What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 74

Silence thickened inside the tent, broken only by the rustling of the wind outside and the occasional bursts of laughter from the card game nearby.

"Kaia," Finnian suddenly spoke, his voice low. "Have we... not just sat quietly like this for a really long time?"

Kaia finally turned her head and looked at him.

Dusk was settling, the golden sunset washing over his face, highlighting his devastatingly flawless features.

"It has been a long time."

Kaia looked away, her tone completely flat.

"If..." His voice dropped a fraction, turning slightly hoarse. "I mean, if I haven't handled certain things very well..."

Right at that moment, Noelle's voice rang out from outside. "Finnian, are you still playing?"

"Keep your voice down. Brynlee is asleep," Finnian said, stepping out of the tent to quiet her.

"Oh!" Noelle immediately dropped her voice to a whisper. "Julian and I wanted to go look for the time capsule we buried back then. Do you want to come?"

"I'll pass. You guys go ahead," Finnian replied.

Noelle leaned down and peered into the tent. Though she didn't say anything, she saw Kaia's expression perfectly. As usual, Kaia looked cold and untouchable, though she seemed to be forcing it.

No matter how hard she tried, Kaia would never fit into their circle.

Noelle quickly whispered to Kaia, "Kaia, are you bored? You've never been camping before, so it's probably just not your thing. But don't worry, after a few more trips, you'll get used to it!"

Listening to the entirely hollow concern, Kaia let out a dismissive scoff and ignored her.

The sky was rapidly growing dark. Noelle and her friends threw on their backpacks and headed down a small trail, eager to dig up their teenage treasure.

Miles stepped out of his tent and checked his watch. "Finnian, since they went off hunting for treasure, let's get dinner started."

Finnian nodded immediately. "Alright. Kaia, what do you want to eat? I'll grill it for you."

Kaia wasn't in the mood for anything. She simply said, "Just give me some bread."

Hearing that, Miles pulled a box of freshly baked bread from his supplies. "My housekeeper baked this. Try some."

Finnian shot Miles a look as Kaia reached out to take it. "It smells amazing. Thanks, Miles."

Miles smiled. "Eat that to hold you over. Finnian and I will get some meat on the grill for you."

"Okay." Kaia nodded.

The wind was howling now. Heather was in no mood to cook, so she fully extinguished the fire to prevent any accidents.

Kaia didn't want Brynlee getting cold in the wind, so she took her back inside the tent. Looking up, they could actually see a few stars now. The little girl lay on her back, staring at them in awe.

Meanwhile, Finnian and the others tore through the pitch-black mountain forest, flashing their lights everywhere and screaming into the dark.

"Noelle!"

"Noelle, answer me!"

Finnian's shouts echoed through the trees, heavy with agonizing worry and a frantic, chaotic fear that was tightening around his chest.

After splitting up, Finnian relied on his terrifyingly sharp memory of the terrain. He was the first to spot her. Down in a steep, hollowed-out section of the ravine, Noelle was curled into a ball under a rock outcropping, shivering violently, her face deathly pale.

Her ankle was sprained and severely swollen, one of her shoes was missing, and she looked completely battered.

"Finnian..." It was as if Noelle had just woken up. She cried out the moment he recklessly crashed through the brush and dropped to his knees in front of her.

She burst into hysterical sobs, throwing herself into Finnian's arms, her body trembling violently from the cold and the terror.

"Finnian, I knew you'd come! I was so scared..." Noelle was sobbing uncontrollably, practically on the verge of fainting. "I hate the dark... I don't even know where I dropped my flashlight."