The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 181

Mia's POV

The hot water helped wash away the physical sensation of Kyle's grasp, of his mouth forced against mine, though the memory remained stubbornly present.

I reached for my tablet, thinking I might distract myself with some mindless scrolling or perhaps work on the children's center designs. And my phone chimed with an incoming video call. Scarlett's name and photo flashed on the screen.

I accepted the call, adjusting the screen so the dim lighting wouldn't reveal too much of my current state.

"Hey, Scar," I greeted, forcing a lightness I didn't feel into my voice. "How are you feeling?"

Scarlett's face appeared, still flushed with fever but looking marginally better than when I'd left her earlier. "Like I've been hit by a bus, then backed over for good measure," she replied with her characteristic bluntness. "But Morton's playing Florence Nightingale, so I can't complain too much."

"You should be resting," I scolded gently. "Why are you calling so late?"

Her image shifted as she adjusted her phone, and suddenly there was a second face in the frame—a familiar face I hadn't seen in months.

"Jeo?" I blinked in surprise.

Jeo Parker grinned at me, his warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners just as I remembered. His dark hair was longer than when I'd last seen him, curling slightly at the ends, and he'd grown a neatly trimmed beard that suited his angular features.

"Hey, Mia," he said, his deep voice instantly familiar. "Long time no see."

"What are you doing at Scarlett's?" I asked, genuinely confused. I hadn't seen Jeo since Scarlett's wedding. Before that, our contact had been sporadic at best.

"He brought me soup," Scarlett explained, shifting to give him more room in the frame. "Apparently he makes an amazing chicken congee that's 'guaranteed to cure what ails you.' His words, not mine."

"My grandmother's recipe," Jeo confirmed with a modest shrug. "Best thing for a fever."

I couldn't help but smile at the unexpected but thoughtful gesture. That was Jeo. He's always considerate, always thinking of ways to help. It was one of the things that had made him such a good friend during our college days, before... complications.

"That's really nice of you," I said sincerely.

There had always been an undercurrent of awkwardness between us after I learned about Jeo's feelings for me—feelings I couldn't reciprocate.

"How are you doing?" Jeo asked, his eyes dropping briefly to where my belly would be if it were visible in the frame. "Scarlett mentioned you're due in January?"

"Twin boys," I confirmed, automatically resting a hand on my stomach. "And I'm hanging in there. It's been... eventful."

"I've seen the news," he said, his expression turning sympathetic. "Quite the media circus."

"That's putting it mildly," I sighed. "But enough about my drama. What's new with you? How's the design firm?"

Jeo brightened visibly. "It's great, actually. We just landed a major contract for a sustainable housing development in Brooklyn. Environmentally conscious materials, community gardens, the works."

"That sounds amazing," I said.

"It is," he agreed, enthusiasm lighting up his features. "I'd love to show you the plans sometime, get your input. Your work on the children's center has been inspiring."

I felt a small glow of professional pride at his words. "I'd like that."

"Enough about work," Scarlett interrupted, an impish gleam in her fever-bright eyes. "Tell Mia your real news, Jeo."

His dark skin flushed visibly, and he looked away from the camera, suddenly shy. "It's not a big deal, Scar."

"Not a big deal?" Scarlett scoffed, then dissolved into a coughing fit that took several seconds to subside. When she recovered, she continued as if nothing had happened. "You've been walking around with hearts in your eyes for weeks. It's nauseating and adorable."

Now I was intrigued. "What's this?"

Jeo rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous gesture I remembered from our college days. "I, uh, I've been seeing someone."

"Seeing someone?" Scarlett echoed incredulously. "You're head over heels, Parker. Stop downplaying it."

A smile tugged at my lips, genuine amusement breaking through the lingering distress of my evening. "Now you have to tell me everything."

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