Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 286: He vanished

Kathrine spent a little more time with Mariam, offering what little comfort she could. She had come intending to ease the woman into the harsh truth about Kira’s death, but instead she found herself facing someone far stronger, far more composed, than she ever expected.

"I will take my leave now," Kathrine said softly as she rose from the couch. She never once mentioned the real reason she had come to Crossroad Street, and Mariam never asked. The silence between them had been enough.

Mariam simply nodded and watched her walk toward the door, her expression unreadable.

Once outside, Kathrine released a long breath, as if trying to shake off the lingering heaviness of the visit. She straightened, preparing to return to her car, when her steps abruptly halted.

Someone was staring at her.

Kathrine’s brows furrowed as she turned her head. A narrow door across the lane stood slightly ajar, and peeking through it was a woman she had never seen before. Her eyes were sharp, almost watchful.

The moment she realized Kathrine had spotted her, the woman slammed the door shut.

Kathrine stood frozen for a heartbeat, startled by the odd encounter. This whole street felt strange, unsettling, as if secrets clung to its walls. She decided not to dwell on it. Nothing about this place felt welcoming, and she needed to leave before anything else unsettled her further.

She turned and walked away, the click of her heels echoing across the quiet lane until it faded entirely.

Only then did the door creak open again.

The same woman peered out cautiously, but this time her gaze drifted toward Mariam’s house. She stared at the closed door for a long moment, her expression unreadable, before retreating once more into the shadows of her home.

***

Meanwhile, Anna returned to her room after wrapping up her shoot and sank onto the couch with a tired sigh. Her eyes drifted almost immediately to her phone resting on the coffee table. She stared at it for a long moment, waiting... expecting it to light up.

But it remained still. Silent.

A faint crease formed between her brows. Daniel had not called. Not even a text. It was odd, considering the way he had spoken that morning, the way he had practically promised he would not let her slip away from his thoughts... especially when it came to what he intended to do with her once he had the chance.

For a moment, she allowed herself to think he had simply forgotten.

But that was impossible with Daniel.

When he wanted something, he never forgot.

Yet the lack of response from him made her wonder if he was genuinely busy... or if something else had pulled him away so completely he had not even thought of her.

Her fingers brushed against the phone, tempted to call him first, but she refrained, pressing her lips together in frustration she did not want to admit she felt.

’Why was he quiet?’

In the end, Anna could not sit still any longer. With a frustrated sigh, she grabbed her phone and pressed Daniel’s number. The line rang once... twice... a third time.

No answer.

Her brows lifted in surprise. Daniel never ignored her calls. Not even when he was buried under work. If he could not speak, he would at least text.

But this time, nothing.

The curiosity in her chest sharpened into unease.

"What on earth are you doing, Daniel...?" she muttered under her breath as she tried again. The call went unanswered once more.

Now she was officially bothered.

Without thinking twice, she dialed Henry.

He picked up on the first ring, his voice sounding like a man on the verge of collapse. "Miss Anna, please tell me you are calling to rescue me. I am dying here."

Anna blinked. "Henry... what?"

"I am drowning in work!" he cried dramatically. "Sir left everything on me. Everything! He said, and I quote, ’Handle it,’ and then he vanished. Vanished, Miss Anna! Do you know how cruel that is?"

She stared at the wall, stunned and more confused than before. "So he is not at the office?"

"No!" Henry sniffed. "He dumped the entire day’s workload on me and disappeared like a magician. I have been mentally crying for three straight hours. I am sure my soul left my body twice already."

Despite her worry, Anna’s lips twitched. Daniel really had left Henry to fend for himself. But that only deepened her curiosity.

If Daniel was not working... if he was not at home... and he was not answering her calls...

Then where was he?

"And why was he being so quiet?"

Anna was still lost in her spiraling thoughts about Daniel when a sudden gasp shattered her focus.

"Oh my goodness, I am so dead," Betty choked out dramatically.

Anna jolted, snapping her attention to the younger woman — whom she had completely forgotten was even in the room, thanks to her own overthinking. She blinked, momentarily stunned, while Betty sat on the edge of the bed clutching her head like she had witnessed a crime.

Anna set her phone aside with a sigh. Whatever Daniel was up to could wait a few minutes. Betty looked like she was about to pass out from sheer panic.

"I am sure it is not something you are regretting that badly, Betty," Anna said, attempting reassurance.

Betty stared at her with wide, horrified eyes. "Big Sis... I accused Shawn — my Shawn — of leaving me for some other woman just because he got a well paid job."

Anna’s jaw dropped. "You what?"

Betty groaned and covered her face. "I told him men change the moment they get proper money and that he would throw me away like expired milk."

Anna bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to laugh. Her memory from last night was hazy, but she did remember one thing clearly — Shawn’s exhausted warning.

He had practically begged them. Begged.

"Do not get drunk. I do not have the energy or the life insurance to carry you both home again."

Anna exhaled, remembering the way he looked ready to quit life itself.

"So," Anna said slowly, piecing it together, "you screamed at him, accused him of cheating, and ignored his very reasonable warning about not drinking?"

Betty’s guilty silence was answer enough.

Anna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh Betty... you really might be dead."

Betty whimpered into her hands.

"No wonder he was giving me that warning look this morning," Betty whispered in despair. "He didn’t even kiss me goodbye."

Anna blinked slowly, trying to process that.

Wait. Kiss? Goodbye?

She remembered Betty mentioning, at some point, that Shawn wanted her to be his girlfriend, but Anna had never paid much attention to how serious things were. She certainly did not realize they had progressed to morning kisses and dramatic accusations at bars.

"Betty..." Anna stared at her, genuinely surprised. "Since when did it get that far between you two?"

Betty groaned louder and flopped back on the bed like her soul was leaving her body. "Since he said he liked me and I said I liked him back. But now... now he must hate me. I ruined everything."

Anna sighed. She wanted to comfort her, but even she knew Shawn had every right to be offended after being accused of cheating for absolutely no reason.