The Wife You Never Wanted

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."