The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 256

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Chapter 256 A good mother

Mia’s POV

“Madison Elizabeth Whitmore!”

Victoria’s voice cut through the evening air like a blade.

She’s coming towards us.

Madison immediately shrank in on herself, her entire body language changing. Gone was the vulnerable little girl I’d been talking to. There was only a child who looked terrified of disappointing her mother.

“There you are,” Victoria said, her voice artificially sweet. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, darling.”

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” Madison whispered. “I just wanted to see—‘

“What have I told you about wandering off?” Victoria’s hand landed on Madison’s shoulder, and I saw the little girl wince slightly. “You know how worried Mommy gets when she can’t find you.‘

“I was just talking to Madison,” I said, stepping forward. “She seemed-”

“I don’t remember asking for your input,” Victoria cut me off, her eyes flashing with anger. “Madison, say goodbye to Ms. Williams. We’re going home.”

“Actually,” I said, keeping my voice level, “I wanted to mention that Madison seems a bit unwell. She looks like she might not be eating enough—”

“Excuse me?” Victoria’s voice was dangerously quiet. “Are you seriously trying to tell me how to care for my own daughter?”

“I’m just saying that she seems thin-”

“Madison is perfectly healthy,” Victoria snapped. “She’s naturally petite, like her mother. Not everyone feeds their children until they’re overweight.”

The insult was clearly aimed at my boys, and it took every ounce of self–control I had not to respond in kind.

“You need to stay away from my daughter,” Victoria said, her voice cold as winter. “I don’t know what your game is, but Madison doesn’t need whatever toxic influence you think you’re providing.”

“Madison is my daughter,” Victoria continued, her grip on the little girl’s shoulder tightening. “I love her more than anyone else in this world. I know what’s best for her, not some stranger who thinks she understands our family dynamic.”

I looked down at Madison, who was staring at the ground with the defeated posture of a child who’d learned that speaking up only made things worse.

Victoria’s voice was getting louder, more shrill. “That because you have two children, you’re some kind of expert on parenting? Let me tell you something about your precious boys-”

“Don’t,” I said sharply, cutting her off. “Don’t you dare.”

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For a moment, we stared at each other in silence. The air between us crackled with mutual dislike and barely restrained hostility.

“Come along, Madison,” Victoria said finally, turning away from me. “We need to get home for dinner.”

As they walked away, I heard Victoria’s voice, low but carrying clearly in the evening air: “I told you not to talk to strangers, Madison. Especially not to that woman. She’s not a safe person for little girls to be around.”

I watched them disappear around the corner, Victoria’s hand still firmly planted on Madison’s shoulder like a restraint rather than a comfort.

My mind was racing. Thomas had told me that after her husband’s death, Victoria had come to see Madison as her entire world. That she was devoted to her daughter, protective to a fault.

But was Victoria really a good mother?

What kind of mother used her own daughter’s pain as a manipulation tactic?

I made my way back upstairs, my mind churning with disturbing possibilities. The twins were exactly where I’d left them, Alexander absorbed in his space book and Ethan carefully arranging his new art supplies in order of color.

“Mama, you were gone for a long time,” Ethan observed without looking up from his pencils.

“Sorry, baby. I got caught up in a conversation.”

“With who?” Alexander asked, finally dragging his attention away from a photograph of Saturn’s rings.

“Just… a stranger” I said vaguely.

“Was it about grown–up stuff?” Ethan asked.

“Yes, it was about grown–up stuff.”

“Boring,” Alexander pronounced, returning to his book.

If only it were just boring, I thought. If only it were that simple.

I’d seen children in difficult situations before. I’d been a child in a difficult situation myself. And everything about Madison Whitmore screamed of a little girl who was being damaged by the very person who was supposed

to protect her.

My phone buzzed with a text message. Thomas.

“Can we talk tonight? After the boys go to bed? I have some things I need to tell you about Victoria and Madison’s situation.”

I stared at the message for a long moment before responding.

“Yes. We definitely need to talk.”