The Other Husband Novels & Stories

I clutched the mangled bracelet in my fist. I looked him dead in the eye. "My husband gave it to me." My. Husband. Those two words made Julian's face turn to stone. "Your… husband?" he repeated, like he couldn't process the word. "That's right." Julian staggered back a step, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You… you're with another man? You got married?" "Is that so strange?" "Of course it's strange!" Julian exploded, his voice echoing down the hall. "Two years! It's only been two years! How could you move on so fast—"

The room spun slightly as the words settled in my head. Leonard. My husband. He was with another woman on our anniversary.

Ever since my husband, James Zeller, and I got married, we'd been following the common-law marriage system from his hometown. In other words, we didn't hold a wedding ceremony, held no official marriage license, and refrained from interacting with each other's relatives. I also retained my family name. Ever since he moved to the military base, I'd pretty much lost all contact with him. All I had of him was the photo we took when we got married, the occasional letters he sent home, and some transaction receipts.

Camilla smiled that I thought was as fake as her husband. “Why not. Evenings with you are always fascinating.” Hayden’s gaze was still lingering when his lips curled in a smirk. “Speaking of fascination…” his orbs landed besides me and my body tensed. “Wouldn’t you introduce your wife, Theodore?” Instead of Hazel, my mother answered after beats of hesitation. “She’s Hazel, and Hazel, he’s Hayden, your husbands cousin and she’s Camilla, his wife.” She graced them with a tentative smile. Something dark and volatile emitted through me.

Instead, he said five words that shattered everything she thought she knew. "Daniel Hart isn't your husband." The call disconnected. And for the first time since this nightmare began, Emma realized the truth might be far worse than betrayal. Because if Daniel wasn't really her husband... Then who had she been married to for the last seven years?

I kept my voice low. "No matter what you say, I'm the one he's legally married to. You'll always be the other woman, and your son will grow up without a father." She opened her mouth to fire back, but her phone rang. She turned the screen toward me. The caller ID read, "Hubby." Then she tapped it on speaker mode. Miles's voice came through, easy and familiar. "Hey, honey, are you home yet? Hector says he's hungry." Phoebe glanced at me, slow and deliberate, then spoke into the phone.

A familiar voice said excitedly as he ran down the staircase still talking. "You let me fuck others before they come over to your house, so why not-" He froze at the Spot, immediately he saw me and I cursed my entire existence over again. My alleged husband is my Ex's elder brother.

He cradles her like she’s fragile, shaking his head with an expression I can’t decipher. "Dad!" she sobs, clinging to him. "My husband doesn’t even remember me! I don’t want to live anymore!" The older man strokes her hair soothingly, whispering something too low for me to hear. "Oh, my dear… don’t cry. It’ll be fine. I can’t believe such a tragedy is happening." Husband? The word sends a sharp pulse through my skull. The confusion inside me festers, growing wider. Who are these people?

He sat on the couch in front of me and raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk. "You're pretty ruthless." Looking up indifferently, I met his gaze and replied, "The same goes for you." He deliberately wore his shirt loose to show off his abs, exuding a rebellious, defiant attitude. From the way he looked, I knew he was my husband for this life, Jerome. In my past life, I'd seen him a few times at Hanson family banquets. He'd always come off as a playboy who couldn't stay away from women. I just didn't expect the wedding itself to be this absurd.

And I couldn't stop myself as I dashed forward to throw my arms around him. "Xavier!" I squealed excitedly. But the sound died in my throat as soon as it came, my body suddenly forcing itself to a halt. My husband was reaching into the car for something...or someone. He hadn't come alone. I watched in utter bewilderment as a pair of perfectly manicured hands were suddenly grabbing his arm for support. A woman. A tall, beautiful redhead woman was stepping out, right after him. Matching outfits and all smiles. They were close. Too close.