What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 144

The two men's eyes met in the crisp morning air.

Finnian straightened up to his full height, watching the little girl run over.

Simon walked toward him, a polite, formal smile anchored on his face. "Mr. Sanders. I've heard a great deal about you. I'm Simon Quinn, Anna's uncle."

Finnian's gaze lingered on Simon's face for a fraction of a second too long. His eyes were calm, yet laced with a sharp, assessing intensity. His smile was unreadable.

He extended a hand. "Finnian Sanders."

They exchanged a brief, firm handshake.

Finnian's voice was perfectly even, betraying no emotion as he smoothly delivered his line. "Thank you for the hospitality last night. Kaia and Brynlee told me all about it."

Simon was momentarily taken aback, but his smile remained flawless. "You're too kind, Mr. Sanders. It's rare for kids to get along so well. Kaia and I go way back, so inviting them over for a casual dinner was the least I could do as an old friend."

The two little girls were already chattering away, walking hand-in-hand toward the school gates. The two men had no choice but to follow briskly until the teachers safely ushered the kids inside.

"I'll be off, Mr. Sanders," Simon said with a curt nod. With perfect posture and steady strides, he returned to his car and drove away.

Only when the Maybach disappeared into the traffic did the smile finally fade from Finnian's face. He got back into the Bentley. "Let's go, Dexter."

Late March. Today was Elaine Sanders's 53rd birthday. While she didn't throw an overly extravagant bash, she had booked the ballroom on the eighth floor of The Grandeur Hotel, inviting ten tables of close friends and family.

When Leo looked at Kaia, his eyes darted away guiltily.

Kaia immediately thought of her brother's new project. She had already investigated through back channels and confirmed that Finnian had handed him two massive contracts. The deals had gone suspiciously smooth, which meant Leo had intentionally bypassed her so she wouldn't interfere.

Jane's eyes narrowed as she watched Noelle from across the room.

Standing beside Elaine, Noelle was draped in a shimmering sapphire-blue satin gown with a demure, classic silhouette. Her hair fell in soft, romantic curls, giving her the air of a dutiful, wide-eyed daughter—a far cry from the cutthroat corporate shark she usually was. She was a master of the mask, a woman who knew exactly how to play her audience to get what she wanted.

Kaia's gaze followed. Noelle seemed uncharacteristically restless, her fingers fluttering in a faint, almost protective rhythm against her lower stomach. Even as she socialized, her eyes kept drifting, searching the crowd for one specific face.