Alpha's Twins Chapter 269

Adrian's POV

'Home?'

The word hit Adrian like a punch to the gut as he stared past Amanda at the house behind her. His jaw tightened, eyes going dark.

It had been years since he'd set foot in this place. Years since he'd walked through that front door. This house—their house. His and Natalia's.

After she left, the silence had been deafening. Every room echoed with emptiness, so he'd made a choice: never come back. Just... stay away.

But here he was. And yeah, part of him wanted to feel that loneliness again. To sit with it. But that wasn't the whole truth, was it? Because with that loneliness came her—Natalia's ghost in every corner, every shadow.

"How are you, Amanda?"

Amanda's eyes went wide. He'd never asked her that before. She'd probably expected him to just walk past her like always, maybe grab something and leave. She'd been pissed when Natalia divorced him—he knew that much. She'd seen things. Seen Natalia waiting up for him, curled up on that damn couch in the living room, hoping he'd come home. Hoping he'd care.

Amanda had watched Natalia's heart break in real time.

And later, when he'd brought Lynda around? Yeah, Amanda had seen Natalia fall apart completely.

"I'm fine, Alpha. What about you?" Amanda stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in.

"Yeah. Good."

Adrian walked past her, not sure if he was answering her question or just acknowledging what she'd said.

"Alpha, your hand!"

Amanda's sharp intake of breath made him glance down. Blood was dripping onto the hardwood floor from his knuckles.

"It's nothing," he muttered, already heading for the stairs.

Amanda had been around since before his mom died—had basically watched him grow up. She knew his moods, his tells. Which is probably why she looked so shocked to see him here at all.

Upstairs, Adrian stopped in front of a door. His hand hovered over the handle for a long moment.

Finally, he turned the knob and pushed it open.

The memories hit him like a freight train. This room had been locked up for years.

He stepped inside, fumbling for the light switch by the door.

When the room lit up, he just stood there, taking it all in.

He remembered their first night here after the wedding. Natalia had been so damn happy, chattering away about everything and nothing, that smile of hers lighting up the whole room.

And what had he done? Told her to shut up. Snapped at her to stop talking because her voice was getting on his nerves. Because back then, all he could think about was how she'd ruined everything. How much he hated being tied to her.

Adrian coughed, the sound harsh in the quiet room, and walked over to the bed. Sat down on the edge, remembering nights spent here with her.

What the hell had he done to make her hate him so much? Sure, he'd avoided coming home. Ignored her. But was that really enough to...?

Was it all his fault?

His eyes drifted to the nightstand drawers. He pulled open the first one and froze.

Natalia's diamond ring sat there, abandoned. Just like she'd left it.

Instantly, he thought of Max sliding that new ring onto her finger today. His blood started boiling all over again.

There was also the credit card he'd stupidly given her that day. Not for... what she'd accused him of. He'd just wanted her to have money. To buy whatever she needed.

The second drawer held his own wedding ring—the one he'd tossed in there after the divorce papers were signed.

He grabbed it, shoved it in his pocket, and slammed the drawer shut. He needed to get out of here before this got worse.

But then his eyes landed on the bottom drawer. He'd never opened that one.

Slowly, he pulled it open. Inside were a photo album and a leather-bound diary.

The album was full of pictures—him and Natalia from better times. But it was the diary that made his chest tight.

'Is this her diary? She kept a diary?'

He'd never known that about her.