What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 475

"Mom and I are heading back now. Bye, Dad!" Brynlee waved her little hand, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

Finnian stood in the chilly night air, watching the mother and daughter climb into their Mercedes. The car soon pulled out of the parking lot, immediately trailed by a black sedan. It was the security detail he had assigned to protect Kaia, a fact she was well aware of.

The biting wind carried the harsh edge of early winter. He pulled his coat tighter around himself, a deep chill settling into his bones.

Looking back, the things he had done—the actions he had rationalized as completely appropriate—were glaring ethical violations. At the time, he had been blind to it, but having the ugly truth spoken out loud left his face burning with overwhelming shame and regret.

Meanwhile, Noelle sat in the back of the black Bentley driven by Dexter. Next to her lay a stack of documents and a fountain pen. Her fingers unconsciously traced the sleek metal of the pen, as if trying to grasp the lingering warmth of Finnian's touch.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, Dexter covertly observed her. He couldn't shake the feeling that she seemed mentally drained lately, the usual spark missing from her eyes.

"Are we heading straight back to your apartment, Miss Sanders?"

She offered a low hum of agreement and lapsed back into silence.

As Finnian's trusted right-hand man, Dexter saw everything, even if he kept his mouth shut. Out of nowhere, Noelle broke the quiet. "Dexter, what do you think is the difference between me and Kaia?"

Dexter's spine instantly went rigid. He quickly forced a polite smile. "Both you and Dr. Chavez are outstanding young women, and you're both brilliant researchers."

"Putting our careers aside, how do our personalities compare?" she pressed, clarifying her angle.

Dexter gripped the steering wheel tighter. He couldn't afford to offend Noelle, but Dr. Chavez was his idol, the absolute goddess of their industry. He would never dream of speaking ill of her.

"Well... you're really putting me on the spot here. I'm a blunt guy, not great with pretty words," he deflected vaguely with a nervous chuckle.

He had done it for Kaia. Taking initiative like that, completely outside of any legal or moral obligation, suggested something deeper. It suggested he was truly emotionally invested.

A creeping panic began to spread through Noelle's chest.

She resolved to confront him directly and uncover the truth.

The next evening, right at the end of the workday, she knocked on the door of the CEO's office.

The lights inside were off, casting the room in dim shadows. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the setting sun was partially obscured by thin clouds.

Finnian was sitting on the edge of his desk, on a phone call. His monitor was still glowing, and he was speaking fluent English.