What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 179

Looking back, that awkward teenage angst actually felt kind of sweet in retrospect.

If he could do it all over again...

Simon Quinn absolutely wouldn't have avoided her. He would have found every excuse to talk to her, to get... closer to her.

"Whoa, why are you blushing? Kaia is a married woman. Don't go crossing any lines," Silas pointed out sharply, catching the flush on Simon's face despite the dim lighting.

"Don't worry, I won't," Simon replied coolly, before adding with a smile, "It was a long time ago. Looking back now, it just brings up a lot of memories, that's all."

Kaia just smiled and nodded. "I just remember you were amazing at the piano."

Simon froze, a distant look in his eyes. "I thought you never heard me play. Or, if you did, I didn't think you'd remember."

Kaia pressed her lips together in a smile. "I was a science nerd. I didn't exactly have an ear for the arts. So, your playing was like magic to me. It's hard to forget."

Silas propped his chin on his hand, his sharp eyes darting between the two of them. They were just talking about the past, but why did he suddenly feel like the third wheel?

"Did you two have a thing for each other back in high school?" Silas raised an eyebrow, teasing them.

Kaia looked up and met Silas's gaze. Her eyes were completely calm, but that look was enough to wipe the smirk off Silas's face.

Simon just kept sipping his tea, completely silent.

The three of them shifted the conversation to industry trends and didn't bring up the past again.

Silas was a natural conversationalist; there was never a dull moment with him around.

They talked and ate, and soon the lunch was coming to an end.

Silas checked his watch and turned to Simon. "Kaia and I need to head back. We've got a meeting at four-thirty. How are you getting back, Simon?"

"My driver is waiting downstairs," Simon replied.

Silas nodded and stood up. Kaia was about to stand as well, and Silas instinctively reached out to place a hand lightly behind her chair. He looked at Simon. "We'll head out first, then. Let's catch up another time."

Simon didn't miss Silas's protective gesture. His eyes flickered slightly, but his smile didn't waver. "Sounds good. Let's do this again soon. Drive safe."

Simon walked them downstairs and watched them drive off before heading back inside to find his friends.

Sitting in the back of the luxury SUV, Silas suddenly spoke up. "Kaia, what do you think of Simon Quinn? I've known him for years. He's always been incredibly disciplined and has a stellar reputation."

Kaia glanced at him and said smoothly, "Yeah, he's highly capable, and he's a good person. He's great."

It spilled across the pristine lab benches, making the mundane look magical.

She was wearing a lab coat and safety goggles, hyper-focused on the cell slices under the microscope, meticulously logging data.

Her professor was sitting nearby reviewing files, the scent of black tea lingering in the air.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the lab door. The professor called out a warm "Come in."

Kaia turned to look. Outlined by the golden halo of the sun, a tall, striking silhouette walked in, looking almost too perfect to be real.

"Mr. Sanders..." the professor greeted him with a smile.

Only then did Kaia see his face clearly. It was the same man who had challenged her at the podium that day.

A young Finnian Sanders, already radiating a calm and sharpness that defied his age. Even back then, he was impossible to read, carrying an effortless, aristocratic air.

Kaia just stared at him. After greeting the professor, Finnian's eyes lingered on her for a second. He glanced at the data and samples scattered across her station, gave her a small smile, and said in a low voice, "Hello, Ms. Chavez. We meet again."

That was the second time Kaia and Finnian had ever crossed paths. He was like the blazing afternoon sun, golden and regal, warm and approachable, yet he arrived like a god descending into her ordinary life, leaving an earth-shattering impact on her heart.