Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 297: You can open your eyes

Anna propped herself up on her elbow, watching Daniel cautiously. His expression remained unreadable for a few seconds, stretched just long enough to make her uneasy. Then, without warning, he burst into laughter.

"..."

Her lips twitched despite herself, annoyance quickly replacing concern. "You..." she started, then scoffed. "How dare you make fun of me like that?"

She slapped his chest repeatedly, not hard enough to hurt, but fast enough to make her point. Daniel laughed harder before catching her wrists and pulling her forward until she fell against him, her breath knocking out in a small gasp.

"Is it true though?" he asked, his voice still light, though his smile lingered a second too long. "You do make me lose my mind, wifey."

The word should have made her laugh. But it did not.

Because the teasing vanished from his eyes just as quickly as it had appeared. Desire took its place, sharp and intentional, and the sudden shift made her stomach drop.

One second he had been joking, and the next he looked at her like she was the only thing anchoring him to reality.

Anna on the other hand swallowed as she steadied herself.

"I am serious, Daniel," she said, ignoring the flutter in her chest. "I need to know what Jason said."

If she had not spoken to Jason herself, if he had not dismissed her concerns so easily and blamed everything on stress, she might have let it go. But she knew better.

Henry had told her everything.

Daniel studied her face, noticing the crease between her brows and the way her expression no longer mirrored his playfulness. The smile faded from his lips as he exhaled slowly.

"Then first tell me something," he said quietly. "Why did you call him and ask about me?"

His hand lifted instinctively, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His thumb traced lightly over her skin, a tender habit he seemed unaware of as his gaze softened while still searching her face.

"Did Henry fill your head with nonsense about my health?" he asked, his tone calm but edged with concern.

Anna held his gaze, her heart steady now.

"No," she replied softly. "He told me the truth."

And that was when Daniel knew this conversation could no longer be avoided.

Daniel’s eyes flickered with caution as a thought crossed his mind.

What had Henry told her? Did he tell her about the dreams?

A chill settled over his expression, his gaze turning sharp, almost icy. He is definitely going to hear from me, Daniel thought grimly.

"Do not kill Henry in your head," Anna said suddenly, her voice cutting through his thoughts as she shifted and pulled herself up to sit properly.

Daniel blinked, pulled out of his trance.

Anna studied him quietly, her expression thoughtful as Henry’s words replayed in her mind. He had told her about the nightmares, about how they left Daniel shaken and exhausted, sometimes so affected that he looked almost unraveled the next morning.

Memories stirred, ones she had once brushed aside. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

She remembered a night from the past when she had woken to find Daniel restless beside her, his breathing uneven, his body tense as if trapped in something invisible. He had jolted awake with a sharp gasp, eyes wild, clutching at her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. Back then, she had assumed it was nothing more than a fleeting dream.

But now, knowing he struggled like this often, the memory unsettled her.

She looked at him again, really looked, and the question she had been avoiding rose quietly in her chest.

Whatever haunted his sleep was not something small.

And she was no longer willing to pretend otherwise because she too struggled with it at times.

***

Meanwhile, a car had been parked outside the Bennett gates since the night before, its engine long turned off, its presence unnoticed.

The person inside had refused to step out.

It was only when stiffness crept into her neck and body that Katrine finally stirred awake.

"Ah," she winced softly, shifting in her seat and adjusting herself with visible discomfort. Her vision was blurry, her mind still hazy as she tried to make sense of the ache in her limbs. Then realization struck.

Last night rushed back to her in fragments.

Calling Ethan for coffee. The quiet drive. The cliff, the wind, the warmth of the cup in her hands. The awkward silence on the way back. How sleep had slowly pulled her under despite her resolve to stay awake.

She had not meant to fall asleep. Not after the nightmares that haunted her. Not after drinking coffee that should have kept her alert.

Yet exhaustion had claimed her anyway.

And now she was waking up in the very same place she had closed her eyes, the Bennett gates looming silently in front of her, as though the night had refused to move on without her.

Katrine blinked a few times, trying to clear the remaining fog from her vision, when a soft groan broke the silence.

Her eyes shot to the side.

Only then did she realize she had been using someone’s arm as a pillow the entire night.

"Kathrine, how long are you going to pretend to be dead?"

The voice came out low and dry, carrying a hint of amusement.

Katrine stiffened. Her eyes snapped shut at once, lashes pressing tightly together as she held her breath, committing fully to the act. If she did not move, did not breathe too loudly, maybe this moment would simply disappear.

It did not.

Ethan let out a quiet chuckle beside her. "You know," he continued lazily, "that trick only works if the other person was actually asleep."

She remained perfectly still, her heart pounding.

"Because for your information," he added, shifting slightly, "I only slept for about ten minutes. The rest of the night, I was wide awake."

Her grip tightened unconsciously against his arm.

"And watching you fake sleep right now is far more entertaining than the script I was reading earlier."

A beat passed. Then another.

"Kathrine," he said again, softer this time, "you can open your eyes."

She squeezed them shut even harder, earning another low laugh from him.

"So stubborn," Ethan murmured, shaking his head. "Fine. I will wait."

The silence stretched, charged with embarrassment and something else neither of them was ready to name.