The Billionaire Twins Need A New Mommy! novel Chapter 736

Chapter 736: Together

Meanwhile...

Lola glanced at Atlas, her lips parting before pressing together again. A shallow breath escaped her as she swallowed the words that refused to come out.

The sound of their quiet footsteps echoed through the mansion. It was not always silent, nor was it always loud—but at this moment, it felt oddly, and unsurprisingly, quieter.

When they reached the family wing, Lola slowed to a stop. Atlas took a few steps ahead before pausing and looking back at her.

"Darling," she called softly, finally finding her voice. "Do you want to be alone for a while?"

Atlas simply stared at her, clearly considering it. She didn’t wait for his answer and smiled gently.

"I’ll wash up and then head back," she said quietly. "I’ll see what Allen and Slater are up to. You know where to find me, alright?"

"Mhm." He nodded, watching her turn on her heel and walk away. He stayed where he was, keeping his eyes on her until she disappeared from view.

After a moment, a deep exhale escaped him as he lowered his gaze to the floor. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his chest heavy. Still, he turned and let his feet carry him wherever they would.

Soon, he found himself on the same balcony where he and Lola had been during the attack. He stopped by the railing, scanning the surroundings in heavy silence.

Atlas didn’t personally know everyone arrested tonight. He knew some—like the town chief’s son, because he knew the chief. He was also aware of Pika’s boss, even though the man hadn’t worked directly under him. Still, Atlas remembered him well, mostly because he remembered the story about his daughter.

Compared to those he personally knew, the people he didn’t were far too many to count. Yet after listening to their stories and justifications, questions lingered in his mind.

And the feeling was unpleasant.

Heavier—more crippling—than he had expected.

After all, these people were still his people. The role he had taken was not one he had wished for, but one he accepted out of necessity—for his sister and his younger brother-in-law. Over time, he couldn’t say he had grown to love it, but it had undeniably become part of his life.

And for the first time in a long while, he felt he had done something wrong.

That realization weighed on his heart more than he could put into words. These were lives—real people whose lives had been played with.

Atlas undid the top button of his shirt as if it were strangling him. He felt suffocated, overwhelmed. With worries about Yuri and other matters pressing at the back of his mind, it felt as if an invisible hand had reached into his chest and gripped his heart—tight enough to hurt, but loose enough not to shatter it.

Closing his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, his jaw clenched as one hand rested on the railing for support. Before he could open his eyes, warmth spread across his back as a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

Atlas snapped his eyes open and glanced over his shoulder, finding Lola hugging him.

"I thought you might want some time alone," she said, resting her cheek against his back. Her eyes were soft, her lips curved into a wry smile. "While I was walking away, I kept telling myself that you probably needed space... or silence."

"But then," Lola paused, lifting her gaze toward him and forcing a smile, "after hearing Pika’s story about his former boss, it weighed so heavily on me. I didn’t want to be alone, so I came to find you. I want to be comforted, and the kids are already asleep. I didn’t want to wake them."

Atlas’s expression softened as a quiet chuckle escaped him. He knew she was partly deflecting. In truth, she had come back because she was worried about him.

"I chose to leave everything behind—not for you, but for myself," she added, spreading her arms wide. "And right now, Atlas Bennet, you have a choice. You can hug me... or you can drown in the choices others have made."

Her brows lifted when he didn’t move. "You know," she added lightly, "I think the first option is pretty good. If I were the one offering choices, I’d definitely—"

Before she could finish, Atlas pulled her abruptly into his arms. Lola laughed softly, hugging him just as tightly.

"Atlas," she whispered, patting his back gently. "Do you want to hear a secret?"

He didn’t answer, but he listened.

"I loved you before, and I still loved you when I met you again," she murmured. "But do you know why I gambled and opened my heart? It wasn’t because I’m the twins’ mother. And it wasn’t because I wanted to escape the people and places that broke me."

"It was because I saw how you torment your siblings... and yet they still act silly, comfortable, and fearless around you. The twins are the same," she said softly. "I thought they must feel safe enough to behave that way."

Her pats slowed, gentle and soothing. "That’s when I knew you’d never hurt me. Even if I’m—well—clinically insane?"

Atlas smiled faintly, his eyes softening as he pulled her closer.

"You and I aren’t alone anymore," she whispered. "So let me protect the things and people you protect... and let others protect us too."

This time, his tense muscles finally relaxed under her warmth and the tenderness of her words. It wasn’t the first time Atlas felt loved—but it was the first time he felt so deeply, so utterly grateful to have someone like Lola beside him, sharing the weight he carried.