What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 26

Noelle tilted her face up, flashing him a smile, before obediently letting him guide her out the doors by the waist.

Kaia had originally planned to just leave, but Dexter had already spotted her. If she walked away now, it would look like she was the one running away.

So, she stood her ground.

Finnian and Noelle finally noticed Kaia standing by the entrance. Noelle smiled and greeted her, "Kaia, what are you doing here?"

Finnian looked at Kaia with a hint of suspicion in his eyes as well.

Kaia kept her voice flat. "I had a dinner meeting with Mr. Wagner from Concordia Health and the FDA reps today."

Finnian finally remembered that was on the schedule.

Noelle immediately put a little distance between herself and Finnian. "Kaia, Finnian and I were just having dinner with some friends. You know how it is, we all grew up together. They insisted on taking me out to dinner because I fainted yesterday."

Finnian quickly turned to Julian. "Julian, could you take Noelle back to Crimson Crest? She moved in there recently."

Julian nodded. "Sure, I've got it."

Noelle smiled warmly. "Thanks so much, Julian. You're like a little brother."

Julian immediately protested, "I'm only three months younger than you!"

"Still a little brother," Noelle teased. She then turned to Finnian. "How about I just call you Finnian from now on? Just like the old days."

Finnian's voice was low and husky. "Stop messing around and get some rest."

Noelle playfully stuck her tongue out and turned to Kaia. "Kaia, we're going to head out first!"

Finnian walked over and opened the passenger door of the Porsche 911 himself. As Noelle got in, he instructed her, "The doctor told you to rest. Don't push it. And... no smoking, and no sneaking drinks. Call me if you need anything."

"You're acting more like my dad than my brother with all this nagging," Noelle said with a petulant expression, turning her head away to avoid looking at him.

A look of helpless affection flashed across Finnian's handsome face. Seeing Noelle with her arms crossed, he resignedly leaned in and buckled her seatbelt for her.

After the pain came the anger, and beneath the anger lay absolute disappointment.

Then she suddenly remembered Brynlee mumbling before bed, asking if Daddy was home yet, her little face etched with disappointment.

She remembered Finnian scolding her for trying to 'steal' Noelle's project.

She remembered Elaine's demands at lunch—telling her to be magnanimous, to know her place, to protect the family's dignity.

And most of all, she remembered the scene behind the privacy screen: him drinking her wine, him carefully putting her into the car.

Every ounce of care and attention she had never received from him, he gave freely—lavishly, even—to another woman.

Stopped at a red light, Kaia rolled down her window and took a deep breath of the freezing air. Then, she pulled out her phone, found a number in her contacts, and quickly typed out a short message: "Mr. Finch, it's Kaia Chavez. I've thought carefully about the marital consultation we discussed, and I'd like to schedule an in-person meeting to formally retain your services as soon as possible. Please let me know what time works best for you."

Send.