All Chapters of Unmatched Wife: Not His To Claim Anymore: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter 2BIANCA POVI drove home in silence, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. The house was dark when I arrived, exactly as I'd left it—the forgotten cake still sitting on the counter, the candles I'd bought still in their package, the birthday I'd hoped might finally matter nothing but another day that proved how little I did.Just then, a notification popped up on my phone: Mia had posted something new. My thumb scrolled mechanically through Mia's Facebook album, titled "Our Journey - 47/100." Forty-seven activities down, fifty-three to go. The new post is a photo. There they were: Matthew, Theo, and Mia. His hand rested on Mia's shoulder, protective and tender. And, Theo sat on her lap, his arms wrapped around her neck. The caption read: "My amazing birthday!"I sat in the empty house, staring at a photo on my phone until my eyes burned. I could not believe this, that my husband and son would hurt me like this, showing no regard for my f

Chapter 4BIANCAThe morning shift at the hospital was a blessing—twelve hours where I could lose myself in other people's problems, where my hands could heal bodies even if my own heart was breaking. I'd left before Matthew woke, left a note for Theo with his breakfast, and escaped into the only place I still felt competent.Mrs. Michaelson needed her bandages changed. Little Marcus had finally kept down solid food after three days of stomach flu. Old Mr. Kapoor's blood pressure was stabilizing. These were problems I could solve, wounds I could actually mend."Dr. Morrison?" Nurse Sarah approached my station, a file in her hands. "We have a home visit request. New patient, immunocompromised, can't come to the hospital. The address is—"I took the file without looking, already mentally preparing for the visit. Home calls were rare but not unusual, especially for patients who couldn't risk exposure to hospital germs. I gathered my supplies, checked my bag twice out of habit, and headed

BIANCAOn the way home, I went over everything I would need to prepare to leave Matthew.Divorce documents.Pack obligations.Hospital duties.Everything had a process. Everything could be handled.But when I stepped inside and saw Theo’s innocent, adorable face, my chest tightened despite myself.Was I really going to make Theo live the rogue life I once had?My fingers clenched tightly at my side.Then Theo ran up to me, slipping his small hand into mine. The warmth of his touch made my grip loosen. With his other hand, he tugged at my clothes, proudly showing me his new score on his assignment."Mum, look, I got a 10 out of 10. I'm the only student that got it all." I was taken back by the change in Theo, he was actually noticing me. I smiled at him as I ruffled his hair and said, "I'm so proud of you, Theo, I knew you could do this." I said as he giggled before continuing,"Does this mean that I can ask you for anything? A gift for doing a good job? I worked extra hard on this, y

Chapter 8: BIANCAI stayed in my bedroom for hours, holding a frozen bag of peas to the bruise to my side which had turned a bright purple already. The bruise had been obtained when Mia intentionally bumped into me. But Matthew had only seen what he wanted to see: me pushing her, me being the villain in this story.The sound of Theo calling me evil kept replaying in my mind. My baby. My son.. And he'd looked at me with such hatred, convinced that I was a monster for hurting someone who was sick and dying to the best of his understanding.And all this had happened because Mia had been there, integrating herself into his life, slowly but surely, always being the fun one, while I was the wicked one because I prioritized healthy foods, and strict bedtimes.And Matthew had let it happen. Had encouraged it, even.I bandaged the bruise after applying ointment and changed into my night clothes, and finally left my room/It was nearly midnight. Theo should have been asleep hours ago.I walked

Chapter 10: BIANCAThree hands, linked together on what I recognized as our kitchen table. The caption read: "Starting the day with my favorite men. Grateful for every moment. 💕" My favorite men. As if they belonged to her. . I stared at the screen as I walked toward the hospital entrance, my vision blurring with tears I absolutely refused to let fall. I didn't see the man until I collided with him. It was like walking into a wall. His hand shot out automatically, catching my waist to steady me even as my phone clattered to the concrete. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't—" I started, as I pulled away regaining my footing before bending down to pick my phone at the same moment he did.He got there first. As he straightened and handed it back to me, I saw his eyes move to the screen—to Mia's post, still displayed there, that image of three linked hands burning into my retinas.Something flickered across his face. Probably pity But it was gone before I could identify it."My fault entire