What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 585

The lighting in the hospital room was a stark, clinical white. It was blindingly bright, making the entire space feel sterile and harsh.

Noelle had been lying weakly on her side, her eyes swollen and her lips bitten pale.

But the moment Finnian walked in, it was as if the whole room had brightened for her.

Finnian stood by the door, making no move to approach her. He simply pressed his lips together, his expression chillingly cold. Then, leaning against the wall near the entrance, he kept a vast distance between them.

"Finnian..." Noelle's voice cracked with sorrow. Tears clung to her lashes as she stared at him without blinking.

Finnian looked at her pale face, her bloodshot, tear-soaked eyes, and her trembling fingers that lifted slightly before falling back down.

For some reason, the scene felt incredibly familiar. Over the past eighteen years, he felt like he had seen this exact display countless times. Whenever she needed sympathy, this was exactly how she looked.

Fragile. Helpless. Like a flower that would wither without attention.

In the past, seeing her like this would have broken his heart. He would have rushed over to ask what was wrong.

But today, after the emotional gauntlet he had been through lately, Finnian just felt exhausted. The space inside his chest felt empty, completely devoid of the instinctual care and pity he once had for her.

Noelle waited for a moment. Seeing that he was still leaning against the wall so far away, her mind buzzed, and all her energy suddenly drained away. She let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Why are you standing so far away, Finnian? Are you afraid I'm going to eat you?"

Finnian asked her expressionlessly, "The mess online—was that your masterpiece? Why?"

"When you first came to the Sanders family, you were frail, timid, and obedient—like a fragile little white flower. Back then, I saw you as the sister my mother brought home. You were cute, you were family, and I felt I had to take care of you, to protect you from getting hurt. I know now that, at the time, it wasn't just a brother-sister bond." Finnian's voice was low and steady, neither rushed nor angry.

"Finnian, stop..." Noelle was suddenly terrified of where this was going. She covered her ears, desperate not to hear more. "I don't want to hear this."

Finnian didn't care if she wanted to hear it or not. He had to say it today.

"Later, you married Rafael. I swear, from that moment on, you were nothing but a sister to me. There was never going to be any other relationship."

"When I was a teenager, I didn't understand what real love was. I just thought you were wonderful. When we were together, you needed me to take care of you, and you relied on me. Whether out of affection or duty, I felt I had to protect you. I couldn't tell the difference between romantic interest and responsibility, and I never bothered to figure it out. When you became my sister-in-law, I let go of that responsibility. I believed Rafael would take care of your life from then on." Finnian's eyes reddened slightly as he spoke. He closed his eyes and continued, "I bear undeniable responsibility for Rafael's death. My blatant lack of boundaries when we were young caused him to misunderstand us. And maybe the brotherly care I showed you after you were married made him think even more. I was an idiot. When I was young, I didn't know how to draw a line, and even as an adult, I failed to maintain one. It was hard for me, too. I just thought of you as family, and I assumed family didn't need strict boundaries when helping each other out..."