The wife he never wanted
Amara Lawson never imagined her life would change because of someone else’s broken promise. When a high-society engagement collapses days before a crucial business merger, Amara is forced into an arranged marriage meant to replace the bride who ran away. Her sacrifice is simple: marry Lucas Harrington, the cold, powerful CEO who never wanted her—and save her struggling family from financial ruin.
To Lucas, the marriage is nothing more than a transaction. His heart is still chained to the woman who left him, and Amara is merely a reminder of betrayal. From the moment she enters his world of wealth and control, she is treated like an outsider—his wife in name only. Bound by duty, ignored by desire, Amara learns quickly that love is not guaranteed by vows.
Behind closed doors, silence becomes her constant companion. Publicly, they play the perfect couple. Privately, resentment, pride, and unresolved pain threaten to tear them apart. As Amara struggles to find her place, she uncovers secrets buried within the Harrington family—truths that reveal why Lucas fears love and why he keeps her at arm’s length.
But hearts are dangerous things. Small moments of kindness, stolen glances, and shared pain begin to blur the lines between obligation and emotion. When the past returns and threatens to destroy what little trust they’ve built, Amara must decide whether to keep enduring a loveless marriage—or walk away with her dignity intact.
And Lucas must confront the one truth he has been running from: that the woman he never wanted may be the only one strong enough to stay.
The Girl He Never Wanted is a slow-burn romance filled with emotional tension, arranged marriage, betrayal, personal growth, and the painful journey from rejection to self-worth.
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Chapter: Chapter thirteen:The enemy inside the wallsAmara woke to the sound of glass shattering.She bolted upright, heart racing, the echo of the crash still ringing through the apartment. Before she could move, Lucas was already at her side, his hand gripping her wrist firmly but gently.“Stay here,” he whispered.“What was that?” she asked, fear threading her voice.Lucas didn’t answer. He reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out his phone and dialing a number without hesitation. His expression was sharp, focused—the mask he wore when danger stepped too close.“Perimeter breach,” he said into the phone. “Second floor.”Amara’s chest tightened.She slid out of bed despite his warning. “I’m not hiding.”Lucas glanced at her, frustration and something like admiration flickering in his eyes. “Then stay close.”They moved down the hallway together, the apartment lights flicking on one by one. In the living room, shards of glass littered the floor beneath the shattered balcony door. Cold night air rushed in.Nothing was taken.That wa
Last Updated: 2026-01-29
Chapter: Chapter Twelve: Trust is not a shieldThe drive back was silent.Not the tense silence of anger, but something heavier—cautious, fragile, like glass stretched too thin. Amara stared out the window, the city lights blurring past as Lucas drove with both hands firmly on the wheel.“You shouldn’t have found me like that,” she said softly.Lucas didn’t look at her. “You shouldn’t have been followed.”Her chest tightened. “So it’s true. Someone is watching.”“Yes,” he replied. “And they’re getting bolder.”When they reached the apartment, Lucas locked the door behind them, his movements precise. He checked the windows, the balcony, the security panel—habits formed from years of threats Amara had never been meant to inherit.“This isn’t normal,” she said quietly.“No,” Lucas agreed. “It’s not.”He turned to her. “From now on, you don’t leave alone.”Amara stiffened. “You’re doing it again.”Lucas stopped himself. He took a breath. “You’re right. Let me rephrase. I’d prefer if you didn’t. Until we know who this is.”She studied
Last Updated: 2026-01-29
Chapter: Chapter Eleven:When silence answers backThe apartment had never felt this empty.Lucas stood where Amara had left him, the echo of the closing door still ringing in his ears. He told himself she needed time, that space was temporary, that she would return once emotions cooled.That was what control taught him.But control had never taught him what to do with absence.Hours passed. Night crept in unnoticed. Lucas sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the untouched pillow beside him. Her scent lingered faintly—soft, familiar, and now unsettling.She hadn’t called.She hadn’t messaged.That was new.By morning, the quiet had turned sharp.Lucas poured himself coffee he didn’t drink, scanned his phone without purpose, checked the door twice without meaning to. Every routine felt wrong without her presence anchoring it.At noon, his phone buzzed.Not Amara.Selene.He ignored it.Minutes later, another message appeared.Selene: I heard she left. I warned you this would happen.Lucas’s jaw tightened. He deleted the message witho
Last Updated: 2026-01-29
Chapter: Chapter Ten: The truth he refused to seeLucas Harrington had always believed distance was safety.If he kept his emotions locked away, if he treated everything—including marriage—as a transaction, then nothing could reach him. Nothing could hurt him. That belief had shaped every decision he’d made, every wall he’d built.Until Amara stopped trying.He noticed it that morning.She didn’t ask where he was going. Didn’t question the call he ended abruptly. Didn’t look at him with quiet expectation or restrained frustration. She simply moved around the apartment with calm efficiency, her expression composed, unreadable.Too composed.Lucas watched her from across the room, an unfamiliar unease settling in his chest. He preferred her anger. Her questions. Even her disappointment. Silence felt like something slipping through his fingers.“You’re quiet,” he said finally.Amara paused briefly, then continued pouring tea. “I’m fine.”The words were polite. Controlled. Empty.Lucas frowned. “That’s not an answer.”She met his gaze, h
Last Updated: 2026-01-29
Chapter: Chapter Nine: When safety becomes controllAmara packed in silence.She moved quickly, folding clothes into a small travel bag while Lucas paced the room, phone pressed to his ear, issuing short, clipped instructions. His tone was all business—efficient, commanding—but his eyes kept flicking toward her, as though making sure she hadn’t vanished.“Everything’s set,” he said into the phone. “No mistakes.”He ended the call and turned to her. “We’re leaving the city.”“Tonight?” Amara asked.“Yes.”Her hands paused. “Lucas, you can’t just uproot me every time someone sends a note.”His gaze hardened. “This isn’t about comfort.”“It feels like control,” she said quietly.Silence snapped between them.Lucas stepped closer. “You don’t understand how dangerous this can become.”“Then help me understand,” Amara replied. “Don’t decide for me.”For a moment, he looked torn—caught between instinct and restraint.“You’re right,” he said finally. “But understand this—I don’t protect what I don’t value.”The words settled heavily between th
Last Updated: 2026-01-27
Chapter: Chapter Eight:The lines we crossedLucas didn’t look away from Amara’s phone.The glow of the screen cast faint shadows across his face, but it was his expression that unsettled her—alert, focused, protective in a way she hadn’t expected.“The past,” he repeated. “Explain.”Amara locked her phone and placed it face down on the bed. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”“That’s not an answer,” Lucas said.She exhaled slowly. “Selene doesn’t like being ignored.”A muscle tightened in his jaw. “I told her to stay away from you.”“She rarely listens,” Amara replied.Lucas took a step closer. “If she’s threatening you—”“She’s provoking me,” Amara interrupted gently. “There’s a difference.”His gaze sharpened. “I don’t tolerate interference.”Amara held his eyes. “Then don’t. But don’t turn this into something it doesn’t need to be.”Silence settled between them, heavy but not hostile.Lucas finally nodded. “If she contacts you again, tell me.”“I will,” Amara said, surprised to find she meant it.He turned to leave, then paused a
Last Updated: 2026-01-27
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