"And when I was at my lowest," Evan continued, "I found out I was pregnant."
Lucas's lips parted soundlessly.
Evan's voice wavered. "I waited. Days. Weeks. Months. Hoping — praying — you'd at least try to find me. That you'd call. Or message. Or ask someone where I went."
A tear slipped down Lucas's face before he could stop it.
"You didn't," Evan whispered. "Not once."
Lucas's voice was hoarse. "Evan… I did. I searched everywhere—"
"You didn't search hard enough."
Evan's voice cracked. "Not enough to save us."
Lucas looked like he'd been hit in the chest.
The children looked between them, confused, unsure, sensing the weight but not understanding it.
Ethan tugged Evan's sleeve. "Daddy… who is he?"
Evan's mouth opened — but Lucas moved first, sinking to one knee so he could look the boy directly in the eyes.
"I…" His voice shook. "I'm… supposed to be your father."
Ethan studied him seriously.
Coldly.
"You look like us," Ethan said.
Lucas let out a broken laugh — half sob, half disbelief.
"I should. I should look like you."
Ella, confused, stepped forward slightly, clutching her bunny.
"Are you… a good man?" she asked shyly.
Lucas's face crumpled.
He pressed a hand over his mouth, turning away as his shoulders shook.
Evan's breath hitched.
Lucas wasn't faking.
Wasn't acting.
He was falling apart in front of them.
After a long moment, Lucas wiped his face roughly and looked at Ella.
"I wasn't a good man before," Lucas admitted softly. "But I want to be now. For you. For your brother. For your dad."
Evan's heart clenched so tightly he couldn't breathe.
Adrian finally stepped in.
"That's enough," he said sharply. "You've said what you came to say. Now leave."
Lucas slowly stood, eyes locked on Evan.
"I won't fight you," Lucas said quietly. "Not now. Not like this."
But then his voice deepened.
"I will fight for a place in their lives."
Evan stiffened.
Lucas took a breath, hurting but determined.
"They're six. I've missed six birthdays. Six years of first steps, first words, first everything." His voice cracked again. "I will not miss another."
Evan felt his heart twist violently.
Lucas continued:
"You don't have to forgive me. You don't even have to look at me."
His gaze dropped to the children.
"But they deserve a father."
Adrian stepped in front of Evan, eyes burning with protective fury.
"And what they deserve more is stability — something you never gave Evan."
Lucas nodded slowly.
"You're right."
Adrian faltered, surprised.
Lucas's voice was quiet, defeated, honest.
"I know I hurt him. I know I don't deserve forgiveness. But I'm not going to hurt the children."
He stepped back from the gate.
But before turning away, he told Evan:
"Just let me see them. Even if it's only once a week. Even if it's supervised. Even if you hate me for the rest of your life."
His voice softened to something unbearably gentle.
"Just… don't keep them from me."
Evan lowered his head, unable to speak.
Lucas's gaze lingered on the twins, full of pain and longing.
"Thank you," he whispered, even though no permission had been given.
Then he turned around and walked away.
Ethan watched him go, eyebrows furrowed.
Ella whispered, "Daddy… he cried."
Evan closed his eyes.
He had no idea what to do.
No idea how to heal the wounds.
No idea how to protect the twins from a man who had already broken him once.
No idea how to protect himself from the past he'd never truly escaped.
Adrian placed a hand on Evan's back.
"You don't owe him anything," he murmured.
Evan stood frozen, staring at the path Lucas had walked down.
Ethan held his hand tightly.
Ella hugged her bunny, eyes confused and worried.
Adrian finally exhaled, sharp and irritated.
"Why did he cry?" Ethan asked.
Evan inhaled slowly. "Because… he didn't know you existed."
Ethan tilted his head. "But that's his fault."
Adrian smirked without humor. "I like this kid."
Evan shot him a look, but Ethan wasn't done.
"He should've protected you," the boy said simply. "If he loved you."
Evan felt his throat tighten painfully.
"Daddy," she whispered, "are we… going to have two dads now?"
Evan froze.
Adrian froze.
Even the air froze.
"Ella—" Evan knelt down to her height, brushing her hair back gently. "You only have one daddy. Me."
"But he said he's supposed to be our daddy too," Ella said innocently.
Evan felt his heart crack open.
Ethan placed a hand on Ella's shoulder and said with quiet certainty, "We don't know him."
Evan swallowed, voice barely holding steady.
"I… I don't know what will happen yet."
Ella bit her lip. "But… he looked sad. Really sad."
Evan's chest ached.
She wasn't wrong.
Lucas hadn't looked like an Alpha.
He hadn't looked like the academy's most brilliant talent.
He hadn't looked like the man who once broke Evan with a single decision.
He had looked like a father meeting his children too late.
Adrian stepped forward, voice firm.
"Come inside. The two of you need breakfast."
Ella grabbed Ethan's hand and they went ahead, but not before Ella whispered to Evan,
"Daddy… you're sad too."
Evan didn't answer.
---
Inside the villa, Adrian watched Evan from across the kitchen island as the twins began eating.
Evan poured juice with shaking hands.
Adrian finally spoke, voice low.
"You're thinking about him."
Evan flinched. "I'm thinking about the twins."
"Evan," Adrian said softly but firmly, "don't confuse the two."
Evan set the jug down, leaning against the counter. "What am I supposed to do, Adrian? Lucas is their biological father."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"And you're their real parent."
"That doesn't erase the fact that he exists."
"And that doesn't erase what he did to you."
Evan went silent.
Adrian stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"I won't tell you how to feel. But you need to remember something—Lucas didn't lose you because of bad timing or misunderstandings. He lost you because he chose pride. He chose his family. He chose public image."
Evan felt that familiar old wound ache.
"People can change."
"Not that much," Adrian countered. "Not without consequences. And especially not Alphas like him."
Evan closed his eyes, tired.
"Adrian… He looked at the twins like they were the most precious thing he'd ever seen."
"And he looked at you like he regretted breathing."
Evan's breath hitched.
Adrian reached out, gently lifting Evan's chin so their eyes met.
"You don't owe him forgiveness," Adrian murmured. "You don't owe him access. You don't owe him a place in your children's lives."
"That's not true," Evan whispered. "I owe the twins the chance to know where they came from."
Adrian's expression darkened.
"You think Lucas is capable of giving them anything healthy?"
Evan's voice shook. "I… don't know."
"For six years," Adrian said, voice soft, "I've been by your side. I've watched you cry in silence. Raise them alone. Work while carrying two toddlers on your hips. Fight every day to give them a life in a world that wasn't kind to you."
He touched Evan's cheek with a gentleness that made Evan's breath catch.
"I'm here, Evan," Adrian said quietly. "I'll always be here. So tell me honestly—"
His thumb brushed Evan's lower lip.
"Do you still love him?"