What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 457

She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her recent texts with Finnian. The conversation was entirely one-sided. She had been asking if he was free for dinner, sending him updates on her prenatal checkups, or forwarding articles she thought he'd like. His replies were sparse and clipped. The sudden chill from him made Noelle's stomach drop.

She hadn't seen him privately in over a week. Her only glimpses of him were during corporate board meetings, where he would sweep into the room, take his seat at the head of the table, and maintain a severe, almost indifferent expression.

She would stare at him from across the long mahogany table, completely captivated. But the second the meetings ended, he was gone. He moved too fast for her to catch up, and even if she did, she wouldn't know what to say.

Noelle wasn't stupid. She knew Finnian had finally noticed the rumors and was actively enforcing a strict boundary.

So, he didn't like her? That realization felt like a blade twisting in her chest. She refused to accept that Finnian had never felt anything for her. He had been so protective, so attentive. How could he just shut her out now?

Was this because of Kaia? Had he genuinely fallen in love with his wife during their seven-year marriage?

Impossible. Kaia was so bland and emotionally detached. Why would he ever fall for someone like that?

Noelle had always proudly assumed that Kaia was merely a convenient placeholder Finnian settled for when he had no other options. But as Kaia grew more formidable and accomplished, panic had begun to set in. Noelle was terrified that Finnian would actually fall for her.

Now, that terror was suffocating her. He was pulling away because of the divorce drama, treating her like a subordinate, practically a stranger.

She stared at her screen, desperately wanting to text him. She wanted to tell him she couldn't sleep, that staring at the ceiling until dawn was absolute torture.

She typed a message, deleted it, and typed it again. In the end, she didn't have the courage to hit send. She dropped her phone and rolled over in the dark.

Morning came quickly. During breakfast, Noelle received a call from Heather, asking to meet for lunch since it was Saturday.

Eager for a distraction, Noelle agreed.

When she arrived at the Japanese Restaurant, Heather was already there. Heather had clearly just come from a spa; her skin was perfectly radiant and flawless. In stark contrast, Noelle looked utterly exhausted, with dark circles and a dull complexion.

Noelle paused with her glass mid-air. She didn't deny it. Instead, a soft smile touched her lips. "I'm planning to check out a Baby Boutique later. You should come with me."

Heather's heart skipped a beat in shock. She was actually pregnant?

And it went without saying who the father had to be.

"Congratulations! You're about to step into a whole new chapter," Heather cooed, raising her glass with a bright, entirely fake smile.

Noelle just smiled back, taking a tiny sip of her water, keeping her joy remarkably contained.

On the outside, Heather looked perfectly thrilled. Internally, she was seething. Suddenly, her expensive sushi tasted like ash.