บททั้งหมดของ The Unwanted Wife: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

December had just begun, and the air was colder than ever. The chill seeped through the walls, making the house feel emptier than usual. Lara sat curled up on the sofa, her laptop balanced on her lap as she worked on her lesson plans. The soft glow of the screen illuminated her face, but her eyes kept drifting toward the wall clock. 8:15 PM. Lucas should have been home by now. He usually arrived by eight, but lately, his schedule had become unpredictable. Some nights, he came home late. Other nights, not at all. She told herself not to overthink it—he was a busy man, after all. But deep down, worry gnawed at her, mingling with frustration. They barely saw each other as it was. And now, even the little time they had under the same roof was slipping away. It was ironic, really. They were married, yet they lived like strangers. She let out a sigh, trying to shake off the unease settling in her chest. Was he doing this on purpose? Avoiding her at all costs? Did he truly hate

The school day had ended, and most of the children had already gone home. Lara sat in the waiting area, keeping an eye on the last few students still waiting for their guardians when a familiar voice called out to her. “Lara!” She turned just in time to see Ali striding toward her, her designer handbag swinging at her side. “Are you done with class? I’m dying for milk tea,” Ali announced dramatically, flipping her hair as if the mere thought of waiting any longer was unbearable. Lara chuckled, shaking her head at her best friend’s antics. Ali had been a handful, to say the least, ever since college, but over the years, Lara had learned to handle her quirks with patience. She was high-maintenance, outspoken, occasionally dramatic, and a little too confident for her own good, but beneath all that, she was sweet and fiercely loyal. Life was never boring with her around. Lara turned to her assistant. “Maera, can you stay with the kids while they wait for their parents?” Maera

After dropping Ram off at her home, Lara decided to stop by the market to restock their groceries. Their supplies were running low, and she figured she might as well take care of it now before the weekend.The trip took longer than expected. Between picking out fresh produce, comparing prices, and waiting in the long checkout line, two hours had passed by the time she was done. By the time she arrived home, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow through the windows.Lara changed into more comfortable clothes before heading to the kitchen to put away the groceries. Once everything was sorted, she gathered the dirty laundry from both her room and Lucas’s and tossed them into the washing machine.As the clothes spun in the washer, Lara pulled out her phone from the pocket of her shorts and sent Lucas a message.Lara: What time are you coming home?She stared at the screen, waiting for the little “typing…” indicator that never appeared. It wasn’t surprising. Lucas rarely replie

Minutes turned into hours.At some point, exhaustion had won, and Lara had dozed off on the couch. But the sharp ringing of the doorbell stirred her awake. Her heart leaped into her throat as she shot up, blinking away the drowsiness. The room was dark, save for the dim glow of the TV screen.She glanced at the clock. 2:13 AM.Who could be visiting this late?With a deep sigh, she pushed herself off the couch and made her way to the door. The doorbell rang again, more insistent this time. Her brows knitted together she hesitated for a moment. Peeking through the peephole, she was met with a familiar face.Izek?Without wasting another second, she unlocked the door and swung it open. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.There, standing under the dim glow of the porch light, was Izek—one of Lucas’s close friends. And beside him, slumped against his shoulder, was Lucas himself. Disheveled. Drunk. Completely wasted.Lara’s stomach twisted at the sight.“Hey,” Izek greeted, offering

It felt like a slap in the face—harsh, undeniable, and cruel.The words Lucas had uttered echoed relentlessly in Lara’s mind, piercing through her already wounded heart like shards of glass.She stood frozen in place, staring at him in disbelief. He was barely conscious, his drunken state rendering him oblivious to the weight of what he had just said. Yet, his voice had been clear—clear enough to crush every last bit of hope she had been holding onto.Tears blurred her vision as she turned away, unable to bear it any longer. Without another word, she rushed to her room, slamming the door behind her. As soon as the lock clicked, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold floor, her arms wrapping tightly around herself as if that could keep her from falling apart completely.A strangled sob escaped her lips. Then another. And another. Until the quiet of the room was filled with the sound of her broken cries.Her fingers curled into fists as she pressed them against her heart, as