Unmatched Wife: Not His To Claim Anymore novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Chapter 101

BIANCA

The morning started with the kind of domestic chaos I’d grown to love over the past months. Louis had woken up early–too early, judging by the circles under Rivera’s eyes–and immediately wanted to know about “the lady in the guest room.”

“Is she sick?” Louis asked, pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate. “Is that why Mummy was here all night instead of tucking me in?”

I’d caught maybe three hours of sleep on the chair beside Vera’s bed, monitoring her vitals, adjusting medications, making sure she remained stable. Rivera had checked on us periodically, bringing coffee and quietly offering support.

“The lady was hurt,” I explained, sliding into the chair beside Louis and accepting the coffee Rivera handed me. “But she’s going to be okay. I just needed to make sure she stayed safe through the night.”

“Like when you helped me get better?” Louis’s eyes were wide and serious. “When I was really sick and you used your magic doctor powers?”

“Similar to that,

yes.”

“Is she going to stay here forever like you did?”

“No, sweetheart. Just until she’s well enough to-“I paused, realizing I had no idea where Vera would go when she recovered. Back into hiding? Somewhere even more remote? “Until she’s better.”

Louis seemed satisfied with this answer and returned to his breakfast with renewed enthusiasm. I watched him eat, this child who’d claimed me as his mother with such absolute certainty, and felt warmth spread through my chest despite my exhaustion.

This was my life now. Morning breakfasts with a five–year–old who asked impossible questions. A man who anticipated my coffee needs before I was fully awake. A sense of belonging I’d never experienced in four years of marriage to Matthew.

“Louis, why don’t you go brush your teeth?” Rivera suggested gently. “We need to leave for school in fifteen minutes.”

“But I’m not done eating-”

“You’ve been pushing those eggs around for ten minutes without taking a bite,” Rivera observed with a slight smile. “I think you’re done.”

Louis considered arguing, then apparently decided it wasn’t worth the effort. He slid off his chair and headed toward the bathroom, leaving Rivera and me alone in the kitchen.

I took another sip of coffee, savoring the quiet moment.

“Bianca,” Rivera said, his voice carefully controlled. “I need to talk to you about something. Before you go back to check on Vera.

11

Something in his tone made me set down my mug and give him my full attention.

“Okay.”

He reached across the table and took my hand, his fingers warm and solid. “There’s something I should have told you weeks ago. Something I’ve been avoiding because I was scared of how you’d react.”

My stomach clenched. Here it was- -whatever secret he’d been keeping, whatever revelation I’d sensed hovering at the edges of our relationship.

“Matthew is in BloodMoon City.”

Chapter 101

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The words didn’t make sense at first. I actually looked around, as if expecting my ex–husband to materialize in Rivera’s kitchen.

“What?”

“He arrived three weeks ago with Theo. Dr. Sloane Fisher is treating Theo for trauma–related selective mutism–complications from processing your death.”

The kitchen tilted slightly. I gripped Rivera’s hand harder, using it as an anchor.

“My son is here,” I said slowly. “My son. Theo. Is here. In this city.”

“Yes.”

“For three weeks.”

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell me.” It wasn’t a question.

Rivera’s expression was pained but he didn’t look away. “I didn’t tell you. And I have no excuse for that except cowardice. I was scared that if you knew Theo was here, you’d want to see him. And if you wanted to see him, you might-” He stopped, swallowing hard. “You might realize your real family matters more than the one you’ve built here.”

I pulled my hand free and stood up, needing space t

Matthew. Here. In BloodMoon City.

And Theo. My baby. The son I’d left behind, th

this information.

child I’d grieved for every single day since I supposedly died.

“Why are they here?” I asked, my voice coming out steadier than I felt. “Are they looking for me? Did Matthew figure out I’m alive?”

“No,” Rivera said quickly. “As far as Matthew knows, you died during the ritual and were cremated. He has no reason to suspect otherwise. They’re here because Theo has been struggling with your death–severe grief reactions, selective mutism, guilt about things he said to you before you died.”

Guilt. My sweet boy was carrying guilt about my death.

I sank back into my chair, my legs suddenly unable to support me.

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