What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 180

"Kaia, wake up. We're back at the company."

Silas's voice echoed in her ears.

Kaia's eyes snapped open. The familiar surroundings pulled her violently from the dreamscape back to reality.

She blinked a few times. That kind of disjointed sleep only made her feel more exhausted. She let out a soft sigh, met Silas's concerned gaze, and offered a weak smile. "Alright. Let's head in."

Kaia was struggling to shake off the lingering haze of the dream, but her phone buzzed with a text message that shattered the illusion completely.

Finnian had sent a work-related text, demanding an update on a situation, ending with four incredibly cold, corporate words: Reply as soon as possible.

The whiplash between the man in her dream and the reality of his text snapped Kaia entirely awake.

She typed back a quick "Received" and aggressively buried every single emotion.

Noticing she seemed a little spaced out, Silas asked quietly, "Did you have a nightmare? I saw you frowning while you were asleep. Looked like you were fighting off demons in there."

Kaia laughed at his description but didn't bother explaining. She just murmured a quiet agreement.

Silas's eyes darkened. While she was asleep, she had mumbled a name. He had heard it perfectly clearly. She was practically screaming for a divorce, yet she was still instinctively calling out his name in her sleep. Kaia, Kaia... is it really that hard to let go?

Kaia practically sprinted toward the company doors, never once looking back to see the complicated expression on Silas's face. She threw the fleeting dream into the back of her mind, locking it away.

By mid-April, the spring rain had settled in. It had been pouring for over a week with no sign of letting up.

Noelle had been drowning in work lately. Desperate to prove herself, she threw everything she had into her job. Dr. Gordon Hayes hadn't let her down, quickly and flawlessly wrapping up all the loose ends Kaia had left behind. Thanks to him, Aethelstan was back on track in record time, even without Kaia's technical expertise.

When Gordon had come to her office to deliver his report earlier, the way he looked at her was intensely passionate.

Noelle just forced a polite smile and brushed it off. She had plenty of admirers; men were constantly throwing themselves at her, hinting or outright confessing their feelings. It was all so predictable now that it barely registered.

Her phone chimed with a text notification.

Noelle glanced at it. It was from Heather, along with a link.

"Noelle, she just blew right past you."

Noelle's stomach dropped. She immediately pulled up the news article Heather had sent on her computer.

Some media outlet had just dropped "The Annual Women in Power List."

The headline read: "Tech Innovator Shocks the Market: 27, Brilliant, and Ruthless."

The sheer exhaustion and apathy Noelle had been feeling vanished instantly.

She shot up in her chair and aggressively scrolled down the page, her eyes scanning for a familiar name.

Found it.

Noelle spent the rest of the afternoon staring blankly at her screen, entirely incapable of doing any work.

That evening, Julian Kendrick invited their circle to a gathering, and Noelle was on the list.

Inside the top-floor VIP room of the private club, the panoramic view of the city skyline was breathtaking.

The lighting was dim, the vibe relaxed and exclusive.

This particular circle got together fairly regularly. Back when she was the eldest daughter-in-law, Noelle hadn't bothered showing up to every event.

But ever since Rafael Sanders passed away and she became a 'free agent', she never missed one.

She showed up straight from work, still radiating the sharp, unapproachable energy of a corporate elite.

The moment Noelle pushed the door open, Julian immediately walked over. "Wow, the queen has arrived. I've got all your favorite drinks lined up. Your throne awaits."

"You always know exactly what to say," Noelle playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Come on, tell me. How many young girls have you tricked with that line today?"

Julian threw his hands up, looking deeply offended, but his eyes were completely serious. "I swear to you, not a single one. This silver tongue of mine only makes an appearance when you're around. No one else gets VIP treatment."

"You're impossible." Noelle's foul mood lifted slightly as she walked over to the sofas and settled in gracefully. Heather and a few other guys from their circle called out their greetings.

"Did you invite Finnian? Is he coming?" Noelle asked casually as soon as she sat down.