Read The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins novel by Artemis Z.Y. Updated 2025 -26 - The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins Chapter 465

The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins Chapter 465

I stop walking.

I lean against the hallway wall. Cross my arms. This should be good.

The girl flips her ponytail. I remember doing that move. In high school. A thousand years ago when I thought hair-flipping was subtle.

Kyle says something. I’m too far to hear but I can see his posture. Polite. Reserved. That particular stiffness he gets when someone is invading his personal space and he’s trying not to be rude about it.

The girl laughs again. Too loud for whatever he said. Her hand comes up. Touches his arm. Her fingers lingering on his forearm.

I bite my lip to keep from smiling.

He’s going to hate this. Kyle hates unsolicited touching. Always has. In college once, a girl grabbed his arm at a party and he literally flinched away like she’d burned him.

Sure enough, Kyle steps back. Just slightly. Enough to dislodge her hand without being obvious about it.

The girl doesn’t notice. Or doesn’t care. She shifts closer. Closing the distance he just created.

“Single dad? That’s like, really attractive.”

Oh my god.

I press my hand over my lips. If I laugh right now, Kyle will know I’m standing here watching this.

Kyle’s hand goes to the back of his neck. That nervous gesture he does. Rubbing the spot where his hairline meets his collar.

“I appreciate that,” he says. His voice is perfectly even. Professionally polite. The same tone he probably uses with telemarketers. “But-”

“I get off in an hour,” the girl interrupts. She’s leaning on the counter now. Both elbows. Her chin in her hand. Looking up at him through her lashes. “If you wanted to, like, get a drink or something? I know a place.”

This is amazing. This is better than TV.

Kyle’s jaw tightens. Just slightly. That muscle jumping.

“That’s ” He pauses. Choosing words carefully. “That’s a kind offer but-”

“I’m really good with kids,” she continues. Not taking the hint. “I have three younger brothers. So like, the whole single dad thing doesn’t scare me at all. Some girls get weird about kids but I think it’s actually really hot when a guy is like, a good father, you know?”

Hot. She said hot.

Kyle’s hand moves from his neck to his pocket. Then back to his neck. He’s trapped. Can’t walk away without his credit card. Can’t be rude because that’s not who he is. Can’t encourage her because-well. Because.

But this is so entertaining.

“Those are actually my” Kyle starts.

“I noticed them when you came in,” she says. “They’re so cute. Especially the little one. The girl? She’s adorable.”

“Madison,” Kyle says. His voice has warmed slightly. Can’t help it. Someone compliments his kids, he softens. “Her name is Madison.”

“Madison,” the girl repeats. Trying the name out. “That’s pretty. And the boys? What are they, twins?”

“Alexander and Ethan.”

“Cute names.” She’s twirling a strand of hair now. Wrapping it around her finger. “You picked good names.”

“Their mother picked them.”

The girl’s smile falters. Just for a second. “Oh. So you’re like you and their mom-— you’re co-parenting?”

“Something like that.”

“That’s mature.” The smile is back. Brighter. “A lot of guys can’t handle that. The whole amicable split thing. But you seem like you have your shit together.”

This girl has confidence. I’ll give her that.

Kyle is looking around now. Scanning. I know what he’s doing. He’s looking for me. Hoping I’ll appear and rescue him from this situation.

Not yet. This is too good.

“The thing is—” Kyle tries again.

“I’m Becca, by the way.” She extends her hand. Like this is a business meeting. “Becca Morrison.”

Kyle shakes her hand. Brief. Professional. Releases it immediately. “Kyle.”

“Kyle.” She repeats it. Testing how it sounds in her mouth. “Strong name. Classic.” Oh my god. Is she workshopping his name?

“Listen, Becca—” Kyle’s voice has taken on that particular firmness. The one that means he’s done being polite and is about to shut this down. “I’m flattered. Really. But I’m actually-”

“Married?” Becca guesses. Glances at his left hand. “You’re not wearing a ring.” “No, I’m ”

“Divorced then. That’s what you said. Co-parenting.” She’s nodding. Like she’s solving a puzzle. “So you’re single. Technically.”

“Technically—”

“And I’m single. Very single.” She laughs. “So technically we could-”

“I have a wife.”

The words come out fast. Definitive. Kyle straightening his spine. Looking Becca directly in the eye.

My eyebrows go up.

Oh really?

Becca’s face falls. “Oh. But you just said—”

“I said we were co-parenting. Which we are. But we’re also—” He stops. Takes a

breath. “We’re working things out.”

Working things out. That’s one way to describe whatever this is.

“So you’re like, back together?” Becca’s voice has gone flat. Disappointed.

“Yes.”

Liar.

“Oh.” She straightens up. Steps back from the counter. “That’s okay. That’s good for you. For your kids.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Yeah. No problem.” She’s pulling away now. Professional distance. “Let me just run your card.”

She takes the card from his hand. Swipes it. The machine beeps.

Kyle looks relieved. Like he’s escaped something dangerous.

But then Becca glances up. Her eyes flick past Kyle. Land on me.

I realize too late that I’m still standing there. Watching. Very obviously watching.

Becca’s expression changes. Curious now. Assessing.

“Is that her?” she asks Kyle. Pointing at me with the credit card.

Kyle turns. Sees me. His face does something complicated. Relief and embarrassment and something else.

“Yes,” he says. ”

Becca is looking at me now. I push off the wall. Walk toward them.

Kyle’s eyes track my approach.

I reach the counter. Stand next to Kyle. Close enough that our shoulders almost

touch.

“Hi,” I say to Becca. “Sorry, I was in the bathroom.”

“Hi,” Becca says back. Her voice has

gone cool. “I was just telling your” She pauses. Looks at Kyle. “-your husband? That you have really cute kids.”

Kyle’s hand finds the small of my back. Light pressure.

I look up at him. His face is carefully neutral.

I smile. Sweet. Innocent.

“Oh,” I say. Patting Kyle’s chest once. “We’re not married.”

Kyle’s hand on my back freezes.

Becca’s eyebrows go up. Interested again.

“We’re divorced actually,” I continue My voice light. Conversational. Like I’m discussing the weather. “Four years ago. Been divorced for four years.”

“Mia-” Kyle’s voice is low. Warning.

“What?” I look up at him. All innocence. “She asked. I’m just being honest.”

Becca is looking between us now. Confused. “But you just said—”

“I said we were working things out,” Kyle interrupts. His hand is still on my back.

Fingers pressing slightly. “Which we are.”

“By being divorced?” Becca asks.

“It’s complicated,” Kyle says.

“It’s really not,” I say. Smiling at Becca. “He left. I raised the kids alone for four years. Now he’s back We’re co-parenting. That’s it. Very simple.”

“Mia.” Kyle’s voice has dropped lower. That tone.

“What?” I blink up at him. “Am I wrong? Did I miss something?”

His jaw works. That muscle jumping.

Becca is watching this like it’s a tennis match. Her head turning from me to Kyle and

back.

“So you’re single,” she says slowly. Pointing at Kyle. “Actually single.”

“No-”

“Technically yes,” I say at the same time.

“Mia-”

“What? You are. We’re divorced. That’s what divorced means. Single.”