The Barren Ex-Wife Gave Birth to Twins

Chapter 76

The knock on Amelia’s door was loud, persistent, and unrelenting, shattering the stillness of the late hour. She frowned as she tied her robe, glancing at the clock. It was nearly midnight. The twins were fast asleep upstairs, and she wasn’t expecting anyone.

When she opened the door, her breath caught. Ryan stood there, disheveled and unsteady, his hair mussed as though he’d run his hands through it repeatedly. The faint scent of whiskey wafted in with the cold night air, and his eyes were bloodshot, brimming with desperation.

“Ryan?” she asked sharply, her hand tightening on the door. “What are you doing here?”

He leaned heavily against the doorframe, his voice slurred but insistent. “I need to talk to you, Amelia.”

Her stomach twisted. “You’re drunk,” she said, her tone low but firm. “This isn’t the time.”

But Ryan ignored her, stepping closer. “Just tell me,” he said, his words barely steady. “Tell me he makes you happy. Tell me Hale is better than me. That he can give you what I couldn’t.”

Amelia’s heart raced, her frustration rising. “Ryan, this isn’t the time or place for this conversation,” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder toward the stairs.

But her sharp tone didn’t deter him. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing the edge of her door as though trying to hold onto something, anything. “I just need to know, Amelia,” he pleaded, his voice breaking. “Tell me I should stop fighting for you.”

Before she could respond, a soft voice broke the tension.

“Mom?”

She turned sharply to see Damien and Debby standing at the top of the stairs, their small frames silhouetted against the dim hallway light. Their faces were a mixture of confusion and worry.

“What’s wrong with Dad?” Damien asked hesitantly, his voice trembling.

Ryan’s eyes widened, and he straightened slightly, though his swaying gave away his unsteady state. “Hey, champ,” he said, attempting a smile that faltered. “Everything’s okay.”

Amelia felt her fury ignite. She stepped outside, pulling the door nearly shut behind her to block the children’s view. Her voice was a harsh whisper. “How dare you come here like this? Drunk? In the middle of the night?”

“I just needed—”

“No!” she cut him off, her anger boiling over. “You don’t get to need anything from me. You don’t get to show up here, confuse our kids, and drag us into whatever mess you’ve made of your life tonight!”

Ryan’s face crumpled, a mixture of shame and heartbreak flickering across his features. “Amelia, please—”

“Go home, Ryan,” she said coldly, her voice trembling with both fury and exhaustion. “You’re not their father tonight. You’re just a man who made a mistake. And I won’t let you make it ours.”

Ryan stumbled back a step, his shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Amelia didn’t respond, only watching as he turned and staggered toward his car. Her hands shook as she closed the door and locked it behind her, pressing her forehead against the cool wood for a moment to collect herself.

“Mom?” Damien’s voice pulled her back to reality.

She turned, seeing both children standing near the stairs, their eyes wide with concern.

“Is Dad okay?” Debby asked softly, clutching her stuffed bunny.

Amelia knelt in front of them, pulling them both into a hug. “He’s just tired, sweethearts,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. “Everything’s going to be okay.”