was unusually quiet, except for faint voices coming from the living room.
As she stepped closer, she realized her parents were arguing.
She stopped immediately.
Something about their tone made her uneasy.
“I’m telling you, this case cannot be ignored,” Charles said firmly.
Maria’s voice was sharp. “It’s not our responsibility!”
“It involves a child who was neglected,” Charles replied. “We can’t pretend it doesn’t matter.”
Laura frowned slightly as she listened from the hallway. She had never heard them argue so intensely before.
Just as the conversation grew louder, Charles suddenly noticed her standing nearby.
“Laura,” he said quickly, his tone changing. “You’re home.”
The tension in the room disappeared instantly.
Maria also straightened up, smoothing her expression.
Charles forced a small smile. “Go freshen up. We were just discussing work matters.”
Laura nodded slowly, though confusion lingered in her mind.
Something about their conversation felt strange.
But before she could ask anything, Charles changed the subject completely, and the moment passed.
Still, the words “neglected child” stayed in her mind long after she left the room.
A few days later, Patricia returned to the country.
Her arrival was sudden and unannounced.
She walked into the house with confidence, dressed elegantly, carrying herself like someone who had changed completely.
But what shocked Laura the most was not her appearance.
It was her attitude.
Patricia had been appointed as a design manager in her father’s company.
This meant she and Laura would now be working together.
At first, Laura felt hopeful. Maybe this would be a chance to reconnect with her sister. Maybe things would finally become better.
But that hope did not last long.
Patricia had changed.
She was no longer the young girl who once followed Maria’s approval blindly. Now, she was sharp, confident, and surprisingly cold toward Laura.
“Try to keep up,” Patricia would often say during meetings.
Or sometimes, “You’re too slow.”
At first, Laura ignored it.
But soon, Patricia began acting more openly cruel.
And worse still, she began aligning herself with Maria.
It was as if she had inherited her mother’s behavior.
One evening, Laura attended a company dinner event organized for investors. The atmosphere was elegant, filled with conversations, laughter, and glasses of wine being served around.
Laura, who was trying to avoid attention, accidentally bumped into a guest while walking past the crowd.
The wine glass in her hand tilted instantly.
Before she could react—
Splash.
Red wine spilled all over the stranger’s expensive suit.
The crowd went silent.
“Oh my God,” Laura gasped immediately. “I’m so sorry!”
She quickly grabbed a napkin, panicking as she tried to clean the stain.
“I didn’t see you—I’m really sorry,” she repeated nervously.
The stranger looked at his suit, then back at her.
His expression was calm.
“It’s fine,” he said gently. “Next time, be more careful.”
Laura bowed slightly, still apologizing.
“I had a lot on my mind… I didn’t even notice you standing there.”
He studied her for a moment.
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”
Then he offered a small smile.
“By the way, I’m Robert.”
Laura paused.
Something about his voice felt different—calm, warm, unfamiliar in a way she wasn’t used to.
“Oh… I’m Laura,” she replied softly. “Nice to meet you.”
Robert nodded. “Maybe we’ll meet again someday.”
With that, he walked away.
Laura stood still for a moment, watching him leave before shaking off the feeling.
“It was just an accident,” she whispered to herself.
Then she collected herself and went to place her order at the reception area. After eating quietly, she called a cab and headed home.
But on the way, Robert’s face flashed briefly in her mind.
She frowned slightly.
“It’s nothing,” she told herself.
And she let it go.
A few days later, it was Laura’s birthday.
She woke up that morning with a small spark of hope in her heart.
Maybe today would be different.
Maybe someone would remember.
Maybe there would be a small surprise… a cake… a smile… even just a kind word.
She got dressed neatly, feeling slightly excited despite herself.
But as she stepped into the dining area, nothing was prepared.
No decorations.
No cake.
No mention of her birthday.
Maria sat at the table as usual, scrolling through her phone.
Patricia walked past her without a word.
Laura hesitated.
“Good morning,” she said softly.
No response.
Instead, Maria handed her a list.
“Go to the market and get these things.”
Laura blinked.
“…Today?”
“Yes,” Maria replied without looking up.
Laura hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“Okay, Mum.”
She left the house quietly, her heart heavier than she expected.
Later that day, her phone rang.
It was her father.
“Happy birthday, my dear,” Charles said warmly. “I’m sorry I’m not there. I’m traveling to visit your grandfather.”
Laura forced a small smile.
“Thank you, Dad.”
A few hours later, she received money from her grandfather with a simple message:
“Happy birthday, my dear granddaughter. Stay strong.”
For a moment, Laura felt a small warmth inside her chest.
At least someone remembered.
But when she returned home that evening, nothing had changed.
No celebration.
No acknowledgment.
Just silence.
She sat alone in her room, staring at the wall.
Maybe… they’re just busy, she told herself.
Maybe they forgot because of stress.
Maybe next year will be different.
But deep inside, something had already begun to break.
A quiet sadness.
A realization she was not yet ready to accept.
That she was slowly becoming invisible in her own home.
And somewhere far away in her mind, the memory of Robert’s gentle voice returned again—
as if life was quietly trying to tell her that something new was about to begin.
And this time… everything would change.
- Writer
