Unmatched Wife: Not His To Claim Anymore novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41

MATTHEW

Mia’s recovery was nothing short of a miracle. I had been checking up on her when I could, while carrying out, albeit slowly burial’s preparations.

By the fourth day, she was walking the halls of the recovery wing without assistance from the nurses, moving normally. By the fifth day, she was getting restless of staying in the hospital where she was reminded daily she almost died and she was asking to be discharged.

By the sixth, she was back in my house, looking healthier than I’d seen her in over a year. She no longer had that sick pale face, but her face was rosy and bright, her eyes filled with glee.

It should have filled me with joy. Relief. I should have been vindicated that Bianca’s sacrifice hadn’t been in vain. Instead, I felt hollow and empty. None of the joy I expected I’ll have when she was finally healthy.

I watched Mia move through my kitchen easily with familiarity that comes knowing she knew every nook and cranny of the house after she had been a frequent visitor when she was dying, she was making coffee like she’d been doing it for years instead of weeks, and something nagged at the back of my mind. She’d been dying. She had less than a year to love. The illness had been so aggressive and terminal and here she was, less than a week after the procedure, showing no lingering symptoms of the disease.

“Matthew?” Her voice pulled me from my thoughts. “You’re staring. Is something wrong?”

“No. Just… you look good. Really good. I’m glad the treatment worked so well.”

She smiled, crossing to where I sat at the kitchen table and running her fingers through my hair. The touch that should have comforted me instead made my skin crawl

“I feel amazing,” she said. “Like I’ve been given a second chance at life. At happiness. At everything I thought I’d lost.”

Her hand moved to my shoulder, possessive and certain, and I had to force myself not to pull away.

“I should check on Theo,” I said, standing abruptly. “He hasn’t eaten breakfast yet.”

“I can do that.” Mia moved toward the stairs. “Let me help. He and I used to get along so well, and maybe seeing me healthy will make him feel better about-”

“No.” The word came out sharper than I intended as she looked at me confused. I forced a smile on my face, apologetic as I added. “I mean, let me. He’s… he’s having a hard time right now.”

“All the more reason for me to try. I care about Theo, Matthew. I want to be there for him.”

Before I could stop her, she was heading up the stairs toward Theo’s room. I followed, dread building in my chest with each step.

The door to Theo’s room was slightly ajar. I heard Mia push it open fully, heard her gentle voice.

“Hey, sweetheart, I brought you some breakfast. Your favorite–chocolate chip pancakes-

“GET OUT!”

Theo’s scream was so loud, filled with anger and grief, that I took the remaining stairs two at a time,

I found my son pressed against the headboard of his bed, his face red and tear–stained, his small body shaking as he pointed at Mia with one accusing finger.

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“You’re not Mama! You’re NOT! I want my REAL Mama!”

“Theo, honey, I know you’re upset, but-” Mia took a step closer, her voice soothing, but Theo scrambled further away, avoiding her touch like she was diseased.

“NO! GO AWAY! I HATE YOU! YOU MADE MY MAMA GO AWAY!”

“Sweetie, that’s not-”

“I SAID GO AWAY!” He grabbed his stuffed wolf and threw it at her with a lot of force. “I don’t want you here! I want Mama! MAMA!”

He dissolved into sobs, and when Mia tried to approach again, he screamed louder.

“Mia.” I stepped into the room, putting myself between her and my son. “Please. Just go. I’ll handle this.”

“But Matthew, I can help. If I just explain—”

“GO!” Theo’s scream was raw, desperate. “I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!”

Something in Mia’s expression shifted–just for a moment, so quickly I almost missed it. But I saw pure anger flashed across her features for moment before she smiled again.

“Of course,” she said, her voice tight, strained. She had never had Theo reject her before so she was trying to mask her hurt feelings. “I’ll give you two some space.”

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