Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 276: I know your patterns

"Check this out," Anna said excitedly, turning the phone toward him and watching his reaction a little too closely.

The moment Daniel’s eyes landed on Fiona’s disoriented, makeup ruined face, the corner of his lips twitched despite himself.

"It’s funny, right?" Anna giggled, utterly delighted, like a child enjoying a perfectly executed prank. She kept scrolling, rereading comments she had already memorized, unable to stop smiling.

Daniel let out a quiet breath through his nose, barely holding back his laughter. But instead of focusing on the post, his attention drifted back to Anna. The way her eyes sparkled with mischief made him lean a little closer.

"And how exactly did she end up looking like that?" he asked casually.

The question caught Anna off guard.

She froze, blinking at the screen as her smile slowly faded. "H how would I know," she replied a bit too quickly, refusing to look at him.

She began scrolling absently, pretending to be deeply interested in the comments, even though she was no longer reading a single word. Daniel’s stare lingered, sharp and patient.

Anna tried to ignore it. She really did.

Until she couldn’t anymore.

With a sudden huff, she turned to face him. "Okay, fine. I get what you’re implying," she admitted defensively.

Daniel pushed himself up to sit, clearly satisfied. Amusement danced in his eyes as the pieces finally clicked into place.

If he had not noticed the car keys tucked into the pocket of her hoodie the night before, he might have believed her little story about going for a late night run.

The curve of his lips deepened. "So," he said lightly, "should I be impressed or concerned?"

Anna crossed her arms, chin lifting. "That depends. Are you planning to scold me... or applaud my creativity?"

Daniel chuckled, leaning in just enough to make her nervous. "I’m still deciding."

Daniel leaned closer, close enough that Anna could feel his breath fan against her cheek. "Because if you’re going to carry out secret late night missions," he said mildly, "I’d at least like to know whether I need to provide backup."

Anna scoffed, though her ears turned pink. "Oh please. You handled international clients. I handled a drunk woman with zero dignity. We both worked."

He hummed, clearly entertained. "You disappeared, avoided my questions, and somehow Fiona ends up trending for all the wrong reasons. You expect me not to connect the dots?"

Anna sighed and flopped back against the pillows, covering her face with the phone. "She passed out in a bar, Daniel. I just... documented history."

"That is one way to describe vandalism," he teased.

She peeked at him through her fingers. "She called me a bitch."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Ah. Say no more."

That earned him a snort. Anna lowered the phone fully now, her smile softer but still smug. "You should’ve seen her. Completely out. I carried half her weight."

"I saw your shoulder this morning," he said, tone shifting just slightly. "You could’ve called me."

Anna shrugged. "It was easier handling her tantrums than explaining things to you at midnight."

That finally made him smile, real and warm. He reached out, tugging her gently closer until she was flush against his side. "Next time," he said quietly, "you don’t do everything alone."

She tilted her head, studying his face. "You’re not mad?"

"I’m impressed," he admitted. "And mildly concerned about what you’re capable of."

Anna grinned. "Good. You should be."

Daniel laughed, pulling her into his arms as she nestled against his chest, the phone forgotten between them while Fiona’s chaos played out somewhere far away, exactly where both of them preferred it to be for now.

"So," Anna said softly, lifting her head so her chin rested against his chest, "are you going to tell me how you figured out I wasn’t out for a run?"

Her eyelashes fluttered innocently, wide and curious, like a child desperate to uncover a secret.

Daniel watched her for a moment, thoroughly amused. Then, without answering, his hand slid into the pocket of her hoodie and came back out holding her car keys.

"You never drive unless you’re sneaking out," he said calmly.

Anna’s lips parted as she gasped, eyes widening in mock horror as she snatched the keys from his hand. "You are way too observant, Daniel," she huffed.

There was no real anger in her tone. If anything, the discovery made her more aware of him than ever. He noticed everything. Always had.

Daniel chuckled, fingers brushing her waist. "You forget," he said lightly, "I know your patterns."

She sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "I’ll have to be more careful around you."

"Or," he countered, pulling her a little closer, "you could just tell me when you’re planning something reckless."

Anna met his gaze, a reluctant smile creeping onto her lips. Being caught did not bother her. It only reminded her that nothing slipped past him, and that both irritated and steadied her more than she cared to admit.

***

Meanwhile, Fiona was still reeling from the nonstop online trolling. Deleting the post had done nothing to slow it down. Screenshots were already everywhere, circulating faster than she could keep up.

For the first time in her life, she truly regretted drinking. What was meant to numb her anger had turned into one of the most humiliating moments of her career.

Her jaw tightened as she paced the living room. "Are you sure you aren’t lying, Venus?" Fiona demanded sharply. "Because if you are, I will not spare you." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Venus flinched in her seat and immediately shook her head, panic flickering across her face. "Madam, I swear," she said quickly. "I picked you up outside the bar. You were asleep in your car."

She spoke in a rush, desperate to be believed. She still remembered the message clearly. Fiona had sent the address and a short instruction to come get her because she was drunk.

When Venus had arrived, however, the sight awaiting her had nearly broken her composure. Fiona, sprawled messily and looking nothing like the composed star she usually was, had almost sent Venus into peals of laughter. A few people lingering outside the bar had even stared at her strangely.

It had taken every ounce of restraint not to laugh out loud.

Of course, that was something Venus would never admit. No matter how much Fiona snapped or accused her now, loyalty still mattered. Losing her job as Fiona’s assistant was the last thing Venus wanted, especially in moments like this when Fiona was clearly spiraling.

"I wouldn’t lie to you," Venus added quietly, lowering her gaze. "I was just doing what you asked me to do." She also showed her the text she sent her from her phone, which instantly washed Fiona’s anger away, and the embarrassment once again surged over her.