The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 471

Mia's POV

The steam from my coffee curls up like lazy smoke from a forgotten cigarette. It hits the light from the kitchen window, turning gold for a split second before vanishing. I'm sitting at the counter, my fingers wrapped around the mug, feeling the heat seep into my palms.

Sophie and Scarlett are across from me, their voices bouncing around like ping-pong balls in a small room. They're talking fast, overlapping each other, the way they always do when it's just us girls.

"...and I swear, that dress she wore to the gala? Honey, it was screaming 'desperate' from every seam. Like, who pairs sequins with velvet in November? It's not 1995." Sophie's laugh is sharp, like cracking ice.

She's leaning forward, her elbows on the counter, her red nails tapping a rhythm on her own mug. Her hair's pulled back in a messy bun, strands escaping like they can't be contained, just like her.

Scarlett snorts, her eyes rolling up to the ceiling. "Please. That wasn't desperate—that was delusional. I mean, come on, her ex was right there with his new arm candy. She might as well have worn a sign saying 'Pick me! Choose me!'"

Scarlett's voice dips low on the last part, mocking, her lips curling into that smirk she gets when she's dishing dirt. She's got her legs crossed under the stool, one foot jiggling like she's got energy to burn.

I hear them, but my mind's somewhere else, replaying yesterday like a loop I can't stop.

"—Mia. Mia. MIA."

I blink.

Sophie's face is six inches from mine. Her perfectly lined eyes narrowed. Her red lips pressed together in a thin line of annoyance.

"What?"

"What?" Sophie repeats. She leans back. Crosses her arms. The silk of her blouse rustles with the movement. "What. She says what."

I blink, the garage fading, the kitchen snapping back. Coffee steam still rising. Scarlett's looking at me too, her head tilted, one eyebrow up like she's waiting for an explanation.

"Sorry," I say, my voice coming out softer than I meant. I set the mug down, the ceramic clinking against the counter. "I was... zoning out. What were you saying?"

Scarlett leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. Her tank top rides up a bit, showing a sliver of skin. "Zoning out? Girl, you've been staring at that coffee like it's got the answers to life's mysteries. We've been spilling tea for ten minutes, and you're over here in la-la land."

"Yeah," Sophie chimes in, her eyes narrowing just a touch, playful but pointed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were daydreaming about a certain ex-husband. Spill it, Mia. What's got you all foggy?"

"It's nothing. Really. Just tired from yesterday. The kids were wired after the house tour."

Sophie nods along, her bun bobbing. "Totally. I'm with Scarlett on this one. As we say in France, 'Un voleur est un voleur'—a thief is a thief. No mercy for snakes like her."

I set the mug down again, the warmth fading from my palms. "Okay, fine. But... celebrating someone's death? It feels weird."

Scarlett rolls her eyes, but it's affectionate, her hand reaching across to pat mine quick. "Mia, sweetie, you're too nice. That's why we love you. But me? I'm a bitch, and I'm owning it. If someone screws with my girls, I don't lose sleep when they get what's coming. Taylor? She earned that ending. Period."

"Yeah," Sophie adds, her nails tapping faster now. "I'm not shedding tears either. Life's too short for fake sympathy. She hurt you bad, Mia. Lost your babies because of her. If that's not justice, what is?"

I lean back on my stool, the wood creaking under me. Their words hang there, heavy but somehow light too, like they're lifting something off my chest I didn't know was there. "Alright, alright. I get it. Good riddance, then."

Scarlett grins, triumphant, her teeth flashing white. "That's my girl. Now, speaking of moving on—I'm done with all this heavy crap. I need a reset. Thinking of hitting up that new spa downtown. Get a massage, maybe flirt with some cute masseur. Young ones. You know, regulate the hormones a bit." She winks, her eyebrow arching slow.

Sophie perks up, her eyes sparkling. "Ooh, yes. Count me in. I could use some eye candy. Been buried in work emails all week. A hot guy with strong hands? Sign me up."

Scarlett laughs, low and throaty. "Girl, same. My legs? They're basically cobwebbed down there. It's been forever since I had any action."

I can't help it—I roll my eyest. "Forever? Scarlett, three weeks ago you were telling me about that car thing with Morton. In the parking lot? Ring any bells?"