Whats She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

These seemingly complimentary gestures from Noelle felt like a silent boast, reminding Kaia that she had been a core part of their little family

outing.

Standing in the living room with her daughter in her arms, Kaia looked right at Finnian. “Next time you decide to pick her up early, discuss it with me first.”

“Okay,” Finnian nodded.

“Brynlee, you’re all sweaty. How about Mom gives you a bath?” Kaia didn’t want to take any chances. Amusement parks were crawling with kids, and picking up a virus would be disastrous.

“Okay!” Brynlee nodded obediently, always clinging closest to her mom.

While Kaia bathed her, Brynlee chattered non–stop, recounting every fun detail of the day. She babbled about how next time she wanted to go with both Mom and Dad, and how some lady had mistaken Aunt Noelle

for her mom.

Hearing this, Kaia felt a suffocating weight settle in her chest. She promised her daughter that she would personally take her next time.

After the bath, Kaia led her daughter downstairs. Finnian suddenly spoke up. “I’m taking Brynlee upstairs to work on her new lessons. Noelle has something to talk to you about.”

Kaia looked at Noelle.

Noelle met her gaze naturally, wearing her usual gentle, approachable smile.

“Kaia, I’m sorry to bother you, but I came to ask for your advice on some work matters,” Noelle said, smoothly transitioning into shop talk as she always did.

Chapter 46

Kaia took a sip from her teacup, her demeanor noticeably colder. “What is

it?”

Noelle quickly pulled several bound documents from her handbag.

“Aethelstan has been evaluating an early–stage project for an Al–assisted herbal remedy formula. A few of the core algorithmic models cite the dialectical paper you published two years ago. The part about data quantification is, as you know, your absolute academic specialty. We’ve hit a bottleneck, and I was wondering if you could take a look and see if there’s room for optimization.”

Noelle’s tone was polite, carrying the humble air of someone seeking guidance, which made it hard to refuse outright.

But Kaia didn’t reach for the files. She simply replied in an even tone, “Thank you for the vote of confidence, Ms. Lawrence. However, I’m currently handing over my work to Gordon and will soon be taking up my post at Veridian Future. In terms of non–compete agreements and professional ethics, it’s no longer appropriate for me to get involved in Aethelstan’s projects. I hope you understand.”

Noelle paused, stunned, but her smile didn’t waver. “Of course, I understand. It’s just that your insights are truly invaluable.”

Just then, a small rubber ball bounced down the stairs.

Brynlee’s tiny figure skipped down right after it.

Naturally, Finnian followed her down.

Noelle turned to look at him at the perfect moment, her tone laced with helplessness. “Finnian, look at this. Now it’s nearly impossible to get even a drop of wisdom from Kaia. Sigh. Aethelstan losing such a key player is truly a shame.”

Finnian’s sharp brows furrowed as he looked at Kaia. “Aethelstan and Veridian Future are both under the same corporate umbrella. Exchanging valuable opinions isn’t a severe breach of protocol.”

Chapter 46

Kaia nodded and seamlessly pivoted. “If Ms. Lawrence is truly interested in Al and natural healing, there’s an industry summit on December 7th. Several specialized reports will be published there. If Aethelstan wants to dive deeper, you should contact the organizers directly. The information you get there will be much more comprehensive.”

Noelle’s pretty face stiffened, a glint of coldness flashing in her eyes, though she maintained a composed smile.

“Thank you for the information, Kaia. I’ll make sure to bring my team there to learn.”

Kaia stood up and spoke to Brynlee, who had just retrieved her ball.

“Brynlee, let’s go upstairs. I’ll help you get your art supplies ready for your

extracurricular class tomorrow.”

“Okay, Mom!” Brynlee happily followed her up the stairs like a cute little shadow.

Kaia glanced down from the landing. Finnian had been standing right there listening to her and Noelle talk.

Was he really that worried about leaving Noelle alone to chat with her?

Noelle had originally planned to stay for dinner, but now she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

“Finnian, maybe I should just head out. Kaia seems…”