What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 254

Finnian's brow furrowed tightly. Before he could respond, Noelle continued.

"I'll keep my head down from now on. I'll just focus on work and won't step out of line again. Grandmother is getting older, and I shouldn't upset her over these trivial matters."

Listening to Noelle's compromises, Finnian was struck by how obedient and accommodating she sounded. It reminded him of the cautious, timid nine-year-old girl who had first arrived at the Sanders estate. It made his heart ache for her.

"Okay, I understand. Go to sleep early."

"Alright. Please don't drink so much anymore, Finnian," Noelle added warmly before hanging up.

Finnian held the phone, watching the screen slowly fade to black.

The burning in his stomach had largely subsided. Noelle's timely concern felt like a soothing warmth filling his chest.

Dexter walked back in, bringing a glass of warm water.

Finnian suddenly found it all incredibly ironic. One woman was so understanding it broke his heart, while the other was so ruthlessly cold it chilled his blood.

The contrast was blindingly obvious.

The next morning, Kaia had an important meeting regarding the medical division at The Sanders Tower. Executives from Aethelstan, Veridian Future, and two other subsidiaries were in attendance.

Kaia walked into the boardroom precisely at nine.

Both sides of the long mahogany table were already packed.

Spotting her nameplate, she took her seat.

The meeting commenced exactly five minutes later.

She glanced at the head of the table. Empty.

Finnian hadn't shown up.

She then looked toward the Aethelstan delegation. Noelle was absent, too.

Without a change in expression, Kaia flipped open the meeting dossier, fully aware of why they were both missing.

They had probably spent the entire night glued to each other.

The meeting proceeded as scheduled, with Aethelstan's Head of R&D, Dr. Gordon Hayes, filling in.

Every so often, Gordon would shoot Kaia a deep, probing look, his eyes laced with scrutiny.

Halfway through the agenda, they took a short recess.

As Kaia chatted quietly with the person next to her, she heard hushed whispers from behind. "Why isn't Mr. Sanders here today?"

A lower voice replied, "Do you think it's because Ms. Lawrence is in the hospital..."

The first person quickly shushed them, and the gossiping instantly died out.

Kaia didn't look back. She kept her eyes glued to the spreadsheet in front of her, calmly turning the page.

Gordon's face darkened. He had heard rumors that Kaia had won over the Sanders family matriarch using her medical expertise. With the old woman backing her, Kaia essentially had free rein in the Sanders family and didn't have to answer to anyone.

Stepping into the elevator, Kaia felt a suffocating tightness in her chest.

Finnian hadn't come home all night, no doubt playing the devoted caretaker at the hospital, yet she was the one being interrogated like a villain.

At that moment, her resolve to pack up and leave that house cemented into pure certainty.

That afternoon, Elaine claimed she was too busy to pick up Brynlee and told Kaia to figure it out herself.

Kaia heard the blatant resentment in her mother-in-law's voice. Of course. Noelle was still bedridden; naturally, Elaine was at the hospital tending to her.

At three o'clock, Kaia arrived at the private kindergarten to pick up Brynlee. She planned to head to the mall afterward to look at furniture and appliances, wanting to move out as soon as possible.

"Mommy!" Brynlee waved excitedly, holding another little girl's hand.

"Ms. Kaia!" Anna Quinn offered a polite, somewhat shy smile as she greeted her.

Seeing her daughter holding hands with the Quinn family's little girl, Kaia was momentarily taken aback.

Just then, a warm, magnetic male voice sounded from behind. "Kaia, what a coincidence."

Turning around, Kaia saw Simon Quinn walking toward them.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt, he looked remarkably clean-cut, refined, and effortlessly handsome.