What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 236

"People like us?" Kaia cut him off. "Finnian, are you trying to guilt-trip me using whatever history we supposedly share? How much ‘history' do we even have that's worth bringing up?"

Finnian's Adam's apple bobbed as he absorbed her sharp rebuttal. "Brynlee is only five. A divorce will leave permanent emotional scars on her. Have you really thought this through? We might be failing as husband and wife, but we owe it to our daughter to reconsider."

Kaia closed her eyes briefly. Finnian was using his classic boardroom tactic—striking at his opponent's weak point. Using their child to threaten her was laughable.

She opened her eyes, her gaze crystal clear. "I know your reluctance to divorce isn't just about Brynlee. But you shouldn't use her as a tool to drag out this marriage. For me, staying together isn't about love anymore. It's about severing a toxic tie."

Seeing the absolute resolve on her face, Finnian suddenly remembered the bright, hopeful words he had read in her diary.

Was she rushing to secure her freedom so she could run into the arms of another man?

Finnian looked down at the table. It seemed this woman truly didn't need him anymore.

A surge of bitter frustration and the sting of perceived betrayal turned his eyes freezing cold.

"And if I refuse to sign?" Finnian's predatory gaze locked onto her, emanating a commanding, suffocating pressure. "As long as I drag this out in court, the divorce will become an endless war of attrition. How much time and energy do you really have to waste, Kaia?"

Kaia snapped her head up, staring at him in shock. Finnian immediately looked away.

The moment the words left his mouth, even he felt how despicable they were.

Kaia gripped her fingers tightly, her hands turning ice-cold. She stood up and walked to the window, turning her back to him to hide her profound disappointment.

"Now that sounds like your real negotiating style," she mocked softly. "Use the kid to play the victim, use our past to induce guilt, and hope I soften up. And when that fails, hit me with the brutal reality that I have no choice at all."

Finnian couldn't answer. His gaze was somber, heavy with unspoken tension.

A dead silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the wind outside.

"Third, we handle our own families. If the Sanders family needs me to put on a show to protect your reputation, I will. But you don't need to act in front of my parents anymore. They already know we're divorcing, and they completely support me."

"Fourth, I've spent years quietly ignoring your interactions with other women. Choosing to turn a blind eye didn't mean I didn't care. From now on, as long as I hold the title of Mrs. Sanders, I will strike back against anyone who provokes me. I'm not being unreasonable; I'm simply defending my dignity and my rights."

Hearing her methodically outline her demands, Finnian sat frozen, as if nailed to his chair.

It sounded exactly like a stay of execution.

He frowned deeply. He hated every word she said.

But he knew Kaia. Once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.

Seeing the cold look on his face, Kaia raised an eyebrow. "If you have any objections, name them. We can negotiate. If you think any of this crosses a line, tell me. If push comes to shove, I can always resign from Veridian and sever our professional ties completely."