Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 458: I cannot believe I just said that
"Is it important?"
"Yes."
"More important than me?"
"...Right now, yes."
He looked deeply offended. "Wow. Betrayed for a phone."
She sighed, trying to focus. "You were supposed to be in the shower for at least ten minutes."
"I was."
"It’s been three."
"I shower efficiently."
"That’s not something to brag about."
He leaned in again, voice dropping teasingly. "You seem disappointed."
"I am disappointed in my brain for forgetting every responsibility I’ve ever had."
She finally pressed the phone to her ear, forcing herself to look away.
"Kathrine—"
Daniel bent down so his face was right in her line of sight anyway.
Mouthed: Hi.
She swatted him weakly.
He mouthed back: Rude.
"Kathrine, sorry, I—" Anna paused. Her eyes flicked to Daniel’s chest again. "I got distracted."
Daniel smirked proudly.
She rolled her eyes and tried to regain composure. "Yes, I’m listening."
He leaned closer, whispering, "You’re blushing."
"I’m not."
"You’re redder than a tomato."
"You’re wet and standing too close."
"That’s what she said."
She choked. "DANIEL."
Kathrine’s voice filtered through the phone, confused. "Anna... are you okay?"
Anna stared at her half-naked husband, who was now flexing slightly just to be annoying.
No.
No, she was not okay.
"I’m fine," she said through gritted teeth. "Just... dealing with a domestic threat." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Daniel wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her lightly against his still-warm body.
Her thoughts immediately evaporated.
She forgot what Kathrine was saying.
Forgot what the call was about.
Forgot her own name.
All she could think was: Why did I marry a walking distraction?
He kissed the side of her head. "You should really focus."
She glared at him. "You should really put on clothes."
"After you finish staring."
She opened her mouth to argue. Nothing came out.
Anna pressed the phone harder to her ear, as if that alone might summon her sanity back.
"Yes, Kathrine, I’m here," she said, trying very hard to sound like a functional adult and not someone being emotionally ambushed by a half-naked man.
Daniel, meanwhile, had decided this was the perfect moment to sit beside her on the bed.
Still wet. Still warm. Still entirely too close.
She felt the mattress dip and nearly lost her train of thought.
Kathrine was saying something important—she could tell by the tone—but all Anna could register was the fact that Daniel’s knee had brushed hers and her brain had officially filed a complaint.
"Anna?" Kathrine repeated.
"Yes! Yes. Listening. Fully present," Anna lied.
Daniel leaned in, his lips right near her ear. "You’re terrible at multitasking."
She elbowed him lightly. "Go. Get dressed."
"I thought you liked the view."
"I like breathing more."
He chuckled and, instead of moving away, stretched his arms behind his head, making himself even more of a problem.
This man woke up every day and chose violence.
Kathrine’s voice sharpened through the phone. "Anna, are you seriously not paying attention?"
"I am! I swear. I’m just—" she glanced at Daniel again and lowered her voice, "—under attack."
Daniel mouthed: By my beauty?
She mouthed back: By your audacity.
Kathrine sighed. "Is Daniel there?"
Anna looked at him.
He waved cheerfully.
"...Unfortunately, yes."
"Tell him to behave."
Daniel leaned closer to the phone. "I am behaving."
Anna shoved his face away. "You are a walking distraction."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"It absolutely was."
She tried to focus again. "Okay, Kathrine, say it again. From the start."
But Daniel had other plans.
He picked up the pillow she’d thrown earlier and gently dropped it on her head.
She yelped. "What is wrong with you?"
"You looked too serious."
"I am trying to have a serious conversation!"
"With me sitting half naked next to you?"
"Yes, because unlike you, I can be mature."
He raised an eyebrow. "You just called me a crime ten minutes ago."
"That was an observation, not flirting."
"That was definitely flirting."
Kathrine cleared her throat loudly on the line. "Do I need to hang up and call back later?"
Anna groaned. "No, don’t you dare. I’ll handle him."
She turned to Daniel and pointed at the closet. "Clothes. Now."
He looked deeply offended. "You don’t want me like this?"
"I want you alive, not murdered by my lack of self-control."
He laughed and finally stood up. Progress.
But instead of going to the closet, he leaned down, placing his hands on either side of her on the bed, trapping her in place.
Her heart did a very unnecessary somersault.
"You’re still staring," he murmured.
"I am not."
"You blinked three times."
"That’s called existing."
Kathrine was absolutely listening to all of this in silence.
Daniel brushed a stray wet strand of hair away from Anna’s face. "You look cute when you’re flustered."
She swallowed. "You look illegal when you’re wet."
He smirked. "I’ll take that."
Kathrine finally spoke again. "I feel like I’m intruding on something."
Anna immediately sat up straighter. "No! No intruding. This is just... daily chaos."
Daniel kissed her forehead. Soft. Brief. Dangerous.
Her thoughts evaporated again.
"I hate you," she whispered.
"You love me."
"...Also true."
He finally stepped away, heading toward the closet at last. "I’ll get dressed. For your mental health."
"Thank you."
"But just so you know," he added over his shoulder, "you were definitely drooling."
"I was NOT."
He laughed and disappeared into the closet.
Anna collapsed back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
Instead, she let out a strangled scream and buried her face into the pillow.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God—"
Her voice came out muffled as she pressed the pillow harder over her head, mortified.
She had absolutely just embarrassed herself.
In front of her own sister.
"I cannot believe I just said that," she groaned into the fabric. "I sounded like a hormonal teenager, not a married woman with basic dignity."
She rolled onto her stomach, still hiding her face, kicking her feet once in pure second-hand shame.
