Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 379: And now you announce it yourself

After the chaotic night at the bar, Kathrine finally woke up and the first thing she registered was warmth and the second was the unmistakable feeling of being caged in a strong pair of arms.

Her eyes flew open. Her head shot to the side, breath catching sharply in her throat—only for it to escape a second later when recognition settled in.

’Oh. It’s Ethan.’

Relief washed over her in a slow, dizzy wave. His arm was draped securely around her waist, his breathing steady and calm, his face relaxed in sleep in a way she rarely got to see.

But the relief didn’t last.

Another realization crashed into her like a delayed wave.

The bar, drinks, crying. Clinging to Anna and most importantly she accusing Ethan of being a kidnapper.

Her stomach twisted. Bits and pieces floated back, disjointed and blurry.

Kathrine remembered Ethan’s voice, steady even when she wasn’t. Remembered him bringing her here. Remembered his hands careful, never crossing a line.

’Did something happen?’

Her heart thudded anxiously as she glanced down, subtly checking herself. She was still fully dressed, wrapped in one of his hoodies, tucked safely beneath the covers.

She exhaled shakily. ’Nothing happened.’

The fear she hadn’t realized she was holding loosened its grip. Kathrine had always known what she wanted.

Call her old-fashioned, but she had waited years, refusing to let something that mattered so much be taken lightly or in confusion. She wanted it to mean something. She wanted it to be with the man she loved.

Her gaze drifted back to Ethan. His arm tightened slightly in his sleep, pulling her closer without waking, as if instinct alone told him she was there.

And that was when the truth settled, quiet but undeniable.

Somewhere between the fake dating, between shared glances and late-night conversations and that kiss she still felt when she closed her eyes—

She had fallen for him.

Hard.

She had told herself it wasn’t real. That it was convenient. Temporary. Pretend.

But if it were just a kiss, her mind wouldn’t have short-circuited every time he got close. Her heart wouldn’t ache at the thought of losing this. She wouldn’t feel this pull, this craving—not physical, but emotional, deep and unsettling.

Kathrine shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, and rested her forehead against his chest.

"I’m in trouble," she whispered to herself.

Ethan stirred faintly but didn’t wake, his hold firm, protective, entirely unconscious of the chaos unfolding in her heart.

And as Kathrine lay there, listening to his steady heartbeat, one thing became painfully clear.

A smile instantly curved her lips as she slowly turned to face him.

Ethan shifted slightly in his sleep, his arm tightening around her waist as if he sensed the movement. He nuzzled closer, his forehead brushing against her shoulder, seeking warmth with an unconscious familiarity that made her let out a soft giggle. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"You are such a kid," she murmured fondly.

She lifted her hand and gently touched the tip of his nose.

Ethan scrunched his face instantly, brows pulling together like a child being teased in their sleep. The sight made her heart melt.

Kathrine hadn’t realized how long she’d been staring at him until the quiet stretched and her gaze lingered. Really lingered.

She traced his features with her eyes, slow and unashamed. The sharp jaw softened by sleep. The lashes she’d never noticed were that long. The calm strength in him even when he wasn’t trying.

He really was handsome. The kind of handsome that didn’t need effort.

No wonder he had so many female fans. No wonder they whispered about him, admired him, wanted him.

The thought made something twist in her chest.

"But I want you all by myself," she muttered softly, barely louder than a breath.

"I am all yours."

Kathrine froze.

Her hand withdrew instantly, heart leaping straight into her throat. She sucked in a sharp breath as Ethan’s eyes opened—slow, deliberate—and locked onto hers with startling clarity.

He wasn’t groggy.

He wasn’t half-asleep.

He was very much awake.

He shifted, propping his head up on his hand, elbow resting against the mattress, his other arm still loosely around her as if it belonged there. A faint, knowing smile played on his lips.

Her mind scrambled.

W-wasn’t he asleep?

Her cheeks warmed instantly, heat rushing to her face as embarrassment crashed over her in waves.

"Y-you were awake all this while?" she asked, her voice coming out far more breathless than intended.

His smile widened just slightly. "If I weren’t," he said calmly, eyes never leaving hers, "would I have heard everything you said?"

Kathrine’s eyes widened. "Everything?"

"Yes."

Her face burned. "Oh my God."

She turned away abruptly, trying to hide her expression. "I was just talking nonsense. I mean—I didn’t mean—"

Ethan chuckled softly and reached out, gently catching her wrist before she could pull completely away. His touch was warm, grounding.

"Hey," he said quietly. "I liked it."

She looked back at him, startled. "You... did?"

"I did," he replied honestly. "Especially the part where you claimed me."

Her heart skipped, traitorous and loud.

"I wasn’t supposed to say that out loud," she muttered.

"I’m glad you did."

Silence fell between them, not awkward, just charged. His thumb brushed lightly over her wrist, absent-minded, intimate without crossing a line.

"You really thought I was asleep while you were staring at me?" he asked, amused.

She groaned. "Please don’t say it like that."

He smiled softly, not teasing now. "You’re cute when you forget to guard yourself."

Kathrine swallowed, her heart racing for an entirely different reason than the night before.

"And you are a tease. Now let me go," Kathrine said, trying to push herself up from the bed.

She barely moved an inch.

Ethan caught her wrists gently but firmly and pressed her back into the mattress, his body hovering over hers without fully pinning her down. The shift was subtle, controlled—but it stole the air from her lungs all the same.

"Ethan—" she started.

"Last night," he said quietly, his voice lower than she had ever heard it, "I barely controlled myself, Kathrine." His gaze searched her face, not wild, not reckless—intense. "And now you announce it yourself."

Her throat went dry.

She could see it then—the change in his eyes. Darker. Focused. The same look from that morning on her balcony, when he had crossed a line he pretended didn’t exist, and she had let him.

The memory alone made her pulse race.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice betraying her far more than her words.

Ethan leaned closer, close enough that his breath brushed her lips, close enough that the world narrowed down to just the space between them. He stopped there, deliberately, giving her time. Giving her choice.

"Everything," he murmured, "I couldn’t do last night."