The Mistress Who Ran Away With The Twins

Chapter 194: No More Hiding

Rome’s gaze didn’t waver from Egypt. For a long moment, he simply looked at her softly, as if he were afraid that even something as small as the wrong expression might shatter her.

Then, just for a second, he glanced at me. It wasn’t obvious. Anyone else might have missed it. But I didn’t. There was a question in that look. A silent ask for permission... or maybe support.

My chest tightened, but I nodded.

That was all it took.

He looked back at Egypt.

"...Yes." he said at last.

His voice was low and steady but beneath it, there was something unfamiliar. Something fragile. Was he nervous?

"I’m your father."

Silence swallowed the room whole.

Egypt didn’t move.

She just stared at him, her eyes searching his face, as if she was trying to find something that would make this make sense.

"...Father?..." she whispered faintly, shaking her head once.

Her voice faltered. Slowly, she turned to me.

"Mom...?"

There was confusion in her eyes.

My chest tightened painfully, like something was squeezing it from the inside.

"I-it’s true," I said softly, forcing the words out even when they felt like they were tearing through me. "I’m sorry... I should have told you sooner."

Egypt’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She turned back to Rome, studying him more carefully now. As if she was seeing him for the first time.

Not as the man she had casually called "uncle." But as something more.

"...But..." she started slowly, her voice trembling. "If he’s our dad... then why wasn’t he there when you raised us?"

Her question landed hard. It was too honest.

Rome didn’t look away.

"I wasn’t there," he said quietly. "Because I failed your mom."

There were no excuses in his voice. No attempt to soften the truth. Just honesty.

"I wasn’t someone your mother could trust back then," he continued, his voice calm but heavy. "And I failed her... more than once. Because of that... I lost the chance to be with all of you."

Egypt frowned slightly, still trying to piece everything together.

"...So... you left?" she asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head faintly. "Your mom left. And she had every reason to."

My fingers tightened slightly around Cairo’s hand. Even now. He didn’t blame me.

"I didn’t go after her," he added. "And that was my mistake."

Silence followed again, stretching longer this time.

Then Paris moved.

She stepped closer, stopping beside Egypt. Her posture was calm and composed but there was something different in her gaze. Less confusion and more understanding. Maybe... because she already knew.

"You said Mom left you... and I think I know why," Paris said quietly, looking at Rome, then at me. "I already knew you were our father. And Mom didn’t tell us because you already have a family... and telling us the truth would have hurt us."

She paused slightly.

"Am I right, Mom?"

I froze for a second. Surprised.

Not just by what she said but by how calm she was. She didn’t even blink as she looked at me.

And suddenly, I felt... small.

Because she was handling this better than I was.

"...Yes" I answered softly.

"I understand," she continued. "I’m not hurt or disappointed at you. I just wanted to know the truth."

Her voice wasn’t loud but it carried weight.

"So... thank you for not lying this time."

My chest tightened painfully at her words.

"I-I’m sorry..." I said honestly. "I should have told you sooner. I was just... afraid. Afraid that if you knew, things would change... that I might lose you."

Paris studied me for a moment. Then she shook her head.

"You won’t lose us, Mom."

Her voice softened just a little.

"We’re your children. We won’t leave you, no matter what happens."

Something in me cracked at that.

"But..." she added, her gaze shifting to Rome, "that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t want to know him too."

Rome didn’t respond.

But I saw it again, that small shift in his expression. Regret.

Egypt looked between us again, overwhelmed.

"...So... what now?" she asked, her voice small. "Do we just... call him Dad now?"

The question caught all of us off guard.

Even Rome.

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his slightly messy hair.

"You don’t have to force anything," he said gently. "You can take your time."

Egypt frowned slightly.

"...But you are our dad." she said, more like she was reminding herself than asking.

"Yes.." he answered.

She stared at him for a long moment.

"...Okay.." she said softly.

It wasn’t excitement not rejection either. Just... quiet acceptance.

She placed her hands on her hips, trying to mimic Paris’ composed demeanor, though there was still a slight tremble in her stance.

"Since Paris already knows and accepted the truth... there’s no reason for me not to understand it too." she said, trying to sound firm.

She hesitated briefly.

"So listen... Uncle Rome—no... f-father..."

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay strong.

"Paris and I have always wanted a father. But we understand Mom more for not telling us about you. You already have a family, and knowing the truth would have hurt us."

Her voice wavered just slightly but she continued.

"But we’re not weak. We won’t cry just because of that."

She lifted her chin a little.

"So even if you are our father... we’ll protect Mom. We won’t let you hurt her again."

The room fell silent after that.

Paris simply nodded in agreement, staying quiet. Then her gaze shifted toward Cairo.

"...Did you already tell him?" she asked.

My heart clenched.

"Yes," I answered softly. "He found out last night."

Paris nodded faintly.

Rome’s eyes flickered at that.

Then, a small movement. Barely noticeable.

All of us turned at the same time.

Cairo stirred.

His brows furrowed slightly, his fingers twitching weakly in mine.

"Cairo..." I whispered, leaning closer.

His eyes fluttered open slowly, heavy and unfocused at first.

"...Mom..." he murmured.

"I’m here..mom’s here.." I said gently, brushing his hair back.

His gaze shifted sluggishly, landing on Paris, then Egypt... then Sylvester.

"...You’re all here..." he whispered.

"Of course we are," Egypt said quickly, stepping closer. "We came right away."

Paris nodded softly, her hand resting lightly near his arm.

Cairo blinked slowly. Then his gaze moved again and stopped on Rome. This time, recognition came instantly.

"...Dad..." he murmured.

His word settled into the room differently this time.

Rome froze for a fraction of a second. Then slowly and carefully... he stepped closer. As if he was afraid that even the slightest wrong move might break Cairo.

"I’m here.." he said quietly.

Cairo smiled faintly but genuine.

"...You stayed..." he whispered.

Rome’s throat tightened.

"Yes."

That one word seemed to ease something in Cairo. His body relaxed slightly. His fingers shifted weakly, as if searching for something.

Without thinking, Rome reached out.

And took his hand.

Cairo’s grip was weak.

But he held on.

"...Don’t go..." Cairo murmured, his voice barely above a breath.

Rome’s hand tightened just a little.

"I won’t."

Something in my chest tightened again.

But this time... It wasn’t just pain. It was something else. Something that felt like it was trying to grow in a place that had been broken for far too long.

Egypt watched them quietly, her expression softening.

"...He really is our dad," she whispered, almost to herself. "He looks so much like Cairo..."

Paris didn’t say anything. But she didn’t look away either.

Sylvester exhaled quietly from where he stood. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

"...Took you long enough." he muttered under his breath.

Rome didn’t respond.

But there was no hostility in the silence this time.

After a moment, Cairo’s eyes began to close again.

His grip loosened.

"Rest baby.." I whispered gently.

He nodded faintly and within seconds, his breathing steadied once more. He’s asleep again.

The room fell quiet but not like before. Not suffocating and heavy. Just... still. A quiet kind of stillness that felt like something had shifted. Something had changed.

Egypt leaned lightly against the bed, her small hand resting near Cairo’s.

"...Is Cairo really going to be okay?" she asked softly.

I looked at her.

"...Yes," I said gently. "Cairo is strong. He’ll overcome this."

She nodded slowly, though worry still lingered in her eyes.

Sylvester crossed his arms, glancing between all of us.

"...I’ll step out for a bit," he said after a moment. "Give you time."

I looked at him, surprised.

But he didn’t wait for a response.

He turned and walked out quietly, closing the door behind him.

And just like that, it was just us again.

But the moment the door shut, something in me stirred.

Because no. I wasn’t just going to let him walk away like that. Not after everything that he forced this moment.

I stood up slowly, careful not to disturb Cairo.

"I’ll be right back.." I said softly.

Paris nodded.

Egypt didn’t protest.

Rome glanced at me briefly but didn’t stop me.

So I followed.

The hallway outside was quiet. For a second, I didn’t see him.

Then..

"There you are."

Sylvester was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Like he had been waiting.

I stopped a few steps away from him.

"You couldn’t just let me handle it?" I asked, my voice low but firm.

His gaze met mine. It was cold this time.

"But you weren’t handling it," he said bluntly. "You were delaying it."

My jaw tightened.

"That wasn’t your decision to make."

"No," he agreed. "But it became mine the moment I saw how much it was affecting the kids."

I clenched my fists slightly.

"You think I didn’t know that?" I shot back. "You think this was easy for me?"

His expression didn’t change.

"I know it wasn’t easy," he said. "But that doesn’t mean avoiding it was right."

His words hit me because they weren’t entirely wrong.

"I was protecting them..." I said, quieter now.

"I’m not saying you weren’t protecting them. But they deserve to know the truth too. And now that it’s come to this," he replied. "I guess it was time for you to be honest with them. You may not realize it, but the kids are smart. If you’re not honest with them, they might start thinking you’re not doing what’s best for them. They may be young, but they understand more than you think."

Silence fell between us.

"I know... but you didn’t trust me to handle the situation.." I said after a moment.

His gaze softened slightly.

"I’m sorry if you feel like I overstepped," he said. "I just didn’t want the kids to feel like you were hiding too much from them. And I hate their father. What I did earlier wasn’t for his sake."

He paused, his expression hardening just a little.

"I just think you’ve suffered enough. It’s unfair that you’re the only one carrying everything. Why not let him share some of that burden? Let him feel the weight of what you went through."

I looked away briefly.

Then sighed.

"You always do this... and I hate how you think you’re always right." I muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"You step in like you know what’s best."

He shrugged slightly.

"I told you," he said. "He has to share the burden too and he needs to regret it. Now that it’s come to this... let him. Let him suffer too."

I didn’t respond to that because... again he wasn’t completely wrong.

"...They’re stronger than you think..especially Cairo." he added quietly.

I nodded faintly.

"I know."

And for the first time since everything started. I actually believed it.

They weren’t breaking..

And maybe...

That was enough for now.