The Billionaire Regretted Losing His Invisible Wife novel Chapter 316

Chapter 316 For how long have you known

Mia’s POV

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.”

“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.

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Chapter 315 for how long have you known

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“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.

“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.”

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“That’s not an answer either.”

“Mía, 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.”

“Mia-”

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

He nodded reluctantly.

“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.”

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?”

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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?”

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

Thomas reached for me. I jerked away.

“Don’t touch me.”

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