What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 189

On the surface, everything revolved around Brynlee, but the air in the room was suffocatingly heavy.

After dinner, Finnian helped check Brynlee's backpack to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. As he packed her bag, Finnian suddenly realized that in this living room—a room he had stood in countless times before—he now felt entirely like an unwelcome intruder.

As the family of three prepared to leave, Jane set down her teacup and walked them to the door. "Be a good girl, Brynlee. Listen to your mom and dad, behave yourself, and don't forget to miss Grandma!"

"I'll miss you all the time, Grandma!" Brynlee gave Jane a huge, warm hug around the legs.

Jane stroked the little girl's hair, but when her eyes flicked to Finnian, they instantly grew cold. "Drive safe."

"Kaia, Dexter took the car, so I'll ride with you." Finnian opened the back door of Kaia's SUV, placed Brynlee inside, and climbed in after her.

Kaia said goodbye to her mother and started the car.

As the car rolled out of the tree-lined neighborhood, Brynlee chattered non-stop about her day at school. Kaia focused on driving, while Finnian gave his daughter his full attention.

An hour later, they pulled up to the Sanders villa.

Layla came out to take Brynlee upstairs for a bath. Kaia sat down in the living room and poured herself a cup of tea, while Finnian headed straight upstairs to his study.

That was when Kaia's phone rang.

The caller ID read: Elaine Sanders.

Kaia's hand paused. Her mother-in-law rarely called her directly. For her to call at this hour...

A bad feeling pooled in Kaia's stomach.

She answered the call. "Mom?" Her voice was perfectly calm.

Elaine's furious voice tore through the speaker. "Kaia, what exactly are you trying to pull?"

Kaia's grip on her phone tightened, but she remained silent, letting her speak.

"Did you know Noelle was hospitalized today? She has a high fever, she can barely breathe, and she's too weak to even get out of bed!" Elaine's voice was a frantic, furious hiss. "I know you don't like her, but you cannot resort to these cheap, gutter tactics to tear her down! You seem to have forgotten that you are still a daughter-in-law of the Sanders family! If you want to survive in this family, show a little class and stop giving people fodder for gossip!"

Kaia frowned.

Noelle was hospitalized today?

"Mom, I am not going to sit here and listen to you hurl baseless accusations at me," Kaia said, her tone turning to steel. "I suggest you get the full story. If you genuinely believe I orchestrated some plot to hurt her, then show me the proof. As for declining the interview, that was my personal choice. It's my right, and it has nothing to do with anyone else. Noelle scored the interview through her own merit and luck. I have absolutely zero issue with that, and I have never spoken a single word against it. I refuse to accept your accusations that I am trying to destroy her."

Dead silence fell over the line, broken only by Elaine's ragged breathing.

Faced with Kaia's ironclad logic, Elaine's fury faltered slightly. "Even if... even if you did reject it first, the nasty things your assistant said were still said! You failed to manage your own team!"

"I am already handling my team. You don't need to worry about that," Kaia replied, not disputing that point.

Elaine took a deep breath. "You're feeling very bold lately, Kaia. But the Sanders family is a prestigious institution. We will not tolerate this toxic drama and people stirring the pot. Watch your step."

Without giving Kaia a chance to reply, she slammed the phone down.

Kaia tossed her phone onto the table. She felt like an invisible net was closing in on her, systematically destroying whatever relationship she had left with her mother-in-law.

It was late. After taking a shower, Finnian went to Brynlee's room to blow-dry her hair. The little girl had been practically asleep in the car, and only Finnian keeping her talking had kept her awake until they got home.

At this moment, she lay on her back on the bed, letting Finnian blow-dry her hair, having already fallen fast asleep.