The Unseen Wife, The Unloved Fiancée

oulmate. Our life was perfect. Tonight, while borrowing his

zel was his older brother, who died two

ewart to the movi

rieda Stewart f

the rest of her l

ok a call on the balcony from a wo

. "Marrying Elfrieda is just... a business tr

u," every touch was just an item on a checklist. I wasn't his soulmate; I was a ta

out that, a crisis at the office." He then suggested a trip to

I picked up my own phone a

get me? I need

pte

Jaxon Tate's shoulder, the scent of his cologne a familiar comfort. We had

asked, reaching for his phone on th

he murmured, his fingers

felt full. I tapped on the food delivery app, but my thumb slipped, closing the app

me. It was probably just a

older brother, who had passed away two years ago. My eyes

Stewart to the mov

ewart her favorite p

wart the violin she

Elfrieda Stewart

rieda Stewart

wart for the rest of h

s about me. And every single one ended wi

ands started to tremble. This wasn't a to-do

d, his voice pulling me fr

able, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Nothing. Ju

couldn't process the meaning behind that list. Was our enti

loser, his embrace feeling like a cage. "Don

n and his expression shifted. It was a subtle change, a flicke

d, getting up and walking tow

click. A small gap remained. I couldn't help myself.

but I could hear

u not to call me w

etheart. The one he always said was a closed chapter, that th

nny through the phone, replied. "When are you going

propose soon, just like Denzel wanted. Once we're married, I can fulfill

again, sharp and possessive.

. "You're the only one I've ever loved. Marrying Elfrieda is just... a business transact

my happiness?"

is voice softening. "You're my wife,

i

m. It bounced off the walls and b

My vision blurred, the cozy living room twisting into a distorted nightmare. Three

s all

ll for his brother. He wasn't my loving boyfriend. He was an actor, playing a part for a dead au

en and stepped back inside, a

hat. A crisis

ars I hadn't realized were falling. I must have looked

shing to my side and trying

skin. I flinched away. "I'm fin

dy a dead weight. My mind was racing,

nd was warm, but all I could feel was the icy chill of his betrayal. "And I was thinkin

s for my brother. I didn't need to see the list again to

e," I managed to sa

my answer. "Great. I'll ha

not quickly enough. I saw the name 'My Wife' and a message preview: "Don't forget the m

emembered, I need to run an errand for my mom. I'll b

on my cheek. He didn't seem to notice. He just grabbed his keys a

ould barely type. I went to Janice's social media profile. It was private, but her profile picture was a re

his hair curled at the nape of his neck. It was Jaxon. And on Jan

nths into their secret marriage. Six month

sit him in the hospital. Jaxon was always there. He was so kind, so attentive, not just to Denzel,

saw me. I thought he fell

e on that list was probably "Comfort Elfrieda S

my heart, my trust, my future. I had turned down a scholarship to a prestigi

ure, he was smiling, looking at me with what I thought was love. Now, all I could see was the performance

ldn't stay another second in

hone and dialed m

up?" his cheerf

uld barely speak. "Jameel

ly. "What happened? Wher

. "Just... please come get