~Katherine's POV
Mathew immediately lifted his hands a little in surrender, almost like someone who had been caught saying something he should not say.
"I'm just saying what anyone with eyes would notice," he replied gently, and although his tone was calm, I knew he was not trying to upset me.
For a moment, the room became quiet again. The only sound came from the twins playing with the toys in the corner. Jasmine was building a small tower with colorful blocks while Hanith kept driving the little toy car around the floor, making soft engine noises as he moved it.
Mathew leaned forward slowly and rested his elbows on the desk while looking at me more seriously.
"So what are you going to do?" he asked.
I did not answer immediately. Instead, I lowered my eyes and stared at the floor for a few seconds while my mind tried to find a clear path through the mess of thoughts.
There were too many possibilities, and none of them felt safe.
"I will keep denying it," I finally said quietly.
Mathew nodded slowly as he listened.
"That might work for a while," he replied carefully.
I looked up at him when he said that because I could hear the hesitation in his voice.
"But?" I asked.
Mathew leaned back again and crossed his arms as he thought about the situation.
"But what happens if he decides to investigate?" he continued.
Those words made my stomach twist uncomfortably. I felt a cold feeling move through my chest because I knew exactly what he meant.
Aaron had always been the type of man who refused to let things go. When something caught his attention, he would dig into it until he found the truth. It was one of the reasons he had been so successful in his work, but at that moment it felt like a dangerous problem for me.
I slowly looked back at Mathew.
"That is exactly what I am afraid of," I admitted quietly.
Mathew rubbed his chin thoughtfully while thinking about it. His eyes moved briefly toward the twins and then back to me again.
"You are right," he said after a short moment. "If Aaron starts a private investigation, things could get complicated."
I leaned back in the chair and folded my hands together while trying to keep my thoughts calm. I could already imagine Aaron hiring someone to dig through old records, hospital information, and anything else that might lead him to answers.
The thought alone made my chest tighten.
"I have tried so hard to keep their lives quiet," I said softly while glancing at the twins again. "I never wanted them to become part of something like this."
Mathew followed my gaze toward the children for a moment.
"They look happy," he said gently.
"They are happy," I replied quickly. "And I want it to stay that way."
Mathew nodded because he understood exactly what I meant.
The room became quiet again while he thought deeply about the situation. His fingers tapped lightly on the desk as if he was putting different ideas together inside his head.
I watched him carefully because I knew that when Mathew became this quiet, it usually meant he was trying to solve a problem.
After a few seconds, he leaned forward again slightly, and his eyes carried a thoughtful look that made me feel both hopeful and nervous at the same time.
Then suddenly his expression changed, and I could see a small spark of thought appear in his eyes. It was the kind of look he always had when an idea was forming in his mind.
"I might have an idea," he said slowly.
I immediately lifted my head and looked at him because the seriousness in his voice caught my attention.
"What?" I asked quickly.
Mathew leaned back in his chair for a moment, and he seemed to be choosing his words carefully before he spoke again.
"I know someone," he said slowly. "Someone who deals with data records and private information."
I leaned forward in my chair without even realizing it. My heart had already started beating faster because I could sense that whatever he was about to say might change everything.
"What are you saying?" I asked.
Mathew rested his arms on the desk and looked straight at me while speaking calmly.
"I might be able to arrange something that removes certain information from official records."
For a moment I simply stared at him because my mind was trying to understand exactly what he meant.
My eyes widened slightly as the meaning slowly became clear.
"You mean…" I began slowly.
"Yes," he said calmly before I could finish my sentence. "Wipe out anything connected to the twins that could lead back to you."
I felt my heart begin to beat faster again, but this time the feeling was different. It was not fear pressing down on my chest. Instead, it felt like a small light of hope had suddenly appeared inside the dark mess of thoughts in my mind.
"If that's possible…" I said slowly while trying to imagine what that would mean for us.
Mathew nodded carefully.
"I cannot promise anything yet," he said honestly. "But I will talk to him and see what can be done."
Before I even realized it, I had leaned across the desk and grabbed his hand tightly.
"Mathew… I will pay anything," I said quickly.
He looked at me for a second and then laughed softly, shaking his head as though my words amused him.
"You do not need to say that," he replied.
"I mean it," I insisted firmly because I wanted him to understand how serious I was. "Any amount."
Mathew's expression softened as he looked at me, and a warm smile slowly appeared on his face.
"You worry too much," he said gently.
Then he stood up from his chair and walked around the desk. Before I could react, he pulled me into a brief but comforting hug.
His hand rested lightly on my back as he spoke in a quiet voice.
"You are not alone in this," he said gently.
For a moment I simply closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel the comfort of those words. The past few hours had been filled with tension, fear, and too many thoughts, and hearing someone remind me that I was not facing everything alone made something inside my chest relax.
Before I could reply to him, two excited little voices suddenly broke the moment.
"Uncle Mathew!"
We both turned at the same time.
The twins were standing a few steps away from us, and their faces were full of excitement. Jasmine had a bright smile on her face, while Hanith looked like he was trying to appear very serious about something important.
"Yes?" Mathew asked as he looked down at them.
Hanith crossed his small arms over his chest in a dramatic way that almost made me laugh.
"You promised pizza," he said.
Jasmine nodded quickly beside him.
"You said you would take us!" she added.
Mathew stared at them for a moment with an exaggerated, thoughtful expression, and then he suddenly burst into laughter.