The Wife You Never Wanted

For three years, Jared never touched Lucia. But late at night, he'd sneak off and get off to a photo of Alice—her so-called sister. Lucia didn't find out until she saw his phone by accident. That's when it hit her—he only married her for revenge. She was the real heiress, swapped at birth. But when she came back, everyone acted like she'd stolen Alice's life. Crushed, Lucia walked away. Back to her true family. What she didn't expect? Jared losing his mind, tearing through the world trying to find her. Chapter 1 On their third anniversary, Lucia opened a drawer and found the same box of condoms she'd bought before the wedding—still sealed. Not like they forgot protection. They just never had anything to protect. Three years, and Jared hadn't touched her once. So that night, she got bold. New lingerie, three glasses of red, and she wrapped her arms around his neck the second he stepped out of the shower. "Babe," she whispered. "Let's—" He shoved her off. "Seriously, Lucia? Have you no shame?" His voice was ice. "If you're that desperate, go hump a stick." She froze, color draining from her face. She couldn't wrap her head around it. She was reaching out to her husband, and he hit her with "no shame"? Lucia didn't sleep a second. Buried under the covers, she scrolled through a forum on her phone: [The pain of a sexless marriage. What should I do if my husband's never touched me since we got married?] Some replies hinted maybe he was into guys. Others wondered if he just... couldn't. Restless, she got up for water—and noticed the bed was empty. The bathroom light was on. Weird sounds slipped through the cracked door. She stepped closer. Peeked in. And her blood ran cold. Jared—the guy who acted like he didn't care for "anything" physical—was going at it. To a photo of her "sister." Alice Lynch. He really thought Lucia was out cold—eyes glazed, voice low, "Alice... Alice..." Lucia stumbled back to the bedroom, heart pounding. Jared's phone lit up on the nightstand. Her fingers shook as she picked it up. She'd always known the passcode. Never used it—until now. On his chat app, she opened a group thread with his buddies: [Jared, 1000 days of celibacy today, right? You have to come out and celebrate!] [No way. Three years married and still no action?] [Lucia might be a bumpkin, but with that face and body? You've seriously held back?] [Obviously. He made that vow to Alice—stay pure for her. Jared's never broken a promise to Alice.] [Total legend. Lucia stole Alice's spot as the Lynch heiress, so Jared faked the whole marriage. His parents forced it, but it was all part of his plan.] [Yeah, marry Lucia, wait it out, then dump her. Make her look used and tossed.] [Now that Dawson Corp's yours, time to cut her loose?] The chat paused. Then Jared's reply, sent right before he hit the shower: [Soon.] Just one word. Lucia went ghost white. Lucia was an orphan raised overseas by her adoptive parents. Four years ago, she came back to Khelmark and found out she was actually the long-lost daughter of the Lynch family. It hadn't been abandonment—someone had swapped the babies. The Lynches brought her back, but couldn't let go of Alice, the fake daughter they'd raised. So they kept both girls. There'd been a marriage pact between the Dawsons and Lynches for years. Jared was supposed to marry Alice. Then suddenly, it was Lucia. She never wanted it. But Jared? He chased her like crazy. Relentless. When she couldn't stomach Khelmark's food, Jared flew in her favorites from Italvia on a private jet. When she couldn't sleep, he stayed on the phone all night. Then came the kidnapping. The ransom call forced the family to pick one daughter to save. They chose Alice. But Jared? He stormed in alone and got Lucia out. Bit by bit, she fell for him. Said yes to the wedding. Then everything flipped. He went cold. Distant. Never laid a hand on her. She used to worry he was sick. Now she knew better—he wasn't sick, and he wasn't asexual. He was saving himself for someone else. She didn't get it. It wasn't her fault she'd gone missing. Wasn't her fault the Lynch family brought her back. So why did Jared treat her like this? Tears blurred her vision just as her phone buzzed. Lucia stepped onto the balcony and picked up. "Lucia." It was Francesca—soft voice, calm as ever. The woman who raised her. "My birthday's coming up. Will you come home to Italvia?" She paused. "Of course, if your birth parents don't approve... forget I asked." Giovanni and Francesca Loredan had adopted Lucia legally. They couldn't have kids, but they loved her like she was theirs. But in Khelmark, blood was everything. And because of Jared, Lucia had stayed behind for four long years. Now... The tears she'd been holding back finally broke free. Her voice cracked. "Mom, I want to come back to Italvia." Francesca's voice sharpened, panicked. "Sweetheart, what happened? Did the Lynch family hurt you? Come home now! I swear, once you're in Italvia, no one will touch you!" The Loredans were powerhouses—top of Italvia's business world, with reach all over Europe. "I'll handle everything," Francesca rushed out. "I'll send the jet in three days. You're my daughter, and I won't let anyone hurt you." Chapter 2 The next morning, Lucia's phone buzzed nonstop. Half-asleep, she grabbed it—dozens of voice messages from Jared's mom. She tapped one without thinking, and the woman's anxious voice blasted through the room. "Lucia, another month gone. Still no baby news? "I'm serious—you and Jared need to try harder. Even if it's exhausting at night, you must have a baby this year..." Lucia scrambled to mute it. Too late. She looked up—and Jared was already walking out of the bathroom. Jared froze mid-button, lips curling into a cold laugh. "Wow, Lucia. Using my mom to drop hints first thing in the morning? That desperate, huh?" She went pale. "I didn't—" Before she could finish, he grabbed her chin, rough and sharp. His thumb and middle finger pinched her jaw while his index finger skimmed the curve of her throat. "You didn't?" he sneered. "Then why are you still wearing THIS?" Lucia stiffened. She glanced down—still in last night's black lace nightgown. The sheer fabric clung to her skin like glass on porcelain. From where he stood, the lace barely covered a thing. His throat bobbed. 'Especially those breasts—Jared, how do you resist squeezing them?' The crude message from his group chat flashed in his mind, and his eyes darkened. He shoved her back and looked away, jaw clenched. "Too bad it won't go your way. The baby's already handled. Get dressed—we're going out." And just like that, he walked off, leaving her stunned. 'Handled? The baby?' Thirty minutes later, the black Maybach rolled to a stop. Lucia glanced out the window—and froze. "Why did you bring me to a hospital?" Chapter 3 Jared didn't say a word. Just marched her straight into the OB/GYN wing. The medical team was already lined up, waiting. One of the doctors stepped forward, all polite and professional. "Mrs. Dawson, please change into the surgical gown. We'll start with an ovulation shot. The egg retrieval might sting a little—" Lucia froze. "Egg retrieval? For what?" Jared's patience snapped. "For IVF. How else are we having a baby?" Her blood ran cold. They were both healthy. He still chose IVF? Just to avoid touching her? She tried to hold steady, but her voice cracked. "Why?" "What do you mean, why?" "Why have this baby?" Her eyes snapped up. "Do you even want a kid with me?" He'd been planning to divorce her—so what was the point? Jared's brow creased. Something felt off. Lucia used to dream about having his baby. Even through IVF, she should've been excited. But now? She looked like she was barely holding it together. That look lit a fuse in him. His voice went cold. "Because our families need a kid to lock in the alliance. What, you thought I actually wanted a kid with your DNA?" Her face went ghost white. It was never about love. Just the families. Always the damn families. She lowered her head, eyes burning. What was she to him, really? Even with divorce on the table, he still had to squeeze every last bit of worth out of her? Her fists trembled. "What if I say no?" "What?" Jared actually froze. He clearly hadn't considered that. But then his expression twisted—like something clicked. He grabbed her chin, sneering. "Afraid that once there's a kid, you'll lose your last excuse to beg me for sex?" His tone dripped with mockery. "You'd rather I do it myself? Sorry, not into you." Then he shoved her to the floor. "I'm not asking, Lucia. If you want my kid, this is the only way." He turned to the staff. "Hold her down. Prep the OR." Lucia fought, but they pinned her to the table. The needle pierced her—white-hot pain exploded. Tears streamed down her cheeks. 'Why... 'Why do you have to treat me like this, Jared...' The hormones hit hard. Everything spun. Then—darkness. *** Lucia came to the next day, groggy and aching. A doctor beside her let out a breath of relief. "Good, you're awake, Mrs. Dawson. You had a strong reaction to the hormones—acute stress response. Thankfully, nothing serious." Her voice came out hoarse. "Where's Jared?" The doctor paused. "He left after... providing his sample." Lucia blinked. Then it hit her—what "sample" meant. Her hands clenched the sheets. Had he used Alice's photo again? Thinking about her while making a child with Lucia— Her stomach turned. The doctor kept going. "The procedure was rough, but embryo creation went very smoothly. Look." He opened a chilled container. Inside sat five tiny test tubes. Lucia stared. These... were her children? The doctor kept talking. "Once you're stable, we'll implant the strongest embryo. Then you—Mrs. Dawson! What are you—" Chapter 4 Before the doctor could finish, Lucia grabbed the test tubes and hurled them to the floor. "I said I don't want to have his child." Her face was pale, but her eyes were stone cold. "No matter what Jared paid you, I'll pay ten times more. Just don't tell him." The doctor freaked. "But... if Mr. Dawson asks—" "Then wait till he does." She was done. If she was walking away, she'd burn every bridge on her way out. Lucia stared at the broken glass on the floor, a dull ache tightening in her chest. Once, she'd dreamed of having Jared's baby. Now? Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. She turned and walked out—never looking back. *** Lucia checked herself out of the hospital on her own. Back home, the scent of Jared still clung to every room. It was suffocating. She needed air—needed space. So she headed to the hunting grounds. Back in Italvia, riding and hunting had been her escape. Khelmark didn't have much for that at first, but when Francesca found out, she bought a whole mountain, turned it into a private hunting estate, and handed it over to Lucia. Whenever things got heavy, this was where Lucia went to breathe. Now, it was a hotspot for Khelmark's elite—state-of-the-art, exclusive, and entirely hers. She pulled up to the gates—and froze. A familiar black Maybach was already parked outside. The door opened. Jared stepped out, carrying Alice like some fairytale prince. "Jared, put me down," Alice said, all coy and breathy. "I can walk." "It just rained. The ground's wet," he said. Alice flushed deeper, pleased—until he set her down and she spotted Lucia. She stiffened. "Lucia?" Only then did Jared look up—and see her. His frown kicked in instantly. He remembered the call from the doctor—something about Lucia having a stress reaction. She wasn't in danger, so he didn't bother checking in. Didn't expect to run into her here. Noticing how pale she still looked, a strange wave of irritation crept up his spine. "What are you doing here?" She blinked, steady and cool. "I came to ride." Alice and Jared hadn't shown up alone—they brought their usual crew of rich brats. The second Lucia answered, the jeering started. "Horseback riding? Lucia, do you even KNOW how to ride?" "You think hunting on horseback's like riding a donkey back in the sticks? Don't snap your neck!" Lucia had always kept quiet about her background. With her adoptive parents tied to serious power in Italvia—and whispered mafia rumors—she stayed lowkey. Even the Lynch family barely knew the full story. So the crowd just assumed she was some bumpkin who lucked into wealth. Jared's guys started whistling, loud and gross. "No stress if you can't ride, Lucia. I'll take you. Front or back?" "Back, obviously. Those two big ones bouncing against me? Man, that'd wake ANYONE up." The group roared with laughter, eyes crawling all over her like they had zero shame. Jared's fists clenched. His jaw tightened, gaze turning ice-cold. Then Alice stepped in, soft and sweet. "Alright, don't say that about my sister." The fake little defense only made it worse. One of the girls scoffed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Well, no wonder people talk, Alice. Your sister's got the face of a total seductress." Another jumped in, smirking. "Yeah, twins? Please. Lucia looks nothing like you. She just screams cheap." When the Lynch family found Lucia, her real parents—Michael and Joanne—couldn't bring themselves to let go of Alice. So they spun the perfect story—both girls were their biological daughters, separated at birth in a hospital mix-up. Everyone bought it. Lucia and Alice—'twins.' Alice shot a nervous glance at Lucia, afraid she'd finally spill the truth. But Lucia didn't say a word. She just turned and walked into the hunting grounds without looking back. Only then did Alice exhale and quickly shift gears. "Anyway, enough about that. Let's go hunting! I heard there's a white fox out here," she said, voice light and sweet. "Legend says if you catch one and gift it to your beloved, you'll never be apart." She looked at Jared, all shy smiles. The group geared up and headed into the mountains. Lucia took a separate trail, wanting nothing to do with them. But the skies turned fast—rain started falling hard. The mountain was risky in weather like this. Landslides weren't rare. Lucia turned back fast. When she got to the lodge, chaos had already broken out. Alice and the others were in full panic mode. No sign of Jared. Lucia walked over, brows tight. "What's going on?" "It's bad, Lucia!" Alice sobbed. "Jared's trapped in the mountain!" Chapter 5 Lucia froze. "How did he get trapped in the mountain?" Through her sobs, Alice spilled it. They'd spotted a white fox. Jared ignored the rain, chased it alone, and the mountain gave out. He got buried in a landslide. "This is insane." Lucia's eyes narrowed. "This mountain's notorious for landslides. Wolves come out at night too. Is he trying to get himself killed?" One of Jared's friends snapped, "Why are you yelling? Got a better plan? We already talked to staff—the fastest rescue team's at least six hours out... Lucia, what are you—!" Gasps rippled through the group. Lucia had already swung onto a horse like she was born in the saddle. "I'm going to get him," she said, voice like ice. Then she was gone—riding off without a glance back. "Lucia can RIDE... like that?" someone whispered. Alice went pale, her fists clenched tight. *** Lucia knew the terrain like the back of her hand. She found a safe trail and pushed into the mountains without hesitation. She wasn't doing this just for show. First—this land was under her name. If someone died out here, she'd be the one held liable. Walking away clean from Khelmark? Not gonna happen. Second—she owed Jared her life. Back when she'd just returned to the Lynch family, she and Alice were kidnapped. The kidnappers made the family choose. Michael and Joanne chose Alice. The daughter they weren't related to. Lucia had been left to die. Jared was the one who'd come for her—alone. Took three stab wounds and nearly bled out that night. That debt... she'd never forgotten. And today, she was here to settle it. Lucia rode through the storm for five brutal hours before she found him. He was out cold in a cave, clutching the white fox like it was treasure. Whispering under his breath— "Alice... for you... this is for you..." Her face darkened. So he nearly died—for a fox? A gift for Alice? She gave a bitter smile and reached for him. Then her eyes caught something—dozens of glowing green dots in the dark. Wolves. She hadn't planned for this, but she didn't hesitate. Raised her rifle and stood her ground. An hour later, the cave was silent. Every wolf—dead. She'd been bitten three times. 'Three... same as the number of wounds Jared took for me back then.' Bleeding and shaking, she dragged him onto the horse and took off. When they reached the lodge, everyone went pale. Lucia—soaked in blood—barely held herself up. She slid off the horse and shoved Jared into Alice's arms. "Tell Jared Dawson—he's repaid," she muttered. Then everything went dark. *** Lucia woke up in a hospital bed, her wounds bandaged. She turned to the nurse. "Where's the man who came in with me?" After getting Jared's room number, she headed down the hall. Just as her hand touched the door, she froze. From inside, she heard one of Jared's buddies say, "Jared, it was ALICE who braved the storm to save you. She really does love you!" Chapter 6 Lucia's hand tightened on the handle. She had saved him. How did Alice steal that too? Then came Alice's soft, shy voice. "Jared only went after the white fox because of me. Saving you was the least I could do, but..." Her tone shifted—just a little darker. "You didn't have to bring me a white fox to cheer me up. I know the truth... You've always loved Lucia. That's why you risked everything to save her from the kidnappers back then..." "That's not true!" one of Jared's friends snapped, voice sharp. "That whole kidnapping? Jared planned it!" "What?" Alice gasped. But Jared's buddies kept going. "Yeah, Jared set the whole thing up to make the Lynches realize which of their daughters they love more. He paid people to stage the kidnapping, grabbed both you and Lucia." "That rescue stunt? Totally planned. He saved Lucia on purpose—played the hero so she'd fall for him and say yes to the marriage." "But don't stress, Alice. Jared only married her for the family deal—and to get revenge for you. He's already got the divorce lined up. Right, Jared?" Silence. Heavy. Then Jared's voice came through, flat and sure. "That's right." Outside the door, Lucia staggered back. Even the kidnapping—one of the only things she thought was real—had been a setup. Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of the spiral. She answered. Francesca's voice came through. "Sweetheart, the jet I arranged takes off tomorrow at noon. Make sure you're at the airport on time." "Got it, Mom." She hung up and glanced back at the hospital room door, lips twisting into a bitter smile. Maybe this was how it was always meant to end. She didn't owe Jared a thing. Not after this. Nothing between them but a useless piece of paper. There never had been. And there never would be. *** Lucia had stuff to wrap up before she bounced. First stop? Her lawyer—divorce papers signed, sealed, done. Next, she hit a downtown club to meet Cole Carter, an old classmate. Italvian guy, but he'd been killing it in Khelmark's asset game for years. Back when Lucia first moved there, Giovanni and Francesca had low-key freaked out she'd get screwed over. So they stashed a bunch of assets under her name—like that massive hunting estate. And yeah, turns out the biggest clients of Lynch Corp and Dawson Corp were actually hers. She just never said anything. Now that she was peacing out, someone had to take the wheel. Cole was it. Catching up with old friends meant drinks, obviously. Cole got a little buzzed before he finally leaned in. "You seriously cutting off Lynch Corp and Dawson Corp? They're still big names, but let's be real—they've been sinking. If you pull out, they'll bleed." Lucia didn't hesitate. "I'm sure." He let out a low whistle. "Then let 'em bleed. Should've known what they had." She had a flight to catch, so they wrapped things up early. But on their way down the stairs, Lucia suddenly stumbled. Cole caught her. "Sorry," she muttered. They were standing close—like, really close—when she looked up and froze. Jared and his crew were walking out of a nearby private room. His friends spotted her and immediately started mouthing off. "Yo, what's this? Jared, your girl's got a new guy?" "No way! And a guy like him? Lucia, really? Didn't know you were into that." Chapter 7 Jared's face darkened, but his buddies were too busy running their mouths to notice. "C'mon, Jared's the full package—no way Lucia's not satisfied." "Nah, man, she's clearly not getting any at home. Gotta get her fix somewhere! Hahaha!" Their laughter cut sharp through the air. Jared didn't flinch. He just walked straight up to her. "Lucia." His voice was cold. "Who is he?" Lucia stayed cool. "Not your business." Jared's eyes lit up with rage. He grabbed her chin, leaning in way too close. "Lucia." His voice dripped with venom. "Can't survive without a man, huh?" The insult should've burned—but she felt nothing. Cole jumped in, trying to defuse it. "No, it's not like that. Lucia and I—" She shut him down fast. "Yeah." Her smile was ice. "What can I say? My own husband couldn't get the job done. What was I supposed to do—die frustrated?" The whole hallway froze. Jared's crew just gawked. Everyone knew Jared had never touched her. Lucia had been hopelessly loyal, and the jokes were just that—jabs to humiliate, not actual suspicion. No one thought she'd ever cross the line. But now? Jared's face went ice-cold. "What did you just say?" Lucia's smile only sharpened. "Did I lie? If you can't satisfy me, what's wrong with grabbing a little something on the side—ah!" She didn't get to finish. Jared suddenly threw her over his shoulder like it was nothing and stormed off. Next thing she knew, she was tossed into a car. The chauffeur sensed the tension and bolted from the car. The door slammed. Inside, it was just the two of them. Jared dropped his weight on her, pinning her down. Lucia's calm cracked. "Jared, what the hell?!" He sneered, ripping off his tie. "Didn't you say I couldn't satisfy you? Let's fix that." Then he kissed her—hard. Outta nowhere. Wasn't their first. They'd kissed before the wedding. Not once since. His lips froze. He forgot her taste—soft, a little sweet. Threw him off. He flipped her, bent her back like he couldn't help it. "Ah..." She almost screamed, almost shoved him off— Then his phone buzzed. He froze, glanced at the screen, answered quick. "What?" His face changed. "Alice is in the ER?" Chapter 8 Just like that, the heat vanished. On the way to the hospital, Lucia finally got the tea. Someone outed Alice online—not Michael and Joanne's real kid. Just a poser heiress. Even though the parents scrambled to explain, the leaker dropped a paternity test. Solid receipts. The internet? Lost its mind. Alice had over ten million followers. Her whole brand? Rich girl energy. Now she was exposed as a fraud, and people were pissed. The comments went feral. She'd never faced hate like this—and snapped. Tried to end it with poison. By the time they rolled up to the hospital, Jared had just wrapped a call with PR. He didn't move. Just turned to Lucia. "Lucia." His tone was all command. "You need to go public. Say Alice is your sister." She let out a dry laugh. "Why would I?" "Because it works better coming from you." He sounded fed up. "If I say it—or your parents—no one buys it. They'll think we're covering for her and feel bad for you. But if it's you, they'll believe it." She got the logic. Didn't mean she liked it. She sneered. "I said—why would I?" She was the real daughter, but her parents picked Alice every time. She was the wife, but Jared's heart? Always Alice's. She lost everything—yet somehow Alice stayed the victim, shoving her out of her own life. Jared's expression turned cold. "Fine. I get it. You don't do favors for free." He tugged at his tie. "How about this—help Alice, and I'll finally do my husbandly duty." Lucia stiffened. "What duty?" "To sleep with you," he said flatly. "Don't act like I didn't notice what you pulled with that foreign guy. Trying to bait me into your bed." Now that he'd cooled off, it all clicked. Lucia didn't really want someone else. She loved him too much. Everything she said at the club? Just a ploy to get a rise out of him. The worst part—it nearly worked. That pissed him off even more. He kept going, annoyed. "So yeah. Help Alice, and I'll sleep with you. Regularly. That good enough?" Lucia went pale. She looked up at him, voice shaking. "Jared Dawson... what do you think I am?" He'd actually tried to trade sex like it was some deal. Was that all she was to him? That worthless? Jared saw her pale face—and something twisted in his chest. Sharp. Unfamiliar. It made him twitchy. He snapped. Patience gone, he grabbed her and kissed her hard. If he could just break her in bed, she'd stop fighting him. With that sick thought, he gave in—crushing her lips, stealing every breath—until— Pain ripped through his tongue. Blood hit his mouth. He pulled back, stunned. "You bit me?" Chapter 9 Lucia's lips were smeared with blood, her pale face even more hollow. Her eyes—bloodshot. Jared froze. Then Eric, his assistant, showed up at the car. "Mr. Dawson," he said low, "Miss Alice Lynch is awake. She's crying... asking for you." Reality crashed back. Jared shoved down the weird twist in his chest and forced himself to lock it up. He looked at Lucia, ice-cold. "There's a press conference this afternoon. You're showing up. Tell them Alice is your real sister. If you don't, I swear—I'll never touch you again." He stepped out. The door slammed shut behind him. Lucia couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears came. 'Never again? Jared... there's no 'again' left for us.' She pulled out her phone and typed: [Mr. Wade, please head to the press conference and publicly announce my divorce from Jared Dawson.] Sent the message to her attorney. Then she looked at the chauffeur. "To the airport." *** An hour later, Lucia stepped onto the private jet Francesca had ready. She checked her phone—over a dozen missed calls from Jared. Her inbox was a mess: [Press conference starts in 30. Where are you?] [Don't say I didn't warn you. If you skip this, I'll never touch you again!] [Where the hell are you?!] The more unhinged he got, the calmer she felt. She powered off her phone, yanked out the SIM, and tossed it aside. As the jet picked up speed on the runway, she closed her eyes. 'Goodbye, Jared. 'Goodbye, bio parents.' Four years ago, their lives weren't tangled. From now on, they never would be again.