What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 163

After talking in circles, Finnian finally got to the point.

His eyes instantly darkened, turning razor-sharp as they locked onto hers. "I'm asking if we can put an end to all this pointless bickering and internal friction."

Kaia's gaze shifted, staring back at him coldly. She was still trying to connect the dots.

Seeing her confused expression, Finnian assumed she was playing dumb again. He stood up, his tall, commanding frame rounding the desk until he was standing right in front of her. Staring down into her eyes, he said, "There are only so many resources to go around. This feud and these 'misunderstandings' between you and Noelle do nothing but make us look like a joke to outsiders."

Hearing that, a surge of pure anger shot straight from Kaia's chest to her head. Staring at the man in front of her, it hit her with painful clarity: he was using his power and resources to protect Noelle from her. He was literally throwing stock options and dividends at her to buy her silence and force her to back down. How wildly ironic.

Still, letting him pay her off to step aside wasn't entirely a bad deal. After reigning in her emotions for a moment, Kaia took a slow, shallow breath.

"Finnian," she said, dropping into the guest chair next to the desk. Her voice was ice. "Is everything just a transaction to you?"

As she spoke, she reached over, pulled the folder toward her, and began carefully flipping through the pages.

She read it thoroughly. Finnian stood by, making no move to rush her. Once she was done, she closed the folder and tapped it against the desk. "A two percent increase, plus all the accompanying adjustments. It's a very generous offer. I accept."

Finnian's eyebrow twitched imperceptibly. He hadn't expected her to be so painfully straightforward. This wasn't the woman he remembered.

He studied her face, feeling a stifling sensation in his chest. Since when was she so easily bought?

Kaia glanced up at him, lightly tapping her fingers against the wood surface. "Before I officially sign these papers, we need to get a few things straight."

Finnian crossed his arms, towering over her. "Like what?"

Kaia's tone was calm, yet undeniably forceful. "I am accepting this settlement because I genuinely earned it through my work at Aethelstan. And because I want to ensure Brynlee's financial future is ironclad. But... you just hurled a few accusations at me. Care to clarify them?" She enunciated every word with crystal clarity. "I have the moral high ground here. I did nothing wrong. If I make a mistake, I'll own it and apologize. But I am not taking the fall for something I didn't do, and I will absolutely not accept your vague, passive-aggressive accusations."

"The files are signed, and your terms are understood," she said evenly, tossing the pen aside and gesturing toward the door. "I'm a bit busy over here. Please show yourself out, Mr. Sanders."

Finnian shot her a complicated look. Her clear, bright eyes held a light he suddenly found impossible to read. It was as if, in all six years of their marriage, he had never truly met her.

Grabbing the folder, he turned and walked out, pulling the door shut behind him. Kaia rubbed her temples. It looked like things were finally heading in a clear direction. Once their financial ties were severed, finalizing the divorce would be a whole lot easier.

On Thursday afternoon, Kaia got a call from her uncle, Marcus Vance. He mentioned a technical issue over at The Vance Herb Farm and asked if she could drive out and run a few tests. Kaia agreed to head over on Saturday. Marcus was ecstatic, thanking her profusely before hanging up.

Saturday morning, Kaia told her mother, Jane, about the trip. Jane immediately offered to watch Brynlee for the day so Kaia could focus on helping her uncle. Word of her field trip reached Laura, and when she learned Kaia was heading to a farm over a hundred miles outside the city, she volunteered to tag along. Knowing the long drive would be exhausting alone, Kaia agreed, glad for the company.

They hit the road under an overcast sky. After roughly four hours of driving, they finally pulled up to The Vance Herb Farm. The on-site technicians were pulling their hair out with stress. Kaia inspected the environment, took several soil and plant samples, and set up a makeshift lab in one of the back rooms. Laura played assistant, fetching whatever Kaia needed. By five in the afternoon, the results were in. Kaia adjusted the nutrient ratios based on her findings, and the irrigation system was finally rebooted.

"Dr. Chavez, you really know your stuff. We've been trying to balance this for days with zero luck. The seedlings were right on the edge of dying."