Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 288: We will be staying here tonight

Anna quickly changed into a fresh outfit and slipped out of the set unnoticed, weaving through the dim corridors until she spotted Daniel’s car waiting by the curb. She slid into the passenger seat, pulling the door shut behind her just as the car eased away from the building.

Her gaze drifted to him almost immediately.

Daniel behind the wheel wasn’t surprising—Henry was drowning in work back at the office—but something about seeing him drive her personally felt... intimate. Heavy. A little too intentional.

And despite the hundred questions swirling in her mind—

Why had he suddenly gone to see Jason?

Did he mention the call she made when he fell sick?

Why had he sounded so distant earlier?

She kept them to herself.

Instead, she just watched him.

"You ghosted me," Anna finally said, breaking the thick silence. "You left a note on the side table and disappeared."

Daniel’s lips curved, a slow and deliberate smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I simply gave you a heads up... of what I planned to do once I got home."

He glanced at her briefly, amusement flickering in his dark eyes.

Anna felt warmth creep up her neck, a smile pulling at her lips despite her attempt to appear unimpressed.

Last night had been wild. Chaotic. And though her memories were scattered and blurred, she remembered enough—the heat of his touch, the way he held her, the way she clung to him as if she belonged there.

But she didn’t bring it up. Not yet.

For now, all she wanted was to be next to him. Just to exist in his presence, to feel that strange comfort his silence always brought her—even when it confused her.

Daniel shifted his hand on the steering wheel, his other resting casually beside her seat, close enough that she could feel the faint warmth radiating from him.

He hadn’t answered her questions. She hadn’t asked them. But the car felt smaller than ever.

And the tension between them—soft, warm, unspoken—wrapped around them like a quiet promise neither dared to break just yet until she noticed something.

"Uh... Daniel, where are you taking me?" Anna suddenly asked, straightening in her seat as she peered out the window like a confused child.

"Somewhere we can be alone today," he replied calmly.

Her head snapped toward him the moment he said it.

"Alone? Daniel, what about my shoot? I sneaked out very carefully. Do you know how hard I worked to make sure no one saw me leave? I felt like a spy on a mission."

Daniel’s lips tugged slightly, amused, but he kept his gaze on the road.

"Do not worry. I spoke with Wilsmith. You have the entire day off."

Anna’s jaw dropped. "You did what?"

"I told him you would not be available today."

Anna huffed, crossing her arms. "Daniel, you cannot use your influence on innocent people like that. Do you even realize the effort that goes into filming a single day’s work? You think it is easy? You cannot just call and rearrange the entire schedule because you felt like spending time alone."

Daniel’s smile faded as he glanced at her. She was genuinely upset, eyes flashing, cheeks warm with frustration.

"No. We are not going anywhere. Turn the car around and take me back to the set," she demanded.

Daniel blinked, stunned. His hands tightened slightly on the wheel as he shifted his gaze between the road and his very angry wife.

He cleared his throat. "Anna... listen."

"No. Turn the car."

"Anna," he repeated, softer this time.

She looked at him, her glare firm.

Daniel inhaled quietly. "I did not take you away from work without a reason. I did not do it because I felt like it. I did it because I needed a moment with you. A real one. Without interruptions. Without people. Without anything pulling you away from me."

Anna’s irritation faltered.

Daniel continued, his voice steady but low. "I know how hard you work. I respect it. I do not want to take that away from you. But today... after everything that happened with Jason and everything in my head... I just wanted you. Just some time with you."

Anna stared at him, her anger slowly dissolving into confusion and a little concern.

He finished quietly. "If you still want to go back, I will turn the car around. But I hoped... I hoped you would stay with me today."

Anna swallowed hard, her heart tightening a little. She had expected excuses or another smug remark. Not honesty. Not this softness that was so rare from him.

She turned her gaze back to the road. "You could have said that from the start."

Daniel’s shoulders dropped in relief. "So you are not angry anymore?"

"Still a little," she muttered.

"But you will stay?"

She sighed. "Yes. For today."

Daniel allowed himself a small smile. "Good."

Anna tried to look unaffected, but she felt her chest warm at the sincerity she heard in his voice.

For once, she was glad he insisted.

***

The drive stretched quietly for nearly an hour. Anna watched the scenery change from bustling streets to quiet roads, until the air grew crisper and the incline steeper. Only then did she realize they were heading toward the hillside. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

She frowned slightly. She had never been to this part of town, never even heard of Daniel having a place hidden away so high above the city.

As their car slowed, her attention was drawn to a quaint row house nestled between tall trees, its structure simple yet elegant. Warm lights glowed softly through its windows, casting a gentle ambience across the greenery surrounding it.

She turned to Daniel, confusion clear in her eyes.

He simply smiled at her reaction before lowering his window and giving a nod to the guard stationed at the gate. The metal gates creaked open, allowing the car to roll forward along the stone-lined path.

Anna’s mind raced with questions. What was this place? Why had he brought her here? And why did it feel like something he had kept hidden for a long time?

When the car finally halted in front of the house, Daniel unbuckled his seatbelt and answered the question she had not yet spoken aloud.

"We will be staying here tonight."

Anna blinked, staring at him in disbelief. "Here?"

"Yes."

"But I did not bring anything," she murmured, her gaze drifting to the house and then back to him.

"I did," Daniel replied, stepping out of the car with the certainty of someone who had planned everything down to the smallest detail.

Anna stared after him, her heartbeat quickening.

He had thought this through, had prepared and brought her somewhere only he knew about.

And that realization sent a strange flutter through her chest—half excitement, half nerves—as she opened the door to follow him out.