The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 316

Chapter 316 For how long have you known

Chapter 316 For how long have

you

known

Mia’s POV

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Thomas moved around my kitchen with the practiced ease of someone who belonged there. Salt. Pepper. The particular way he held a wooden spoon that made me think of Sunday mornings and

safety.

“She died two years ago,” I said, watching his hands still over the pan. “Two years, Thomas. And nobody told me.”

He nodded slowly. The meat sizzled. Steam rose between us like a wall.

“That’s terrible,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”

Something in his tone made me pause.

“You don’t seem surprised,” I said.

His hand tightened on the wooden spoon. “Well, I mean, she was older. These things happen.”

“She wasn’t that old. And she was healthy the last time I saw her.”

Thomas kept stirring. The meat was browning now, filling the kitchen with the smell of cumin and

onions. Normal dinner smells.

“People hide illness sometimes,” he said carefully. “Especially from family. They don’t want to worry anyone.”

“How would you know what Catherine would or wouldn’t do?”

The spoon clattered against the pan. Thomas set it down. Wiped his hands on a dish towel with methodical precision.

“I just meant in general,” he said. “People in general do that.”

“Thomas.” I studied his profile. The careful way he avoided my eyes. “Did you know Catherine was

sick?”

“I… how would I know that?”

“That’s not an answer.”

He turned to face me. His expression was guarded.

“I might have heard something,” he said slowly. “Through business connections. You know how people talk.”

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Chapter 316 For how long have you known

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“What kind of business connections?”

“Just… mutual acquaintances.”

“Like who?”

Thomas ran his hand through his hair. A nervous gesture I’d seen a thousand times but never paid

attention to.

“Morton mentioned it once,” he said finally. “In passing.”

Morton. Kyle’s best friend. The pieces clicked together like a puzzle I didn’t want to solve.

“When did Morton mention it?”

“I don’t remember exactly.”

“Thomas.”

“Maybe a year ago? Year and a half?”

“A year ago.” I felt cold suddenly. “You’ve known for a year that Catherine was dead, and you never thought to mention it to me?”

“It wasn’t my place-”

“Wasn’t your place?” I stood up. My ankle protested. “She was my children’s grandmother. She

loved them.”

“I know, but-”

“But what?”

Thomas stepped toward me. I stepped back.

“It was complicated, Mia. The whole situation with Kyle leaving, and then Catherine dying so soon after-”

“What do you mean, so soon after?”

His face went pale. “I just meant—”

“No.” My voice was sharp now. “You said ‘so soon after Kyle left.‘ Like there was a connection.”

“There wasn’t. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Thomas, how much do you know about Kyle leaving?”

The silence stretched between us like a wire pulled taut.

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Chapter 316 For how long have you known

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“I know what everyone knows,” he said finally. “That he left after the twins were born. That he didn’t want to be found.”

“What everyone knows.” I repeated the words slowly. “Who’s everyone?”

Another long silent.

“Our social circle. People who knew both of you.”

“People like Morton.”

“Yes.”

“And Scarlett.”

Thomas hesitated. “I suppose Scarlett might have heard something through Morton.”

“Might have heard something.” I laughed, but it sounded broken. “Thomas, does Scarlett know where Kyle is?”

“I don’t know what Scarlett knows.”

“That’s not an answer either.”

“Mia, please. I’m trying to protect you-

“From what?”

“From getting hurt again.”

The words hung in the air between us. Thomas looked stricken, like he’d said more than he meant to.

“Again,” I repeated. “You’re trying to protect me from getting hurt again. That’s funny. Thomas, Kyle did the very same thing to me.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

Thomas leaned against the counter. His face was gray now, exhausted.

“I meant that sometimes it’s better not to know things,” he said quietly. “Let me be the judge of that.

11

“Mia-”

“Thomas, I’m going to ask you a direct question, and I want a direct answer.”

He nodded reluctantly.

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Chapter 316 For how long have you known

“Do you know where Kyle is?”

The pause was too long. Too loaded.

“I know he’s alive,” Thomas said finally.

The kitchen tilted. “You know he’s alive.”

“Yes.”

“For how long have you known he’s alive?”

Another pause. Longer this time.

“Since the beginning.”

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The air left my lungs. Just gone. Like someone had reached into my chest and stolen it.Thomas’s silence was answer enough.

“Oh my god,” I whispered. “You know where he is. You’ve known all along where he is.”

“Mia-”

“Was he in New York?”

“I can’t-”

“Was he in New York, Thomas?”

Thomas closed his eyes. “Yes.”

The room was spinning now. I gripped the counter to keep from falling.

“Jesus Christ, Thomas. He’s been here the whole time, hasn’t he?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like? Explain it to me like I’m stupid, because apparently I am.”

Thomas was quiet.

“When you told me you loved me,” I said slowly. “When you said you wanted to marry me. When you played father to my children and let them call you Uncle Thomas. What promises were you making then?”

“I meant every word-”

“Did you? Did you really mean it?”

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Roth For how kang have you known

Thomas’s face crumpled. “I wasn’t supposed to happen like that ”

Thomas reached for me I jerked away.

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“Atia, please I know how this looks, but I do love you. I love you and the boys more than anything”

love us.” I stared at him. “You love us, but you’ve been lying to us for four years.”

to protect you

“From what, Thomas? What exactly were you protecting me from?

He was quiet.

“From Kyle?” I pressed. “From the truth? From malding my own choices about my own life?”

“From getting hunt.”

“Well, congratulations. Mission accomplished.”

The twins appeared in the doorway. Alexander clutching a toy car. Ethan holding Gas’s leash.

“Are we having tacos now?” Alexander asked. His voice was small, Children always knew when the adults were breaking apart.

1 looked at my sons. Then at Thomas.

“Uncle Thomas has to go,” I said, my voice artificially bright. “But we’ll make tacos. Just the three of us.”

“But Uncle Thomas always helps with dinner,” Ethan profested.

“Not tonight, baby,”

Thomas knelt down. Eye level with the boys. How many times had I thought about what a good father he’d make?

He kissed their foreheads. Squeezed their shoulders. When he stood, his eyes met mine.

Thomas left. The front door closed with a soft click that sounded like the end of something important.

The twins looked at me with wide eyes.

“Why did Uncle Thomas have to leave?” Alexander asked.

“Because sometimes grown–ups need space,” I said.

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(we For how long have you those

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“Are you tard at Uncle Thomas?” Ethan wanted to know.

“I’m disappointed in him.”

“What’s disappointed mean

“It means when someone you love doesn’t tell you the truth.”

We made tacos. The twins chatted about their day. About the sunflowers on the table. About whether Gas would like tarn meat.

But my hands were shaking as i grated cheese.

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