Unmatched Wife: Not His To Claim Anymore novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Chapter 64

BIANCA

Somehow, he knew I’d lied.

I got out of the car on shaking legs, preparing for a confrontation I had no idea how to navigate.

“How was lunch?” His voice was carefully neutral.

“Fine. Good. The usual hospital talk.” The lies kept coming, automatic and awful.

“Really.” He moved down the steps toward me, each movement controlled, deliberate. “Because I called the hospital to check on something for your exam, and they mentioned you weren’t scheduled to meet anyone today. In fact, several people specifically mentioned they hadn’t seen you at all this week.”

Oh God.

“I can explain-“I started.

“Where were you, Bianca?” He was close now, close enough that I could see the hurt underneath his anger. “Who did you really meet with?”

“It’s complicated-”

“Uncomplicate it.” His voice went hard, commanding. “You lied to me. Deliberately. Looked me in the eye and lied about where you were going, who you were meeting. So tell me

now, or-”

“Or what?” The words came out sharper than I’d intended, defensive. “You’ll what, Lucian? Forbid me from leaving? Demand I tell you every move I make? Because I’ve already had one man try to control my life that way, and I won’t accept it again from

anyone.”

He stepped back like I’d slapped him. “Control? You think this is about control?”

“Isn’t it? You want to know where I am at all times, who I’m meeting, what I’m doing. That sounds pretty familiar to me.”

“I want to know because I care about you!” His calm was cracking, real emotion bleeding through. “Because BloodMoon City isn’t as safe as it seems, because there are people here who would hurt you if they knew what you could do, because–” He broke off, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “Do you know where the industrial district is controlled by?”

“Some pack that doesn’t respect the city’s laws, yes, I know—‘

“A pack that trades in illegal magic and curse work. That disappears people who ask too many questions.” His voice dropped dangerously low. “A pack that would have snatched you off the street if they’d realized you were alone and vulnerable. And I wouldn’t have been able to protect you because you lied to me about where you were going.”

“Protect.” I latched onto the word with bitter recognition. “There it is. You want to protect me. Just like Matthew wanted to protect me. Right up until his protection meant sacrificing me for someone he actually cared about.”

“Don’t.” Rivera’s voice went sharp. “Don’t compare me to him. I am nothing like your ex–husband.”

“Aren’t you? Both wanting to know where I am, who I see, making decisions about my safety without actually asking what I want

“What you want?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Fine. Tell me what you want, Bianca. You want to investigate dangerous curse work alone? You want to meet with people in the most unsafe part of the city without backup? You want to get yourself killed?”

“I want to break Louis’s curse!” The words exploded out of me. “I want to understand who cursed him and why so I can undo it

Chapter 64

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completely instead of just patching over it and hoping it holds. And yes, that means taking risks. That means meeting with people who have information I need. That means-”

“DADDY? MUMMY?”

We both froze.

Louis stood in the doorway, his small face crumpled with tears, his stuffed wolf clutched to his chest.

“Why are you yelling?” His voice was so small, so frightened. “Are you fighting? Are you–are you going to make Mummy leave?

་་

The question hit me like a physical blow. Because of course that’s what Louis would fear. That raised voices meant someone leaving, that conflict meant abandonment.

Rivera and I moved toward him simultaneously, our argument forgotten in the face of his distress.

“No, buddy,” Rivera said gently, crouching to Louis’s level. “Nobody’s leaving. Mummy and I were just… having a disagreement. Like adults sometimes do.”

“But you were yelling,” Louis insisted, his tears spilling over. “And Mummy looked sad. And I don’t want you to be sad. I don’t want anyone to leave.”

I knelt beside Rivera, taking Louis’s free hand. “Hey, sweetheart. Look at me. I’m not leaving, okay? Your dad and I just had different opinions about something, and we let it get too loud. That was wrong of us, and I’m sorry we scared you.”

“Do you still love each other?” The question was so earnest, so desperately hopeful.

Rivera and I exchanged a look over Louis’s head. Love. We’d been dancing around the word for weeks, neither quite brave enough to say it out loud.

“Yes,” Rivera said quietly, his eyes on mine. “We do.”

“Then why were you fighting?”

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