What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 396

Noelle paused, lowering her gaze with a bittersweet smile. "Mom, regret is just a part of life. But sometimes, when you least expect it, fate might just give you a miracle."

Hearing this, Elaine's eyes immediately reddened with grief. "Unless my Rafael comes back to life, what kind of miracle could there possibly be? He was my most responsible, obedient son."

Elaine broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Just moments ago, she had urged Finnian to control Kaia, only to be met with cold indifference. The contrast made her ache for her eldest son's warm, gentle nature. Rafael had always been her anchor, whereas Finnian was far too independent and intimidating. Raised primarily by his grandparents, Finnian had never shared that deep bond with her, and the distance between them had always been her greatest regret.

"Mom, please don't cry. Things will get better. I promise," Noelle murmured, wrapping her arms around Elaine. Her own eyes turned red in a perfect display of empathy.

"Noelle, I just want Rafael back. Sometimes, when I'm at the main estate, I swear I can still feel his presence..." Elaine wept harder, the tears pouring down her face.

Noelle shed tears of her own, though the depths of her eyes were entirely devoid of genuine heartache.

The weekend passed in a blur, and Monday arrived.

The intense pressure of the corporate environment instantly pulled everyone's nerves taut. Kaia had been working at breakneck speed over the past two weeks, temporarily taking a leave of absence from the Holistic Wellness Center so she could focus exclusively on stabilizing her current projects.

The new Cytogene initiative was vital for Veridian, and the entire team was treating it as a top priority.

Around three o'clock, Kaia was summoned to The Sanders Tower. Assuming it was a standard approval meeting for the Cytogene project, she didn't think twice about it.

Dexter's tone over the phone had been thoroughly professional when he said Mr. Sanders needed to see her, further dispelling any suspicions.

Now that Veridian had absorbed Aethelstan's technical division, the sheer volume of integration issues kept Kaia running in three different directions every single day.

The elevator opened on Finnian's executive floor. As she walked down the hall, several employees stole quick, curious glances in her direction.

Dexter was waiting by the door. Seeing her, he quickly knocked. When the door opened, he smiled. "Dr. Chavez, please go right in."

When Kaia stepped into the expansive office, Finnian was standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back to the door. He didn't turn around at the sound of her footsteps.

Outside, the sky was a heavy, suffocating grey, threatening rain that refused to fall, while the wind howled relentlessly against the glass.

Kaia stared at his imposing silhouette. He looked isolated, radiating a chilling intensity.

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