What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 92

Josephine waved a hand dismissively. "Go on. The child must be exhausted. If Finnian comes home, tell him his behavior tonight was unacceptable."

Kaia paused, then nodded.

Carrying Brynlee to the front entrance of the Estate, she was hit by the biting winter wind.

Silas was also leaving. Seeing her struggling with the child, he naturally stepped forward and opened the rear door of her car.

"Thank you. Have a good night, Silas," Kaia said after strapping Brynlee into her car seat.

"You too. Drive safe, and Happy Holidays," Silas waved.

"Happy Holidays," Kaia replied, sliding into the driver's seat and pulling out into the night. A security detail vehicle followed closely behind her.

At 2:00 AM, the winter wind howled against the windows.

Most of the city's lights had long since gone out.

Kaia had tried to block out Noelle's words from the phone call, but she still found herself wide awake.

Staring out into the darkness, she slipped out of bed. Whenever insomnia hit, she would go downstairs and pour herself half a glass of red wine.

Wrapped in her robe, she leaned against the counter, scrolling through her phone.

Because of the holidays, social media was buzzing.

Suddenly, Noelle's profile popped up. She had posted two photos with no caption, just a moon and a sleeping emoji.

The first photo was clearly taken on the sly. Under soft, warm lighting, a tall man wearing a dark shirt and an apron was leaning slightly over a stove, focused on the food cooking inside a pot.

He had broad shoulders, and his arms were resting on the granite island. The lines of his profile were slightly blurred, but to anyone who knew him...

Kaia instantly recognized Finnian.

The second photo was of a dining room. The table was set for two. On the ivory tabletop sat a vase of roses, a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, and three stacked gift boxes.

The composition screamed cozy, intimate domestic bliss.

There was no location tag and no explicit mention of who was in the photo, but Finnian's back and his bespoke clothing were undeniable identifiers.

Kaia gave her standard report, maintaining zero personal interaction with him, acting as if his disappearance the night before hadn't bothered her in the slightest.

The meeting concluded, and Kaia lingered in the boardroom to finish her notes, intentionally stalling so Finnian and his entourage would leave first.

When she finally looked up, the room was empty—except for Finnian, who was still sitting in his chair.

He stood up, walked over to her, and asked in his usual low, smooth voice, "Are you free tomorrow? We should pick up some gifts and go visit your parents."

The request caught Kaia off guard. However, when it came to etiquette and family obligations, Finnian never slipped up. Even though their marriage felt like a dead end, he still played his part perfectly.

"That's not necessary," Kaia refused immediately. "I'll just take Brynlee over. If you're busy—"

"Kaia," Finnian's voice ticked up slightly. "It's a matter of respect. They're your parents and my in-laws. I've already had the gifts prepared, and we're going tomorrow morning. I've also already spoken to your father and Leo."

Kaia stayed silent for a moment before relenting. Her mother was already suspicious; if Finnian skipped the holiday visit, her parents would worry even more.

Once the holidays were over, she needed to find the right time to tell them the truth and prepare them for reality.