Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 325: One for good luck

Meanwhile, back inside the Bennett mansion the next morning, Kathrine joined her parents for breakfast looking noticeably haggard.

Faint dark circles rested beneath her eyes, and though she sat at the table, she barely touched the food before her. Ever since the kiss she had shared with Ethan, something inside her had shifted. No matter how hard she tried to push the memory away, her thoughts kept drifting back to the warmth of his lips, to the way her body had leaned into him, craving more than she had allowed herself to admit.

"Kathrine," Hugo said, his voice steady as he glanced in her direction. "Everyone is appreciating your boldness in exposing Fredrick. They see you as someone who could lead the business in the future."

Ever since Kathrine had silenced Fredrick and stopped him from manipulating the board members, she had emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the company. She hadn’t just defied his motives, she had dragged his intentions into the light. And now, with Daniel pulling the remaining strings, Hugo knew Fredrick Steward’s business was finished for good.

As Hugo continued, his voice slowly trailed off.

Kathrine hadn’t reacted. Her gaze remained unfocused, her plate untouched.

Hugo frowned and fell silent.

Roseline, noticing the shift, followed his line of sight. Unease flickered across her face as she studied her daughter. It had been a long time since Kathrine had joined them for breakfast after fully recovering from surgery, and now that she finally had, she seemed... distant.

"Kathrine," Roseline called gently, reaching across the table.

There was no response.

Roseline cleared her throat and raised her voice slightly.

"Kathrine."

The sound snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked and looked up, startled, only then realizing both her parents were staring at her with quiet concern.

"Yes?" she asked, straightening in her seat.

"You’ve been awfully quiet," Roseline said carefully. "Is everything alright?"

Kathrine forced a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Of course," she replied, reaching for her cup at last. "I was just... tired."

Hugo exchanged a brief look with Roseline, unconvinced, but he didn’t linger on it. Instead, he continued.

"You heard what I said just now?" he asked.

Kathrine frowned slightly, her gaze flicking to Roseline for a moment before returning to her father. She might have been distracted, but she had heard every word.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I did what I had to do as the CFO of the company. And honestly, it was long overdue. We ignored snakes like Fredrick Steward for far too long."

Her tone was firm, controlled, but beneath it lingered a weariness that neither of her parents failed to notice.

Roseline, on the other hand, fidgeted slightly, trying to suppress the fear rising in her chest.

"What do you think, Mom?" Kathrine asked suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Roseline blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"I also heard," Kathrine continued casually, "that Fredrick’s wife was trying to manipulate people from our social circle."

She watched closely as Roseline’s lips pressed together before she forced a polite smile.

"Yes... I heard something along those lines too," Roseline replied, keeping her tone light. "It’s unfortunate how desperate people become when they’re cornered."

Inside, however, her thoughts were anything but calm.

She had tried. With Hugo. With Daniel. She had attempted to steer the situation, to soften their stance, but both men had shut her down without hesitation. Each refusal had chipped away at her options, leaving her with very little room to maneuver.

There was only one person left.

Anna.

If she could convince Anna, then perhaps Daniel would listen. And if Daniel listened, maybe she could still control Ester before she said something she shouldn’t.

Yes. Anna is the only hope now, Roseline resolved, a quiet determination hardening in her chest.

What she failed to notice was the pair of sharp eyes studying her from across the table.

Kathrine saw it all. The hesitation. The forced calm. The calculation flickered behind her mother’s gaze.

And in that moment, Kathrine knew. Whatever her mother was hiding she was going to find it soon.

***

Meanwhile, Daniel was getting ready to leave for work when his phone rang.

"Sir, Fiona has booked an appointment to meet you today," Henry said from the other end.

"Okay," Daniel replied simply before ending the call and setting the phone aside. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He turned back toward the dressing table and resumed tying his tie, his focus already shifting to the day ahead, when he felt a familiar presence behind him.

"Why didn’t you wake me up?" Anna asked softly.

She wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head against his chest, breathing in the warmth and scent that always grounded her.

Daniel looked down at her reflection in the mirror, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"You were sleeping peacefully," he said. "I didn’t have the heart to disturb you."

Anna huffed lightly. "After staring at you the entire night, I deserved to at least see you off properly."

She hadn’t even realized when sleep had finally claimed her at dawn. One moment she had been awake, wrapped in thoughts, and the next she had woken up alone, the bed already cold on his side.

Her eyes dropped to his tie. "You’re doing it wrong."

Daniel raised a brow. "I’ve been tying my own tie for years."

"And I’ve been watching you mess it up for exactly two minutes," she countered.

Before he could protest, Anna loosened the knot and stepped closer, standing on her toes slightly as she fixed it properly. Daniel watched her in the mirror, amused, his hands resting at his sides.

She adjusted the tie with care, then smoothed the collar. Just as she finished, she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his chest.

"One for good luck," she said.

Daniel caught her wrist gently before she could step back and tilted her chin up, stealing a brief kiss from her lips.

"Now we’re even," he murmured.

Anna smiled, reaching up to straighten his tie once more, then sneaking another kiss to his jaw.

"For later," she teased.

Daniel chuckled softly, pulling her into a quick embrace before finally letting her go.

"If you keep this up," he said, "I’ll be late."

"And whose fault would that be?" she replied, smiling as she watched him grab his coat. But before he could step out, he rushed back to her and kissed her longer this time before leaving.

"Miss me, wifey," he said before walking away, leaving Anna smiling and savoring their sweet moment until a thought occurred to her.

’Fiona is going to meet him today.’ and her mood instantly soured.