What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 123

Finnian truthfully relayed Kaia's conditions, and Noelle's face instantly turned to ice.

Then, the disappointment set in.

She sank back into her chair, taking a long time before finally looking up at Finnian. "Kaia is really going for the throat, isn't she? If she does this, my prestige in the company will take a huge hit. But... it's fine. I understand. Her skills speak for themselves, and we really do need her help."

Seeing how understanding Noelle was being, Finnian nodded. "The project is stalled on her technical section. There's no other way. We just have to agree to it."

"Sigh," Noelle looked down and let out a soft breath, a bitter smile touching her lips. "I know one project isn't a big deal, but I was raised by the Sanders family. I wanted so badly to prove myself to Mom, to the family, to the rest of the world... but it seems..."

She tried desperately to suppress her emotions, leaning forward and resting her hands on the desk. When she spoke again, her voice cracked. "If only Rafael were still here... everything would be fine."

Watching her look so fragile leaning over the desk, her shoulders trembling slightly, Finnian felt his brow furrow deeper and deeper. The concern in his eyes grew heavy.

"Noelle, don't cry. Even if my brother isn't here, you still have me," Finnian walked over and gently patted her back. "Cheer up. Kaia is brilliant, but you're excellent too. This just happens to be her area of expertise. It has nothing to do with your overall capability."

As if his words had soothed her, Noelle slowly lifted her head. A single tear slid perfectly down her cheek, making her look incredibly wronged. "She wants public credit, Finnian. Will people out there think that everything I've achieved is just me riding on Kaia's coattails?"

Finnian hated seeing her cry more than anything. He comforted her in a low voice, "Don't overthink it. Kaia isn't trying to humiliate you. She's just aggressive and highly competitive because she has the skills to back it up."

Noelle nodded, lightly biting her lip. "Yeah, I believe she doesn't mean any harm. I just feel awful inside. I hate feeling this incompetent. Finnian, I'm going to learn from her. I'm going to solidify my technical foundation so that in the future, I won't have to put you in a tough spot to go beg her for help."

As she spoke, a tear fell, forming a crystal-clear bead on the surface of the desk.

Compared to Kaia's cold, hard, and aggressive nature, Finnian felt that the Noelle in front of him needed protecting. She was warmer, more human, and knew how to show vulnerability.

"Just ignore her aggressiveness," Finnian murmured soothingly.

"Alright, well, at least this issue is resolved. You should get back to work," Finnian said, turning and leaving the room.

Once the office door clicked shut and silence returned, Noelle raised the back of her hand. She methodically pulled a tissue and wiped away the tear tracks on her face until they were completely gone. Finally, she picked up the fountain pen on her desk and twirled it smoothly between her fingers.

Kaia's hardline stance was exactly what she had calculated. Kaia could be as tough as she wanted at work, but by doing so, she stripped away all the soft, tender femininity that Finnian secretly desired in a wife.

So, had she won or lost?

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