Tag(s):
• Arranged marriage
• Billionaire
• CEO
• Divorce
• Family
• Love triangle
• painful love

A love that perseveres, a heart that breaks, and a choice that changes everything. -- Lara married the man she cherished most, believing their vows would bind them forever. But love, as she soon learned, was not always enough. Lucas Gabriel Dela Merced never wanted her. To him, she was nothing more than a wife in name. An unwanted presence in his life. Still, Lara refused to surrender to despair. She clung to hope, determined to prove her love and salvage their broken marriage. She poured her heart, hoping, praying that one day he would see her, choose her, love her. But fate was cruel. Lucas' heart was never hers to begin with. Faced with the agonizing truth, Lara stands at a crossroads. Will she keep fighting for a love that may never be hers, or will she finally find the strength to walk away? Will she finally allow herself to heal from the wounds of unrequited love or will she continue to confine herself within this loveless marriage, forever branded as Lucas Gabriel Dela Merced's Unwanted Wife?

Last Update

• Total: 110

• Prologue

  Prologue
  Lara's gaze remained fixated on Lucas ever since the wedding ceremony. Even as they m

• Three Years After

  Chapter 1: Three Years After
  December had just begun, and the air was colder than ever. The ch

• What's So Special About Him?

  Chapter 2: What’s So Special About Him?
  The school day had ended, and most of the children had

• He’s A Great Man

  Chapter 3: He’s A Great Man
  After dropping Ram off at her home, Lara decided to stop by the ma

• I Love You

  Chapter 4: I Love You 
  Minutes turned into hours.
  At some point, exhaustion had won, and Lara h

• She Was The Villain

  Chapter 5: She Was The Villain
  It felt like a slap in the face—harsh, undeniable, and cruel.
  Th

• Enough To Momentarily Fill The Cracks

  Chapter 6: Enough To Momentarily Fill The Cracks
  Lara took a deep breath, wiping away the last

• Guess Who's Back In Town?

  Chapter 7: Guess Who's Back In Town?
  The past few days had flown by in a blur, with Lara's min

• Perfect Son-In-Law

  Chapter 8: Perfect Son-In-Law
  Lara's childhood home came into view as Lucas drove past the gat

• Don't Get The Wrong Idea

  Chapter 9: Don't Get The Wrong Idea
  For the rest of the meal, Lara focused on eating, forcing

• The Familiar Comfort Of Home

  Chapter 10: The Familiar Comfort Of Home
  After chatting with her mother for a while, Lara excu

• The Better Option

  Chapter 11: The Better Option
  After dinner and some lighthearted chatting with her family, Lar

• Too Drunk To Remember

  Chapter 12: Too Drunk To Remember
  Lara woke up with a pounding headache. She groaned as she sa

• A Certified Ladies' Man

  Chapter 13: A Certified Ladies' Man
  As soon as they started driving, silence fell between them

• Cruel Twist Of Fate

  Chapter 14: Cruel Twist Of Fate
  Lara and Duke turned toward the source of the voice, just in t

• Just For Tonight

  Chapter 15: Just For Tonight
  Lara clung desperately to the shards of her composure.
  She couldn'

• Harmless Flirting

  Chapter 16: Harmless Flirting
  Lara blinked, surprised that he knew her name. Did Duke tell him

• Piercing Green Eyes

  Chapter 17: Piercing Green Eyes
  The ice in Lara's glass clinked softly as she reached for the

• Call Your Husband

  Chapter 18: Call Your Husband
  The conversation around Lara carried on, voices blending into th

• He Was Actually A Gentleman

  Chapter 19: He Was Actually A Gentleman
  Lara blinked.
  "Wait… what?"
  "You heard me."
  She frowned.

• Loving The Wrong Man

  Chapter 20: Loving The Wrong Man
  Lara stepped inside the house, shutting the door softly behin

• Maybe One Day

  Chapter 21: Maybe One Day
  The drive to work was uneventful, the familiar roads blurring past a

• Meaningless Words

  Chapter 22: Meaningless Words 
  The next day, Lara went about her usual routine. She showered,

• Dinner With Reagan

  Chapter 23: Dinner With Reagan
  The night air was cool as she locked both the main door and the

• Close

  Chapter 24: Close
  When the last of their meal was finished, Lara caught the attention of a wai

• Progress

  Chapter 25: Progress 
  Lara pulled into the driveway, cutting the engine as she let out a slow

• Realization

  Chapter 26: Realization
  After her last class, Lara decided to stop by the mall to buy a birthd

• Resolve

  Chapter 27: Resolve
  Morning came, bringing with it the warm glow of sunlight filtering through

• Beneath The Surface

  Chapter 28: Beneath The Surface
  The drive to Lucas’ parents’ house was heavy with silence.
  The

• Annulment

  Chapter 29: Annulment
  Once they were away from prying eyes, Lara finally gathered the courage

• End This Charade

  Chapter 30: End This Charade
  Lara took another breath before speaking the words that had been

• Right Kind Of Pain

  Chapter 31: Right Kind Of Pain
  Lara made her way to one of the guest rooms down the hall.
  As so

• Never Again

  Chapter 32: Never Again
  Lara left the house without seeing Lucas.
  She didn't know where he had

• Small Steps Forward

  Chapter 33: Small Steps Forward
  Lara drove back to her condo and parked in her usual spot.
  She

• Crossed Paths

  Chapter 34: Crossed Paths
  Monday morning arrived, and with it, a sense of newness.
  Lara woke up

• Unexpected Dinner Plans

  Chapter 35: Unexpected Dinner Plans
  The lobby of the building was elegant and quiet, designed

• Street Food Adventure

  Chapter 36: Street Food Adventure
  When they finished their food, Lara pulled Reagan along to t

• The Other Woman

  Chapter 37: The Other Woman
  
  Inside the car, Lara quietly gave him the address. Reagan nodded,

• The Unmaking

  Chapter 38: The Unmaking
  When Lara stepped into her condo, the silence wrapped around her like

• Need A Friend

  Chapter 39: Need A Friend
  The sun had barely started its descent when Lara got out of the buil

• Truth On The Table

  Chapter 40: Truth On The Table
  Ali, of course, wasn't done.
  She leaned forward, voice full of m

• Signature

  Chapter 41: Signature
  When Lara got home that evening, she slipped out of her shoes, feeling t

• Riah’s Confession

  Chapter 42: Riah’s Confession
  The sun was dipping low outside the school gates, casting soft a

• Riah’s Confession (2)

  Chapter 43: Riah’s Confession (2)
  Riah bit her bottom lip, her fingers twisting anxiously in t

• Not Going Back

  Chapter 44: Not Going Back
  By the time Lara got home, the sun had dipped below the horizon, ca

• Talk With Lucas

  Chapter 45: Talk With Lucas
  
  
  The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a ge

• Ruins Of What Could Have Been

  Chapter 46: Ruins Of What Could Have Been
  Lara stared at him like he had grown another head. A

• Letting It All Out

  Chapter 47: Letting It All Out
  Lara kept walking, not once glancing back.
  Her chest felt tight,

• In Reagan's Care

  Chapter 48: In Reagan's Care
  
  
  Reagan stood in the open-plan kitchen below, now dressed casually

• Use Me

  Chapter 49: Use Me
  Lara let out a breath.
  "I do," she admitted, her voice quiet but steady. "I'

• Willing To Wait

  Chapter 50: Willing To Wait
  
  
  Lara could hardly breathe.
  
  
  The world felt too quiet. Too still. As

• Delaying The Annulment

  Chapter 51: Delaying The Annulment 
  
  
  On Thursday afternoon, Lara's phone buzzed with a call fro

• Fake Lover

  Chapter 52: Fake Lover
  Lara stood in front of Reagan’s door, her heart pounding so loud it ech

• Staying In Character

  Chapter 53: Staying In Character
  It was Saturday morning, and Lara stood in her kitchen, stari

• I Have You

  Chapter 54: I Have You 
  After finishing their grocery run, Reagan loaded the boxes into the tr

• Persistent

  Chapter 55: Persistent
  Sunday arrived quitely.
  It was afternoon, and Lara sat cross-legged on t

• Breathtaking

  Chapter 56: Breathtaking
  Lara woke up early the next day, the soft morning light filtering thr

• She’s With Me

  Chapter 57: She’s With Me
  The car ride was calm and quiet, save for the soft hum of classical

• Let Him See

  Chapter 58: Let Him See
  Soon, the four of them made their way to a table marked for VIP guests

• Pursuing Lara

  Chapter 59: Pursuing Lara 
  Lara and Reagan continued dancing, their bodies moving slowly in sy

• Didn’t Need To Be Nervous

  Chapter 60: Didn’t Need To Be Nervous 
  Soon enough, Ash and Duke slipped into their own world,

• Not When It Mattered

  Chapter 61: Not When It Mattered
  The applause faded as the final item of the auction was won,

• Just Friends?

  Chapter 62: Just Friends?
  Levi pulled away gently, brushing her hair behind her ear with a bro

• Gone Viral

  Chapter 63: Gone Viral
  The next morning, the sharp, persistent sound of the doorbell jolted La

• Leaving It To Fate

  Chapter 64: Leaving It To Fate
  Lara let out a soft sigh.
  "I don't plan on having a real relatio

• Kept Showing Up

  Chapter 65: Kept Showing Up 
  When the call with her father finally ended, Lara sat motionless

• Lingering Whispers

  Chapter 66: Lingering Whispers
  Monday arrived, slipping quietly past a weekend that had felt f

• No Tears Left

  Chapter 67: No Tears Left
  Lucas’s expression flickered, caught off guard.
  Then his eyes went do

• It’ll Be Okay

  Chapter 68: It’ll Be Okay
  The days that followed were surprisingly uneventful.
  No flowers, no g

• Precious Daughter

  Chapter 69: Precious Daughter 
  It didn’t take long before the gate opened with a familiar crea

• This Ends Tonight

  Chapter 70: This Ends Tonight
  By the time evening fell, rain was pouring relentlessly outside,

• Lucas’s Plea

  Chapter 71: Lucas’s Plea
  The rain was still coming down hard when Lara stepped out of the hous

• Way With Words

  Chapter 72: Way With Words
  Lara spent the weekend at her parents’ house.
  No one mentioned Lucas

• The Photo

  Chapter 73: The Photo
  The second Lara’s screen lit up with the image, her jaw dropped.
  “Oh my G

• Not Contesting Anymore

  Chapter 74: Not Contesting Anymore
  Monday arrived with its usual noise and rush. The city was

• The Settlement Agreement

  Chapter 75: The Settlement Agreement 
  Lara stood in front of the mirror inside the faculty bat

• Do What You Must

  Chapter 76: Do What You Must
  From across the table, Atty. Rocco Velasquez, Lucas’ attorney, op

• Goodbye, Lara

  Chapter 77: Goodbye, Lara
  Lara blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sincerity in Lucas voic

• Ending The Act

  Chapter 78: Ending The Act
  Friday morning arrived quietly, the sky painted with soft streaks o

• I’ll Wait

  Chapter 79: I’ll Wait
  There was silence.
  Lara glanced up, and Reagan was staring at her. He did

• Null And Void

  Chapter 80: Null And Void
  One Year Later
  The warm light of the late afternoon sun stream

• Airport Goodbyes

  Chapter 81: Airport Goodbyes
  The airport bustled with movement.
  Luggage wheels dragging across

• Very Dear

  Chapter 82: Very Dear
  Lara blinked, startled.
  Her eyes instinctively flicked to Ali and Duke, w

• Until Then

  Chapter 83: Until Then
  Lara sat quietly, staring blankly ahead, her thoughts already drifting

• Epilogue (1)

  Epilogue | 1
  Lucas Gabriel Dela Merced had always believed he had complete control over his li

• Epilogue (2)

  Epilogue | 2
  Planning a love confession was an entirely different battlefield for Lucas.
  He had

• Epilogue (3)

  Epilogue | 3
  Lucas courted Riah for almost five months.
  He did his homework down to the smalles

• Epilogue (4)

  Epilogue | 4
  The partnership with Manuel Guzman moved faster than Lucas anticipated.
  Within wee

• Epilogue (5)

  Epilogue | 5
  Hours later, drunk and restless, Lucas found himself standing outside Riah’s hous

• Epilogue (6)

  Epilogue | 6
  Lucas thought the hardest part was behind him.
  He had patched things up with Riah.

• Epilogue (7)

  Epilogue | 7
  It had been days since Lucas last had a full night of sleep. The pressure, the de

• Epilogue (8)

  Epilogue | 8
  Everything moved quickly after that night.
  Their families began arranging formal d

• Epilogue (9)

  Epilogue | 9
  The first year of marriage is often described as the honeymoon phase. Sweet begin

• Epilogue (10)

  Epilogue | 10
  But the heart was never something you could silence with logic. And love isn’t s

• Epilogue (11)

  Epilogue | 11
  But Lucas didn’t expect that Lara would choose to stay.
  After everything he’d don

• Epilogue (12)

  Epilogue | 12
  Later that afternoon, he went looking for Riah.
  She wasn’t home. So he went to he

• Epilogue (13)

  Epilogue | 13
  “I want to break up.”
  Riah’s voice didn’t tremble. She wasn’t crying. But the pai

• Epilogue (14)

  Epilogue | 14
  Days flew by quickly.
  Life, strangely enough, carried on as if nothing had change

• Epilogue (15)

  Epilogue | 15
  Lucas carried her through the hallway and into his old bedroom, walking past the

• Epilogue (16)

  Epilogue | 16
  Lara stood across from him, composed despite the tears that had earlier glistene

• Epilogue (17)

  Epilogue | 17
  A few days passed.
  He was at his office when Riah called out of the blue.
  She didn

• Epilogue (18)

  Epilogue | 18
  After that day, Lucas had never felt more lost.
  The gaping hole in his chest had

• Epilogue (19)

  Epilogue | 19
  Lucas found himself waiting by the end of the corridor near the women’s restroom

• Epilogue (20)

  Epilogue | 20
  A few days later, he didn’t know what compelled him that day.
  He told himself it

• Epilogue (21)

  Epilogue | 21
  After that day, Lucas tried to stay away.
  He truly did.
  He told himself that givin

• Epilogue (22)

  Epilogue | 22
  The moment the gate closed behind Lara, the umbrella slipped from his hand and f

• Epilogue (23)

  Epilogue | 23
  A few days later, Lucas arranged a meeting with Lara and her lawyer to finalize

• Epilogue (24)

  Epilogue | 24
  The lawyers waited in silence, eyes on Lucas, as the question hung in the air.
  Wo

• Epilogue (Finale)

  Epilogue | Finale
  The annulment proceedings moved quickly on paper, but for Lucas, each step f

• Sequel: Worth The Wait

  The Unwanted Wife has finally come to an end!
  To be honest, this wasn’t how I originally plann