What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 268

From a babbling baby to a highly sensitive and observant little girl, Brynlee was growing up fast, and Kaia genuinely didn't know how to navigate this new emotional minefield. A rare look of absolute uncertainty clouded her sharp eyes.

Amidst the drumming rain, her phone buzzed with a text.

Kaia glanced at the screen. It was Finnian: "I'm downstairs. I don't have the building access code."

Her chest tightened defensively. What was he doing here?

She typed a quick reply: "Brynlee is asleep. If you want to see her, come back later."

Instead of texting back, Finnian simply bypassed her and dialed Brynlee's smartwatch directly.

Kaia gritted her teeth in frustration.

The loud, obnoxious ringtone instantly jolted Brynlee awake. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, looking around wildly. "Mom, my watch is ringing! It has to be Dad!"

Before Kaia could stop her, Brynlee scrambled off her lap and sprinted into the bedroom to answer it.

A moment later, she came running back out, absolutely glowing. "Mom, Dad is really here! I buzzed him in!"

Kaia mentally cursed Finnian. He was manipulative, ruthless, and played entirely too dirty.

Brynlee had unlocked the lobby doors from the intercom, giving Finnian a clear path up. When the elevator doors finally slid open, he found his daughter waiting for him in the hallway, her hair a messy bedhead halo.

"Dad! You're finally home!" Brynlee squealed, throwing herself into his arms with bright, adoring eyes.

Leaning against the doorframe, Kaia watched the reunion unfold. The word "home" echoed painfully in her ears. So that's how it was—Brynlee viewed this apartment as their new family sanctuary.

A suffocating weight settled on Kaia's chest, but she forced her expression to remain entirely neutral.

Finnian stepped out of the elevator wearing a tailored sky-blue dress shirt, holding an incredibly elegant gift box in his free hand.

After indulging Brynlee in a long hug, he finally lifted his somber gaze to meet Kaia's at the door.

He casually extended the box toward her. "For the housewarming."

Kaia didn't reach for it.

Brynlee turned and looked at her, nudging her impatiently. "Mom, Dad brought you a present. Take it!"

Boxed into a corner by her own child, Kaia accepted it stiffly. "Thank you."

Carrying his daughter, Finnian strolled confidently into the living room. His predatory gaze swept over the beautifully furnished space, taking in every delicate detail that screamed of Kaia's personal taste.

So this was the apartment Silas had so generously provided for her?

Brynlee kicked off her shoes and launched herself onto the mattress, rolling around wildly. "Dad, you and Mom are going to sleep here from now on! Isn't this bed huge?"

Finnian's handsome face hardened instantly as he watched his daughter tumble around in pure bliss.

"Brynlee, this is Mom's room. I probably won't be sleeping here," he stated flatly, deciding to rip the band-aid off now.

"Why?" she gasped, sitting up. "Other kids' moms and dads sleep in the same room. Why won't you sleep with Mom?"

In the massive Sanders Estate, there were so many rooms that it never seemed strange to her that her parents had separate quarters. But here, the space was clearly defined. If he stayed, he had to sleep with Kaia.

"Mom moved here to be closer to work. This isn't our home," Finnian said smoothly. It was a rare moment where he genuinely struggled to find the right words to manipulate a situation.

"But... this is our new home! Mom is going to live here all the time. If you don't sleep here, are you going to stay in that giant house all by yourself?" Brynlee tilted her head, her large eyes filled with terrifyingly mature logic.

"Yes. I'll stay at the estate," Finnian confirmed with a sharp nod.

"No! I won't allow it!" Brynlee scrambled off the bed and grabbed his arm, shaking it frantically. "I don't want you guys to live apart! You have to stay here!"

Standing silently in the hallway, Kaia overheard the entire exchange, her blood running cold.

Finnian slowly turned his head, his dark, calculating eyes locking onto her through the doorway.