What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 132

As the head of core technology, Kaia was naturally the center of attention, with many people coming over to toast her, showering her with corporate pleasantries.

Kaia was usually a very reserved person, but tonight, seeing the team's relentless hard work finally pay off, her tightly wound nerves relaxed. The wine went down smoothly, leaving a crisp, sweet finish.

Silas, sitting at the head of the table, stood up and walked over to her. As he offered a toast, he deliberately lowered his glass just a fraction below hers, his tone filled with respect. "Here's to you, Kaia."

Hearing him address her with such respect, Kaia smiled. "To our mutual success, Silas."

It wasn't the first time Silas had heard Kaia call him by his first name. Two or three years ago, at family gatherings, she would address the younger generation like that just to be polite.

Back then, Silas hadn't felt anything in particular. But right now, hearing her call his name with that clear, pleasant voice stirred a strange, subtle feeling in his chest.

By the time dinner ended, the night had grown dark.

Kaia had been drinking and couldn't drive. Silas suggested she take his car back, mentioning that a few other employees would be riding in his SUV as well.

Kaia agreed. Sitting in the plush seat, her radiant complexion held a slight flush. Her eyes were bright and watery, carrying a hazy, tipsy glow.

The driver made a few detours to drop off the other colleagues first before taking Silas and Kaia toward the luxury estate.

The car turned into the gated community and drove toward the imposing, majestic Sanders mansion.

As soon as they passed the front gates, Kaia spotted a figure standing under the porch light by the main entrance.

As the car drew closer and the headlights washed over the area, she saw it was Finnian.

He was in his loungewear with a coat draped over his shoulders, holding Brynlee, who was zipped up in her sleep sack.

The little girl was bundled warmly in the man's coat, held tight against his chest.

It was impossible to tell how long the father and daughter had been standing out there.

Seeing the headlights, the previously sleepy Brynlee rubbed her eyes and asked in a sweet, childish voice, "Is Mommy home?"

The car stopped in front of the door. Seeing her daughter, Kaia's drunkenness faded slightly.

The car door slid open, and Silas stepped out first. Seeing Finnian, he offered a polite smile. "Finnian, it's freezing out here. Why are you standing outside with her?"

Finnian stared at him silently for two seconds before shifting his gaze to Kaia.

Kaia was still a bit dizzy. As she carefully held onto the doorframe to step down, her foot slipped, and she nearly took a spill.

Almost entirely on instinct, Silas reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her. "Careful, Kaia," he murmured in concern.

"Thanks!" Kaia finally found her footing and gave him a grateful smile.

"Mommy!" Brynlee struggled in Finnian's arms, reaching out for Kaia.

"Noelle, when are you going to pull some strings and get our materials factory running again? The workers haven't had anything to do for two months, and they're making a fuss. Some are quitting, some are protesting... It's a massive headache. Can't you just..."

"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Noelle was already overwhelmed trying to manage Aethelstan, and having someone constantly hounding her made her snap. Her tone instantly turned icy.

"No, no, no, Mom didn't mean it like that. It's just... I'm really getting anxious." Pearl didn't dare raise her voice at Noelle, nor did she dare try to assert any maternal authority.

"I have a dinner scheduled with some people tonight. Wait for my call." Noelle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glanced at her itinerary on the desk, and hung up.

As night fell, Noelle headed to the dinner she had booked at The Sterling Club. It was a high-end luxury restaurant famous for business entertainment, where every private room offered absolute exclusivity.

Noelle arrived early. She brought only her most trusted assistant, Wendy Vance, and no one else.

The staff opened the double doors to the private room, and four middle-aged men walked in. These men were heavyweights in the upstream building materials industry, controlling the core raw material channels and holding all the negotiating power.

Noelle only vaguely knew two of them, but because they were in different industries, they hadn't crossed paths deeply before.

"Ms. Lawrence, I never expected we'd meet in a setting like this. It's an absolute pleasure." A man named Mr. Wagner reached out, holding her hand a beat too long as his eyes raked over her face.

Noelle was dressed in a sharp white suit skirt, her makeup flawless. However, it was evident that since her husband's passing, there was an underlying tension in her eyes that she couldn't completely hide.

She was the very picture of a stunning young widow. Tonight, the men wondered if they might get lucky.