Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 503: When did this happen?

The next morning, Anna woke slowly, warmth pooling in her chest before she even opened her eyes.

When she did, the first thing she saw was Daniel.

He was still asleep, one arm tucked under his pillow, the early sunlight tracing the sharp lines of his face. His features were relaxed in a way she rarely saw when he was awake. No guarded expression. No quiet calculation. Just peace.

Her heart swelled.

"How can someone be this handsome?" she whispered under her breath, propping herself up on one elbow.

Carefully, she let her fingers trace the contour of his jaw. Down the bridge of his nose. Along the faint shadow of stubble that had begun to grow overnight.

She had never said it aloud before, but the one thing that always caught her attention were his lips.

They were perfectly shaped. Thin, soft pink, deceptively gentle for a man who could be so commanding.

She bit back a smile.

"He won’t notice," she murmured to herself.

Leaning in slowly, she brushed her lips against his.

What she did not know was that Daniel had been awake for the past two minutes, listening to every single word she had muttered.

The second their lips touched, his hand moved.

In one swift motion, he turned, his arm wrapping around her waist as he pinned her gently against the mattress.

"Daniel, what are you—"

Her words dissolved as he claimed her lips properly this time.

The kiss was warm and unhurried at first, but it quickly deepened. His hand slid up to cup her face, thumb brushing along her cheek as if he had been waiting for an excuse to do exactly this.

When he finally pulled back, just enough for her to breathe, his eyes were dark with amusement.

"So," he murmured, "you like my lips?"

Anna’s face flushed instantly.

"I— I was not—"

"You were," he interrupted smoothly. "Very detailed admiration, I might add."

She tried to push him away, but he only tightened his hold slightly, smiling.

"You were talking about how perfect they are," he continued. "How you wanted to keep kissing them."

"I did not say it like that," she protested weakly.

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. "You were supposed to be asleep."

"I was," he said calmly. "Until my wife started giving a full morning review of my features."

Anna peeked at him through her fingers.

"Are you mad?" she asked suspiciously.

"Mad?" He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers again. "I’m flattered."

Her laughter melted into another kiss.

This time, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The playful embarrassment faded, replaced by warmth and familiarity. Daniel’s hand slid down to her waist, steady and grounding.

"Next time," he murmured against her lips, "if you want to kiss me, you don’t have to steal it."

Anna tilted her head slightly. "Oh?"

"I prefer being fully aware."

She smiled mischievously. "And what if I enjoy surprising you?"

He leaned closer, his forehead resting against hers.

"Then I’ll keep surprising you back."

Her breath hitched softly at the intensity in his gaze.

"You’re very confident this morning," she teased.

"I’m always confident," he replied. "You just notice it more when I’m holding you like this."

Anna laughed, but her heart was racing. There was something about mornings like this that made everything else feel distant. The past. The tension. Collin. Norma. All of it seemed temporarily suspended.

For now, it was just them.

She ran her fingers through his hair, watching the way his expression softened.

"You know," she said quietly, "I don’t think I ever told you how much I like waking up to you."

Daniel’s hand stilled at her waist.

"You don’t have to," he said softly. "I can see it."

There was no teasing in his tone now.

Just sincerity.

Anna felt her chest tighten slightly at the way he looked at her. As if she were something fragile and precious at the same time.

"You’re staring again," he murmured.

"Because you’re handsome," she replied without hesitation this time.

He smiled, a real one. The kind that reached his eyes.

Before he could respond, his phone suddenly vibrated on the bedside table.

They both froze.

Daniel groaned. "Ignore it."

It vibrated again.

Daniel sighed softly and rolled slightly to the side, though he did not completely let her go.

"Check it," she said reluctantly.

Daniel reached over and grabbed the phone. His expression shifted the second he saw the name on the screen.

"Henry," she said quietly.

Daniel’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly before he answered the call.

"Henry? It’s early."

Daniel did not bother hiding the irritation in his voice. He hated it when someone interrupted his time with his wife, especially in moments like this.

For a brief second, he even imagined making Henry work double shifts for the next month just to compensate for ruining the mood. The thought alone made him feel slightly better.

"I’m sorry, boss," Henry’s voice came through, tense and rushed. "But it’s urgent."

The word urgent immediately wiped the faint amusement from Daniel’s face.

He sat up straighter.

"Go on," he said, pushing his irritation aside.

Anna noticed the shift instantly. The warmth in his expression disappeared, replaced by sharp focus.

There was a pause while Henry spoke on the other end.

Daniel’s jaw tightened.

"Since when?" he asked quietly.

Anna’s heart began to beat faster.

He listened without interrupting, his expression growing colder with every passing second.

"Did anyone follow them?" he asked.

Another pause.

"Okay," Daniel said finally. "Keep your distance. Don’t let him spot you."

He ended the call.

The room felt heavier.

Anna sat up fully now. "What happened?" she asked, searching his face.

Daniel did not answer immediately. He looked at her, measuring his words.

"Your mom met Collin," he said calmly.

Anna’s breath caught.

"What?"

Daniel nodded once.

Anna pushed the blanket aside. "How do you-" she paused, recalling what he told her last night.

Daniel’s gaze remained steady. "I told you I had people watching him."

And he wasn’t lying.

He had assigned two men to keep an eye on Collin the moment he suspected Norma’s involvement. They kept their distance, careful not to alert him.

"When did this happen?" Anna asked, her voice quieter now.

"Yesterday."

Anna ran a hand through her hair, trying to process it.

"Why would Mom meet him?" she murmured.