Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 513: You climbed a mountain for me

The next morning Anna and Daniel woke up before the sun had fully risen. A pale golden light filtered through the curtains, brushing softly against their faces.

Despite celebrating her birthday the previous night, they had behaved themselves. Daniel had insisted they rest properly because he had something special planned.

Trekking.

Anna had been thrilled at the idea. Oh, she had imagined breathtaking views, dramatic photos, and the kind of romantic adventure couples brag about. What she had not imagined was her lungs staging a rebellion halfway up the mountain.

"Oh my goodness," Anna gasped, clutching her side as they paused along the rocky trail. "I think I will run out of oxygen soon."

They were only halfway up, and Daniel was walking ahead with irritating ease. The morning air was crisp and thin, brushing against her flushed cheeks as she tried to steady her breathing. Her legs trembled, and every muscle protested the unfamiliar strain.

She had been so excited to try something new that she never considered whether her body was ready for this kind of extreme activity. It felt worse than an intense gym session. Worse than anything, really.

Daniel turned around, walking backward for a few steps with a grin that made her want to throw a pebble at him. "Do not worry, wifey. You have a whole oxygen cylinder right here with you," he teased, tapping his chest. "If you faint, I can always give you mouth to mouth."

"Oh please!" Anna shot back, straightening despite her exhaustion. "You look way too happy about that possibility."

He laughed, the sound echoing lightly against the mountain slopes. It was unfair how energetic he looked. Not even slightly winded. Not even sweating properly.

"Seriously," she continued, narrowing her eyes at him. "Why are you so cheerful? It is not like you train all the time. I barely see you step out except to have meals with me."

She folded her arms, though the action only made her shoulders ache more. It was a flaw she had silently observed for months. Daniel did not go to the gym. He did not wake up at dawn for runs. He was not the type to obsess over protein shakes or workout routines. Yet he was incredibly strong.

His strength was impossible to ignore.

He carried heavy luggage effortlessly. He lifted her as if she weighed nothing. Even now, climbing this steep mountain path, he moved with steady control while she felt like collapsing dramatically onto a rock.

Daniel stopped walking and waited for her to catch up. When she finally reached him, he reached out and gently brushed a loose strand of hair from her damp forehead.

"Are you accusing me of secretly training?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in mock offense.

"I am accusing you of hiding something," she replied, trying to catch her breath. "This is suspicious. Very suspicious."

He chuckled again and gestured toward the trail. "Come on. Slow steps. Breathe through your nose. Do not rush."

Anna groaned but followed, shortening her stride. The view around them was undeniably beautiful. The mountains stretched endlessly, wrapped in soft mist. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance, and the rising sun painted the sky in shades of peach and gold.

It was peaceful.

If only her lungs agreed.

After a few minutes of silence, Daniel finally answered her unspoken concern. "You do not see me working out because I prefer training at home. Short sessions. Consistent ones."

Anna blinked. "At home? When?"

"Early mornings sometimes. Or late at night," he admitted. "Just basic strength training. Nothing dramatic."

Her jaw dropped slightly. "So you have been secretly building superhero strength while I was sleeping?"

He smirked. "Something like that."

"Oh wow," she muttered. "And here I thought you were just genetically blessed."

"That too," he said confidently.

She huffed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. Despite the teasing, he slowed his pace to match hers. When she stumbled slightly over a loose stone, his hand instantly steadied her waist.

"Careful," he murmured.

Anna looked up at him, her irritation softening. "You could have warned me this would be this hard."

"If I did, would you have come?" he asked.

She paused, then sighed dramatically. "Probably not."

"Exactly."

She rolled her eyes but squeezed his hand anyway. The climb was exhausting, yes. Her muscles burned and her pride suffered. But with Daniel beside her, steady and warm and ridiculously strong, it felt less impossible.

"Fine," she said after another deep breath. "But when we get back home, you are teaching me those secret home workouts."

Daniel grinned. "Deal."

"And no more oxygen cylinder jokes."

He laughed again, and together they continued climbing toward the summit, step by step, breath by breath.

The higher they climbed, the quieter the world became.

The chatter of birds faded into distant echoes, and even Anna’s dramatic complaints softened into slow, steady breaths. The sky above them had begun to change, deep blue surrendering to gentle shades of pink and gold. A thin ribbon of sunlight stretched across the horizon, as if the day itself were slowly waking.

Daniel glanced at her. "We are almost there."

Anna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You said that ten minutes ago."

"This time I mean it," he replied, smiling.

She wanted to argue, but just then the trail leveled out. The steep incline eased beneath their feet, and a wide clearing opened ahead of them. Large rocks framed the edge of the mountain, and beyond them stretched an endless view of rolling hills, mist drifting lazily between them like silk.

"Oh," Anna whispered.

They had reached the top.

The sun hovered at the edge of the horizon, half-hidden, half-revealed. Slowly, almost shyly, it began to rise. Golden light spilled across the sky, brushing against the clouds and turning them soft peach and rose. The mist below glowed faintly, as if dusted with magic. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Anna stepped closer to the edge, forgetting her exhaustion entirely. The cold morning air kissed her cheeks, but she did not mind. Her heart felt strangely full.

Daniel moved beside her without a word.

For a moment, they simply stood there.

The world felt vast and quiet, and yet perfectly still around them.

"It is beautiful," she breathed.

Daniel looked at her instead of the view. "It is."

She glanced at him and caught the softness in his expression. The teasing grin was gone. In its place was something deeper. Something steady.

"I wanted you to see this," he said quietly. "On your birthday. A new year for you. A new beginning."

Anna’s chest tightened unexpectedly.

"Oh no," she murmured lightly. "Are you about to get emotional? Because I am not prepared for that."

He laughed under his breath. "I am serious."

She softened instantly.

Daniel reached for her hands, holding them gently between his warm palms. The golden sunlight wrapped around them, painting everything in warmth.

"Anna," he began, his voice calm but sincere, "I cannot promise that every day will be easy. I cannot promise there will not be difficult climbs like today. But I promise you this. I will always walk beside you. Even when you complain. Even when you doubt yourself. Even when you threaten to push me off a mountain."

Her lips trembled as she tried not to smile too wide.

"I promise to steady you when you stumble. To slow down when you need me to. And to remind you that you are stronger than you think."

The sun rose fully then, spilling brilliant light across the peaks. It felt like the world itself was blessing the moment.

Anna swallowed, blinking rapidly. "Wow," she said softly. "You really rehearsed that, did you not?"

Daniel shook his head, amused. "No."

She squeezed his hands. "Okay. My turn."

She cleared her throat dramatically, as if preparing for a grand speech.

"Daniel, I cannot promise I will not complain during future treks," she began seriously. "In fact, I absolutely will."

He smiled.

"But I promise I will keep trying new things with you. Even if they scare me. Even if my lungs feel like they are collapsing." She sniffed playfully. "I promise to trust you when you say we are almost there, even though you lie sometimes."

"I do not lie," he protested gently.

"You exaggerate," she corrected.

He laughed quietly.

"And I promise," she continued, her voice softening, "to stand with you. In the easy days and the exhausting ones. To choose you, every morning, even when I want to throw a pillow at you."

Emotion flickered in his eyes.

The sunlight warmed her face, and for once, Anna did not joke immediately to hide her feelings. She stepped closer, resting her forehead against his.

"Also," she added in a whisper, "if I faint on future treks, you are still not allowed to look that happy about mouth to mouth."

Daniel let out a low chuckle, pulling her gently into his arms.

"You are impossible," he murmured.

"And yet," she replied, smiling up at him, "you climbed a mountain for me."

He leaned down slowly, giving her enough time to pull back if she wished.

She did not.

Their kiss was soft, unhurried, and warm like the sunrise itself. No rush. No urgency. Just the quiet certainty of two people choosing each other.

When they finally parted, Anna looked at the blazing horizon again and sighed contentedly.

"Okay," she said. "This was worth the oxygen crisis."

Daniel laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they stood at the top of the world, bathed in morning light, ready to begin another year together.