Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 363: The world won’t collapse of we move five minutes

Chapter 363: The world won’t collapse of we move five minutes

When Daniel finally spoke again, his voice was softer, steadier. "No matter what we uncover... no matter how ugly it gets... I won’t make decisions without you."

Anna nodded against his chest. "And I won’t walk away when it gets hard."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, lingering there. "Fair warning," he said lightly, "I’m not good at calm relationships."

She smiled, eyes closing. "Good. I’d be bored."

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through her. "You’re really not scared of me, are you?"

She pulled back just enough to look at him. "I am," she admitted honestly. "But not in the way you think."

He studied her face. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"I’m scared of losing you," she said quietly. "So I’m staying."

Something unspoken passed between them—an understanding, fragile but powerful.

Daniel leaned in once more, kissing her slowly, deliberately, as if sealing that choice.

And for the first time in a long while, the war inside him went quiet.

***

Meanwhile, at Rosewood Mansion, Norma sat comfortably on the wrought-iron chair in her vast lawn, a porcelain cup of tea resting between her fingers. The morning sun filtered through the trees, painting the garden in deceptive serenity. Birds chirped. A soft breeze stirred the flowers.

Peaceful.

Yet her mind was anything but.

Daniel’s words from the previous day replayed relentlessly, each syllable digging deeper into her thoughts. The calm on her face barely concealed the storm brewing beneath.

"Just how far has he gone this time?" she muttered, setting the cup aside with deliberate care.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the distance, no longer seeing the manicured lawn before her. Daniel was not reckless. That was what made him dangerous. If he had spoken the way he did, if he had dared to bring Anna into the conversation so openly, then he had already crossed a line.

And Daniel never crossed lines without purpose.

The more she thought about it, the more her caution sharpened. How much had he told Anna? How much had he uncovered? And more importantly—how much had he chosen to hide for now?

A sudden vibration broke the silence.

Buzz.

Norma glanced at her phone before picking it up, her voice cool and precise. "Is he awake?"

The man on the other end was one she trusted with the things that could never be traced back to her. The same man who had slipped into the police station unnoticed. The same man who had made sure Collin remained silent—chemically, at least.

"Not yet," he replied. "But I’m certain he’ll reach out once he regains full consciousness."

Norma hummed softly. "He always does."

With that, she ended the call and lifted her cup again, taking a slow sip as if the conversation had been nothing more than idle chatter. But her thoughts had already shifted—away from Collin, away from Daniel, and toward the people she truly intended to break.

Hugo Bennett.

Roseline Bennett.

Her lips curved into something that was not quite a smile.

"I wonder what stories you spun to keep your daughter away from the truth, Roseline," Norma murmured, her tone almost amused.

She could picture it vividly—lies layered carefully over years, wrapped in concern and maternal authority. Roseline had always been good at that. Too good. But lies had a way of rotting from the inside, no matter how well they were dressed.

Norma’s smirk deepened briefly, then faded.

There was no need to rush. Sooner or later, Anna would start asking questions.

And once she did, there would be no stopping her. The girl had more of her father in her than Roseline liked to admit.

When that day came, masks would fall. Truths would surface. And every carefully protected secret would bleed into the open.

All Norma had to do was wait. And she was very good at that.

***

"Are we going to leave the bed today?" Anna asked, her voice lazy and amused.

Daniel’s answer was immediate.

"No."

The word was followed by his arm tightening around her waist, pulling her back against his chest as if the idea itself offended him.

Anna twisted slightly to look at him, disbelief written all over her face. "Excuse me?" she said. "Just a while ago, you were ready to let me walk out of your life. And now you won’t even allow me to get out of bed. Don’t you think that’s a bit too much?"

Daniel frowned at her tone, clearly unimpressed. "I already said I regret that," he replied flatly. "So why are you bringing it up again?"

Before she could respond, he buried his face into the curve of her neck, inhaling deeply, unapologetically comfortable. His voice came out muffled and low.

"I just don’t want to be away from you."

Anna’s irritation faltered despite herself.

He shifted slightly, then pulled back just enough to look at her, his lips curving into a slow, satisfied smirk. "You smell like me, wifey," he murmured.

Her cheeks heated instantly.

She turned her face away and scoffed. "Of course I smell like you, Daniel. Do you even remember how many times you—" she paused, counting mentally, then glared at him, "—took over the last hour? Four."

She yelped dramatically, swatting his arm as if deeply wronged. "Four times. Do you have any idea how unfair that is?"

Daniel raised a brow. "Unfair?"

"Yes," she said, pretending to glare while failing miserably at hiding her smile. "To my legs. To my sanity. To my dignity."

He laughed, a deep, unrestrained sound that vibrated through her. "Funny," he said, pulling her closer again, "because if I remember correctly, you didn’t object once."

"That’s beside the point," she shot back, though her voice softened. "You’re impossible."

"And yet," he murmured, brushing his nose against her temple, "you’re still here."

She sighed, giving up the act and relaxing into him. "Only because you’re holding me hostage."

"Wrong," he corrected lightly. "I’m cherishing you."

She snorted. "That’s a very convenient definition."

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, unhurried, affectionate. "So," he added casually, "are you still planning to leave the bed today?"

Anna considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

His smirk returned instantly. "Good choice."

She laughed, shaking her head as she settled back against him, but before Daniel could kiss her, an unexpected call interrupted them.

"I swear, whoever it is, it will be the end of him," Daniel groaned, tightening his arm around her as the phone buzzed insistently on the bedside table.

Anna laughed softly, already reaching for it. "Relax, Mr. Dramatic. The world won’t collapse if we move for five minutes."

She glanced at the screen—and her amusement vanished instantly.

The officer’s name flashed across the display.

Anna straightened at once, all playfulness gone, instinct kicking in before thought could catch up. She slid out of Daniel’s hold, answering the call without hesitation.

"Yes, officer," she said, her voice calm and professional despite the sudden shift. "I understand... I’ll be right there."

She ended the call and exhaled slowly.