Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 320: We can’t do it here

[Outside]

"When did we make plans for lunch?" Anna asked, stopping in front of the car and folding her arms.

Daniel held the door open for her, then turned with an easy smile.

"Just now. Come on, get in, wifey. I’m starving."

The playful glint in his eyes and the teasing curve of his lips only made Anna more cautious.

She pressed her lips together, then climbed into the car without another word. Once they drove off, she turned sharply toward him.

"Daniel, tell me why you were there and what my mom is trying to hide," she said, watching him carefully.

Daniel kept that infuriating smile, one hand steady on the wheel.

"Am I being funny?" Anna snapped. "No, right? Then why are you holding back your laugh?"

She scowled, clearly unimpressed by his attempt to brush her off.

"That’s because," Daniel said lightly, glancing at her, "you look adorable when you’re suspicious."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "Daniel."

He chuckled softly. "Relax. I wasn’t laughing at you. I just didn’t expect you to walk in at the perfect moment and turn the entire conversation upside down."

Her expression hardened. "You’re avoiding my question."

"Not avoiding," he corrected calmly. "Postponing."

Anna leaned back against the seat, arms crossed. "You’re telling me my mother was nervous, you were clearly enjoying it, and I’m supposed to believe nothing’s going on?"

Daniel finally looked at her properly, the playfulness dimming just a little.

"Trust me," he said. "When there’s something you need to know, I won’t hide it from you."

That did nothing to ease her mind. If anything, it made her more certain of one thing.

Something was definitely being hidden.

In the end Anna could only huff and let her curious mind stretch even more.

***

[Somewhere near Glorious International]

Both Betty and Shawn were enjoying their lunch when Shawn suddenly noticed that Betty had stopped eating.

He looked up from his plate just in time to catch her scanning the area with sharp, piercing eyes, so focused that she seemed completely unaware of him.

"Betty," he called.

She flinched slightly, then turned toward him. The intense look on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a sweet, innocent smile that made Shawn blink in surprise.

"Why aren’t you eating?" he asked, then followed her line of sight and glanced around the place. "And what exactly are you staring at?"

Betty shook her head quickly. "Nothing," she said lightly, picking up her fork. "I was just... zoning out."

She smiled again, all sugar and calm, and resumed eating as if nothing had happened.

Shawn watched her for a few seconds, unconvinced, then went back to his food.

Barely a minute passed before he noticed it again.

Betty’s fork hovered mid air. Her gaze had drifted away, sharp and alert, scanning the surroundings with the same intensity as before.

Shawn paused, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Whatever she was looking for, or trying to avoid, it definitely wasn’t nothing.

"You’re doing it again, Betty."

This time Shawn stopped eating altogether and looked at her firmly.

Betty was already preparing to flash him that same sweet smile, but he cut her off.

"Don’t," he said calmly. "I know something’s bothering you."

Her smile faded instantly.

Before she could respond, her eyes flicked toward a direction behind him. Shawn followed her gaze and immediately spotted a small group of employees, mostly women, having lunch a few tables away. A few of them noticed him and smiled.

Shawn didn’t return the gesture. Instead, he turned his attention back to Betty.

"Were you scaring them?" he asked casually.

Betty gaped at him. "What?" She shook her head quickly. "Do you really think I’m capable of scaring anyone? I can’t even scare a mouse. They’re humans."

Shawn leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, clearly unconvinced.

"Maybe you wouldn’t," he said slowly. "But my jealous girlfriend might."

The moment the words left his mouth, Betty let out an awkward laugh.

"Jealous? Me?"

"Yes, you," he replied smoothly. "Is there some other girlfriend I don’t know about?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, color creeping into her cheeks.

Shawn watched her closely, his expression calm, though inwardly he felt a quiet sense of pride. Seeing Betty act possessive, even unknowingly, stirred something warm in his chest.

"Well," he added lightly, "you don’t have to worry. I’m right here."

Betty avoided his eyes, poking at her food again, but this time Shawn noticed the faint smile she couldn’t quite hide.

Betty quickly straightened in her seat, lifting her chin.

"I’m not jealous," she said, a little too fast. "You’re imagining things."

Shawn raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"Of course," he replied, dragging out the word. "That must be why you stopped eating and started scanning the place like you were guarding classified information."

Betty shot him a glare. "I was just being observant."

"Observant," he echoed, nodding thoughtfully, which only made Betty frown.

She had agreed to meet Shawn because she did not want to be alone, not when she had been running into Theo far too often even before classes had officially started. Being with Shawn had been meant to calm her nerves. Instead, as time passed and they settled in for lunch, her attention had drifted elsewhere.

She had noticed it then. A few girls, subtle but obvious, stealing glances at Shawn. Whispering. Smiling a little too brightly.

Betty shifted in her seat, suddenly aware of the knot tightening in her chest.

Shawn noticed the change immediately. His teasing expression softened as he leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear him.

"Hey," he said gently. "You don’t have to feel threatened by anyone."

Betty glanced at him, startled.

"There isn’t a single woman here I’m interested in," he continued, his tone sincere now. "Because I already have my eyes on someone."

Her breath hitched slightly.

"And that someone," Shawn added with a small, reassuring smile, "is you."

The tension in her shoulders eased just a little, though she tried to hide it by looking back at her plate.

"Good," she muttered. "Because I don’t share."

Shawn laughed softly, warmth spreading across his face as he watched her.

As they wrapped up lunch, Betty walked Shawn back toward his company.

"Are you sure you don’t want me to drop you?" Shawn asked. He still had some time left before his break ended.

Betty shook her head, smiling softly, her hands still hooked around his arm.

"It’s okay. I can take a bus or a cab."

They slowed near the entrance, and Betty hesitated before speaking again.

"Shawn... there’s something I wanted to tell you," she said after a moment of contemplation.

Shawn turned fully toward her, his attention sharpening at once.

"Yes?" he said gently, waiting.

Betty opened her mouth, wanting to voice the unease that had been weighing on her, to ask him if everything was truly normal or if she was simply overthinking things.

Before a single word could leave her lips, Shawn’s phone rang.

She pressed her lips together, watching as he glanced at the screen and answered the call. While he spoke, her thoughts spiraled, restlessness creeping back in as she tried to steady herself.

When he ended the call, his expression had changed.

"Betty, I’ll have to leave," he said apologetically. "Something came up."

Though disappointment flickered in her eyes, she didn’t stop him. She offered a weak smile instead.

"Let’s talk in the evening," Shawn said, leaning down to press a quick kiss to the crown of her head before stepping back.

She nodded, standing there as he walked away.

Betty remained rooted in place, watching him disappear into the building, a strange heaviness settling in her chest as her eyes moved across as if feeling someone watching her.

***

[Back in the restaurant]

Anna watched Daniel with narrowed eyes as he continued eating, completely unbothered, until he finally noticed her untouched plate.

"Wifey," he said casually, glancing up, "are you craving something else?"

The innocent tone only made Anna’s lips twitch in irritation.

"We can’t do it here, okay," he added, a hint of amusement slipping through despite his attempt to sound serious.

Anna shot him a glare. He had already crossed the line into shameless territory, and now he was trying to blame his so called starvation on her when he was the one who had dragged her here in the first place.

She said nothing, simply kept staring at him.

After a moment, Daniel sighed, setting his fork down.

"Alright. I know what you want to know," he admitted. "But at least eat first. Then we’ll talk."

He had been repeating the same excuse ever since they left the Bennett mansion.

This time, Anna did not budge.

"No," she said firmly. "I’m full. So now you can tell me what it is."

She did not bother pretending. Her plate was empty, even though her appetite remained unsatisfied. Right now, food was the last thing on her mind.

Daniel studied her for a long second, realizing she wasn’t going to let this go.

Leaning back in his chair, Daniel finally spoke, his tone calm but deliberate.

"Your mom wants me to take back all the charges I put on the Stewards," he said. "She thinks it would put you in a bad light."

The words landed heavily between them, shifting the air at the table in an instant.