The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 219

Thomas and I strolled along the High Line after dinner, the city lights creating a magical glow against the night sky. A gentle breeze carried the scent of late spring blossoms, and somewhere in the distance, a street musician played a saxophone that melted into the background hum of traffic.

“Look,” Thomas pointed upward. “You can actually see some stars tonight.”

I tilted my head back, surprised to find a scattering of stars visible despite Manhattan’s light pollution. “A rare sight in New York.”

“Makes you realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things,” he said, his hand finding mine naturally.

We continued walking, falling into comfortable silence.

Four years. Thomas had never pushed for labels or commitments, content to let things evolve naturally. “When we’re ready to take the next step, we’ll know,” he’d said once. “Going with the flow is the fastest way.”

After Kyle’s disappearance, I’d been wary of relationships, guarding my heart carefully. Thomas had understood this without explanation,.

“Cold?” Thomas asked, tugging me gently closer as we paused to look over the Hudson River.

“No. I was just thinking how different this is,” 1 admitted. “Being with you.”

“Different good?” His tone was light, but I knew him well enough to detect the underlying uncertainty.

“Different good,” I turned to face him. “With you, I can just… be.”

Thomas smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “That’s the nicest compliment you’ve ever given me.”

“I mean it,” I said. “You’ve been so patient.”

“Patience is easy when you’re sure about what you’re waiting for,” he replied simply.

We found a bench and sat, watching boats move across the river. The city that never sleeps continued its restless motion around us, but in our little bubble, time seemed to slow.

“Do you miss the boys?” he asked.

I laughed. “Is it that obvious?”

“You’ve checked your phone four times in the last twenty minutes.”

“They should be asleep by now,” I said, forcing myself not to reach for my phone again.

“Remember when they decided the fish needed a ‘vacation‘ from their tank?” Thomas chuckled.

I groaned at the memory. “How could I forget? I came home to find them trying to build a ‘fish playground” in the bathtub using Legos and kitchen utensils.”

1/4

Chapter 219 Stars Above, Earth Below

“They meant well,” Thomas said, still laughing.

+25 BONUS

“They always mean well,” 1 agreed. “Like when they decided Ethan’s teddy bear needed a haircut before the teddy bear wedding,‘ and Alexander used my fabrle scissors on not just the bear but also the living room curtains.”

“Or the time they tried to help you with laundry and put dish soap in the washing machine.”

“Bubbles everywhere,” I sighed. “It took three days to get the machine working properly again.”

“But you never stay mad at them for long,” Thomas observed.

“How could I? Even when they’re driving me crazy, I look at their faces and see these amazing little humans trying to figure out the world.” I smiled at a particularly vivid memory. “Like when Ethan found that injured bird in the park last fall, remember? He was so gentle with it, so concerned. He sat by the shoebox for hours, just watching, until we could get it to the wildlife center.”

Thomas nodded. “And Alexander, organizing all the other kids to build a ‘nest‘ from twigs and leaves.”

“They balance each other perfectly,” I said softly. “Ethan with his quiet thoughtfulness, Alexander with his bold curiosity.”

“They get the best of both from you,” Thomas squeezed my hand.

I didn’t mention that they had qualities from Kyle, too–Alexander’s strategic mind, Ethan’s intense focus. Some nights, when I watched them sleeping, I could see echoes of their father in the shape of their jaws, the set of their shoulders. I wondered if he ever thought about what he was missing.

“oh,”

“I remembered suddenly, “I never told you about last week’s parent–teacher conference.”

“How did that go?”

“Ms. Patel said Alexander has been organizing the class into teams during recess to build ‘skyscrapers‘ with blocks. Apparently, he assigns everyone roles based on their ‘special talents.“”

“Future CEO,” Thomas laughed.

“And Ethan has been spending his free time in the reading corner, working his way through books meant for children two grades ahead.” I couldn’t keep the pride from my voice. “But he’s also been “helping” the other children with their reading, which sometimes means just doing it for them.”

“They’re remarkable,” Thomas said. “You’ve done an amazing job, Mia.”

“We’ve had help,” I acknowledged. “My mother, Scarlett, you, Nate–it takes a village, right?

“Speaking of villages,” Thomas said, “have you heard back about the Chicago project?”

I nodded, glad for the subtle change of subject. “We got the preliminary approval this morning. If all goes with the final presentation next month, construction could start by fall.”

well

“That’s fantastic,” he said, genuinely pleased. “Another healing space in the world because of you.‘

2/4

Chapter 219 Stars Above, Earth Below

+25 BONUS

I rested my head against his shoulder, content to sit in the moment. This was what I’d built over the last four years–a career I was passionate about, two beautiful sons, and relationships that nourished rather than drained me.

“I’m happy,” I said, the words slipping out almost involuntarily.

Thomas pressed a kiss to my temple. “Good. You deserve it.”

We walked back toward my building hand in hand, talking about everything and nothing–the upcoming museum exhibit Thomas was curating, the twins‘ summer camp options, the possibility of a weekend trip to his lake house in the Berkshires.

The night doorman greeted us with a friendly nod as we entered the lobby of my building.

“Nightcap?” I offered as we rode the elevator to my floor.

“I’d like that,” Thomas replied.

Inside my apartment, the silence was noticeable–no running feet, no evening chorus of “just one more story,” no elaborate negotiations about bedtime snacks. I kicked off my heels with a sigh of relief.

“Wine?” I asked, heading toward the kitchen.

“Please.”

I poured two glasses of cabernet while Thomas put some soft jazz on the sound system. We settled on the couch, the city lights twinkling through the floor–to–ceiling windows.

“To therapeutic architecture and successful gallery openings,” I said, raising my glass.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify