Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 495: I actually wanted to see whether you are capable of answering a few things
[Two days later]
Hugo was discharged from the hospital, but the doctor had strictly advised him not to overwork or put himself under stress. His body still needed time to recover from the stroke he had suffered a few days ago.
However, worrying about his business was something he simply could not stop.
Despite the warning, Hugo called Ben home and demanded a full update. What he heard left a bitter taste in his mouth. His company was now under Glorious International.
"I should not have signed that clause. If only I had known how this would end, I would never have even gotten close to Daniel."
Hugo was convinced that Daniel had backstabbed him and was now pretending to be innocent. Everything that happened after he was hospitalized only strengthened his suspicion. The takeover felt too convenient, too calculated.
"Ben, make sure Kathrine does not get into any trouble. I am certain this step will bring something far worse upon us," Hugo muttered, anxiety tightening his chest.
He might have lost everything, but he still wanted to protect Kathrine. The thought of her being looked down upon now that she had started working under Glorious International unsettled him deeply. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
After discussing a few more matters, Hugo dismissed Ben.
It had been two days since Kathrine agreed to the new arrangement, an arrangement Hugo had unknowingly forced upon her. Back then, he had used Daniel as leverage to strengthen his position in the business world. Blinded by greed, he had ignored the warning signs that were right in front of him.
Now things were different.
For the first time, he did not want to overlook the signs.
Somewhere in his heart, he knew this situation had not happened overnight. It was not sudden. It was carefully planned, long before he ever realized he was walking into a trap.
While Hugo was still lost in his thoughts, Roseline stepped into the room carrying a tray of food.
"Why did Ben come here? Did I not make it clear that he is not to bother you with company matters for now?" Her voice carried a hint of displeasure. She had specifically instructed Ben to keep all business concerns away from Hugo until he had fully recovered.
Seeing Ben walk out of the room earlier had not gone unnoticed by her.
Roseline walked closer and sat beside Hugo on the bed, setting the tray aside.
"I called him," Hugo replied, his tone cold and firm.
Roseline stilled for a second, clearly taken aback by his bluntness. But she quickly masked it, blinking away the indifference she had been receiving from him these past two days.
Ever since Kathrine had visited him at the hospital, something had changed. Hugo had grown distant, colder, as if a silent wall had risen between them. Roseline could feel it, even if he never voiced it.
Taking a slow breath, she removed the lid from the soup bowl. The steam rose gently as she dipped the spoon into it and brought it toward Hugo’s lips.
"Kathrine is taking care of the company. You do not have to worry about it. I am sure she is capable of handling everything," Roseline said calmly. For now, maintaining composure seemed wiser than confrontation.
But Hugo found that calmness unbearable.
Because behind that calm exterior, he knew how much chaos she had stirred in his mind.
"And who is responsible for putting her in that position?" he asked, his voice low but sharp. "Me. So yes, I have every reason to worry. These are the consequences of my mistakes."
There was no anger in his voice this time.
Only regret.
And that, somehow, was heavier.
"If only I had not let my greed take over my judgment, I would not be in this position," Hugo muttered, his breathing turning uneven. "I am the reason everything is slipping out of my hands."
The strain in his voice alarmed Roseline.
"Hugo, please relax," she said softly, setting the spoon aside as she reached for him.
But he yanked his hand away as if her touch burned.
"Do not touch me."
Roseline froze. Her eyes widened, and her lips trembled slightly at the sharpness in his tone.
"Hugo, I was just trying to—"
Before she could finish, he shot her a look so cold it silenced her instantly.
"Get out. I do not want you anywhere near me."
The words struck her like a blade to the chest. She blinked rapidly as tears welled in her eyes, her composure finally cracking.
"I asked you to leave, Roseline. Do not make me repeat myself."
This time his voice rose, harsher, and it startled her completely.
Without another word, she stood up abruptly and hurried out of the room, almost running down the hallway. The door shut behind her, leaving a suffocating silence in its wake.
Hugo remained seated, chest heaving, anger still burning beneath his skin.
But as the minutes passed, the fire slowly faded.
The room grew quiet.
His gaze drifted toward the window, sunlight filtering faintly through the curtains. The anger that had consumed him moments ago gave way to something heavier.
Regret.
He closed his eyes briefly, his jaw tightening.
He had lost control of his company.
And now he was losing control of himself.
Hugo didn’t realize when things began to turn heavier, he reached for his phone and made a call.
"Hello..."
***
Meanwhile, Roseline stood just outside the bedroom door, her heart pounding violently against her ribs.
Hugo losing his temper had caught her completely off guard. He had been distant these past few days, yes, but this... this was different. The way he had recoiled from her touch as if she were something repulsive replayed in her mind again and again, each time cutting deeper.
She did not linger there long. Swallowing the sting in her throat, she walked down the corridor and stepped onto the open balcony of the mansion. The cool evening air brushed against her flushed face, but it did little to steady her racing thoughts.
Fear had begun to settle inside her.
For the first time in years, Roseline felt her control over Hugo slipping. And she knew exactly when it started.
Kathrine.
Ever since Kathrine exposed her in front of Hugo, something in his gaze had changed. The trust, the blind faith he once had in Roseline, was no longer absolute. Now there was doubt. Suspicion. Distance.
"That girl... I should not have spared her for this long," Roseline muttered under her breath, her nails digging into her palm as she struggled to contain her anger.
She hated being doubted. She hated losing control even more.
Standing there under the darkening sky, she tried to think of a way to pull Hugo back to her, to make him look at her the way he once did. To erase the disgust in his eyes.
But no matter how hard she tried, no plan formed.
Just then, her phone vibrated in her hand.
The number on the screen was unknown.
Frowning slightly, she answered it.
"Hello?"
There was a brief silence on the other end. Then a low voice spoke, and her eyes widened in shock.
***
[Glorious International]
Daniel tried to focus on the file in front of him, scanning the contents carefully. But the presence of a certain someone in his office made concentration nearly impossible.
"What?" Daniel finally asked, lifting his gaze toward Ethan, who had walked in uninvited and made himself comfortable.
Ethan had been sitting there for over an hour.
Silent.
Watching him.
Daniel knew Ethan was unpredictable, but this kind of quiet observation was far more unsettling than his usual sarcasm or reckless remarks.
"What?" Ethan shrugged casually, deliberately ignoring the meaning behind Daniel’s question and pretending innocence.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Seeing Ethan act clueless only irritated him further. He closed the file on his desk with quiet finality and leaned back slightly, giving Ethan his full attention.
The shift in his demeanor was immediate.
His eyes sharpened.
Intimidating.
Focused.
It was only when Daniel’s gaze turned piercing that Ethan finally decided to speak.
"Why are you taking therapy sessions with Dr. Jason?"
The question landed heavier than expected.
Daniel’s expression changed almost imperceptibly.
Apart from Henry and Anna, no one knew about his visits to Dr. Jason’s clinic. He had made sure of that. The sessions were private, confidential, far away from public scrutiny.
Which meant one of two things.
Either someone had been watching him.
Or someone had talked.
Daniel did not believe Jason would ever breach confidentiality. That possibility barely crossed his mind.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
"And why do you want to know?" Daniel asked evenly, his gaze steady.
Ethan smiled faintly, leaning back as if the question amused him.
"Just curious," he replied. "I was wondering how a perfectly mentally fit man who runs a multi-billion-dollar company suddenly needs therapy."
The jab was subtle.
But deliberate.
Daniel’s expression did not change. Not a single muscle moved. The remark did not land the way Ethan had perhaps intended.
"Is that all you came here for?" Daniel asked calmly. "To sit in my office for half an hour and make observations about my mental health?"
His tone was controlled, but there was steel beneath it.
Ethan tilted his head slightly.
"No," he said after a pause. "I actually wanted to see whether you are capable of answering a few things."
That made Daniel raise a brow.
