Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 381: We’ll talk after

While Kathrine was lost in her own world of warmth and bliss, reality hit Anna like a merciless wave. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The nausea came without warning.

One second she was laughing weakly, head spinning pleasantly, and the next her stomach lurched so violently it stole the air from her lungs. Anna clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes widening in panic.

"Oh no—" was all she managed before she bolted.

Her feet barely touched the floor as she sprinted down the hallway, the world tilting dangerously around her. She barely made it to the washroom before dropping to her knees in front of the toilet, retching hard as her body finally rebelled.

"Anna!" Daniel’s voice followed immediately, sharp with concern.

He was there within seconds, one hand pushing her hair back, the other bracing her shoulder as she threw up. Her body shook with every heave, the harsh reality of alcohol replacing whatever false comfort it had given her earlier.

"Oh God," Anna groaned hoarsely between retches. "I— I shouldn’t have—"

Daniel crouched beside her without hesitation, steady and calm in contrast to her misery. He gathered her hair into his hand, keeping it away from her face, his palm rubbing slow, grounding circles against her back.

"Easy," he murmured. "Let it out. I’ve got you."

Another wave hit her, harsher than the last. Anna squeezed her eyes shut, tears prickling as her stomach cramped painfully. Her pride burned almost as much as the acid in her throat.

"This is... disgusting," she croaked when it finally eased, slumping forward weakly.

Daniel reached for the flush, then grabbed a glass of water from the sink, holding it near her lips. "Small sips," he instructed gently. "Don’t rush."

She took one obedient sip, then another, before sagging back against him. Only then did the regret truly sink in.

"I hate this," Anna whispered miserably. "I hate that I drank so much. I knew better."

Daniel pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head, his hand never stopping its soothing rhythm. "You were upset," he said quietly. "You’re allowed to make mistakes."

She let out a humorless laugh that quickly turned into a wince. "My body clearly disagrees. It’s like it’s personally offended."

That earned a small huff of amusement from him. "Your body has always been dramatic."

Anna leaned her forehead against the cool porcelain, exhausted. "Promise me I never drink again."

Daniel raised a brow. "You said that last time too."

"Then promise me you’ll remind me of this exact moment," she muttered. "The floor. The toilet. My dignity dying."

He chuckled softly. "Deal."

Another bout of nausea hit, though lighter this time. Daniel tightened his hold, steadying her as she retched again, his thumb brushing calming strokes along her spine.

"I’m sorry," she said weakly once it passed. "For dragging you into this."

He tilted her chin up just enough to make her look at him. His expression was nothing but patient concern. "There’s nowhere else I’d be," he said simply. "Especially not when you feel like this."

Her eyes softened despite the misery. "You always say that."

"And I always mean it."

Daniel helped her sit back against the wall, grabbing a cool, damp towel and gently wiping her face. She sighed at the relief, her head lolling slightly as fatigue set in.

"I feel awful," she admitted. "Inside and out."

"I know," he said quietly. "But it’ll pass."

She rested her head against his shoulder, her voice barely above a whisper. "Next time I want to drink my feelings away... stop me."

He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Next time, I’ll just hold you instead."

Anna closed her eyes, breathing slowly as the nausea finally began to subside. Her body was tired, her head aching, but she wasn’t alone. And somehow, with Daniel there, that made the regret a little easier to bear.

***

It took some time for Anna to feel human again.

By the time the pounding in her head dulled to a tolerable throb, Daniel had already insisted she shower and change, hovering nearby like she might collapse if he looked away for even a second. When he finally felt confident enough to leave her alone for five minutes, he returned with a neatly arranged breakfast tray balanced in his hands.

He stopped short.

Anna was curled up against the headboard, blanket pulled around her waist, completely absorbed in her phone. Her fingers flew across the screen, brows pinched in concentration.

Daniel sighed quietly and set the tray aside on the bedside table before sitting next to her. "What are you doing?" he asked, keeping his voice light.

She didn’t look up. "Kathrine isn’t answering my calls," Anna replied, irritation laced with concern. "I’ve called her three times already. I hope she’s fine."

Clueless to everything that had happened after she passed out, she lifted the phone again, thumb hovering over the call button.

Daniel reached out and gently caught her wrist, stopping her mid-motion. "She’s fine," he said calmly. "And she’s with Ethan."

Anna froze.

Slowly, she turned to look at him, brows knitting together in confusion. "With Ethan?" she echoed, as if testing the words.

Daniel rubbed his temple and let out a quiet sigh. He hated this part. Anna’s selective memory loss after drinking was nothing new, but it always tested his patience, especially when it involved the previous night. Still, this time, he looked far more composed than usual.

"I called Ethan last night," he explained. "When I realized you weren’t the only one treating alcohol like water and that Kathrine had joined your little competition."

Anna winced. "Ouch."

"So no," he continued evenly, "you don’t need to worry. Your sister is in very capable hands."

Anna stared at him for a few seconds longer, then exhaled and tossed her phone onto the table beside the bed. "Okay," she said, forcing calm. "Good. That’s... good."

Daniel slid the breakfast tray closer. "Now eat something," he said firmly. "We have too much to talk about."

The look Anna gave him was instant and dramatic.

She straightened, eyes narrowing as if he had just announced an interrogation. "Why do you say that like you’re about to question me?" she asked suspiciously.

Daniel arched a brow but said nothing.

Her shoulders sagged a little. "You said I was on my best behavior last night," she muttered, more to herself than him.

The silence that followed was heavy.

Daniel turned his head slowly and looked at her, his expression unreadable. That alone was enough to make her uncomfortable. Anna shifted, suddenly very interested in the blanket.

"Ah..." she cleared her throat. "That was... to make me feel better, wasn’t it?"

A corner of his mouth twitched. "Very perceptive," he replied dryly.

Her eyes widened. "Daniel."

"Eat," he interrupted, pushing the tray toward her. "We’ll talk after."

She glanced at the food, then back at him debating on whether she should argue, but in the end she gave up and instead focused on eating.