What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 357

Knowing Noelle was a proud, stubborn, and somewhat dramatic woman, Finnian secretly had someone keep an eye on her, just to ensure her safety.

When Dexter came in to report on her whereabouts, he noted that she was commuting normally and her mood at work seemed perfectly fine—in fact, she was throwing herself into her projects more intensely than before.

Finnian's lips pressed into a thin line, and his fingers lightly tapped the desk twice.

"Boss, if you're really that worried about Ms. Lawrence, maybe we should..."

"No need," Finnian cut him off, his voice heavy. "This is just a phase. She'll get over it eventually."

Dexter nodded. "Ms. Lawrence might seem fragile, but she's actually quite resilient."

Finnian didn't reply, though the crease between his brows deepened.

This was just Noelle throwing a silent tantrum, trying to prove a point.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Dexter suddenly rushed into the office and reported, "Boss, Ms. Lawrence rear-ended another car right outside the building when she was leaving work. She's physically fine, but she got pretty shaken up."

Finnian immediately stood up from his desk. Just as he was about to head out, he paused. "Are you absolutely sure she's not hurt?"

"Yes, she's fine. Her assistant, Wendy Vance, is handling the accident, and Ms. Lawrence has gone back to her office to rest," Dexter confirmed.

Finnian rubbed his temples, a headache brewing. He sank back into his black leather chair and instructed, "Tell her to come up to my office. Say it's about work."

Dexter looked surprised for a second but nodded.

When Noelle walked in, she was wearing a bright blue tweed suit. Her hair was messily pinned back, and her light makeup only emphasized her exhaustion and fragility. Her eyes were red-rimmed, making Finnian wonder if the fender-bender had genuinely terrified her.

"Don't just stand there. Have a seat," Finnian offered, watching her closely.

"No thank you. What did you need to see me about, Mr. Sanders?" Noelle stood rigidly straight, though her frame seemed noticeably thinner than a few weeks ago.

Finnian took in her frail, aggrieved demeanor, noting the sudden formality of her address.

"You always used to call me Finnian," he said, leaning back in his chair, his tone unreadable.

Noelle's tears kept falling, but she clamped her mouth shut, refusing to speak.

Finnian watched her lowered eyelashes, heavy with unshed tears. She looked undeniably pitiful.

"When you decided to hand me over to Julian, did you even ask what I wanted? Did you even consider my feelings? Setting us up like that out of nowhere—how are Julian and I supposed to even be friends now? After this, we probably can't even face each other." Noelle took a sharp breath and stumbled back two steps. "For three days, I forced myself to forget what happened. I came to work on time, went to meetings, handled Aethelstan's affairs... but I was so distracted I almost totaled someone else's car. I'm completely falling apart!"

Faced with her self-deprecation and overwhelming sorrow, Finnian's brow furrowed heavily.

"Julian is a good man. Most importantly, he truly cares about you. Instead of letting Grandmother marry you off to some stranger, isn't it better to be with Julian? At least he'll love you," Finnian reasoned after a long pause.

"I don't need him to love me, and I don't need him to treat me well! I'm strong enough on my own. I can live perfectly well and be happy without a man! Why... why is it that ever since Rafael passed away, everyone wants to push me away? Even you... you want to push me out."

Noelle suddenly lost control of her emotions, breaking down completely. She crouched on the floor, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed uncontrollably. "I don't want this. I don't want to leave..."

Watching her emotional collapse as she cried like a child, Finnian wanted to say something, but he forced the words down. Perhaps he really couldn't force her like this.

"That night... I ran out. I kept thinking you would come after me, but the only person who showed up was Julian. Finnian, do you not care about me anymore? You didn't even care enough to chase after me."