What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 576

Finnian was silenced instantly. It was as if his suddenly clear mind had been clubbed over the head, completely stopping his train of thought.

Realizing she might have pushed him too far and ignited an even worse fury, Noelle immediately softened her voice into a frantic whisper. "I'm sorry, Finnian, it's all my fault. You didn't do anything wrong. I just couldn't control my feelings for you, and I dragged you down with me. I'm so sorry."

She assumed that by taking the blame, he would view her as someone capable of taking responsibility and understanding the bigger picture.

Instead, the line went dead. A cold dial tone filled her ear.

She stared at the blackened screen, her face turning a sickly shade of green.

Did he not even have the energy to scream at her anymore?

The color drained from her face as she buried her head in her hands. Eighteen years of perfectly constructed masks and excuses had been violently ripped away. She felt as though she had been stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard. A biting cold seeped straight into her bones.

Beneath her beautiful exterior hid a deeply insecure and ambitious woman, one she rarely dared to acknowledge. The crushing poverty of her childhood had bred a desperate need to climb the social ladder. But climbing too fast came with the terror of falling. That was why she had spent her years married to Rafael playing the flawless, devoted wife—befriending everyone, never offending anyone, always maintaining a generous and graceful image.

Squinting her eyes, she forced herself to analyze the last six months of Rafael's life. What exactly had she done to tip him off? Who could have possibly leaked her true feelings?

"Mom, Grandmother, what are you doing here?" She tried to prop herself up the moment she saw them.

"Just lie down," Elaine said, her face completely unreadable.

Noelle immediately burst into self-blame. "I'm so sorry for making you worry. The baby is fine."

Josephine rolled her eyes from the sidelines. The girl was perfectly fine but still demanded an ambulance, making everyone think she was having a miscarriage.