Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 540: It is possible

"He what?!"

Anna yelped, her voice rising louder than intended. A few men seated across and beside her turned to look, their expressions cautious and curious.

Realizing the attention she had drawn, Anna cleared her throat awkwardly and lowered her voice, though her shock remained unchanged.

"And don’t tell me you just walked away without giving him a proper reply," she added, her eyes fixed on Kathrine.

Daniel and Ethan exchanged a brief glance before silently returning to their drinks.

Anna had always been unpredictable. Even Daniel, who understood her better than anyone else, still found himself surprised by her reactions at times. As for Ethan, he was still adjusting to the shifts around him, especially when it came to conversations involving his father and Kathrine.

"Of course I did," Kathrine replied without hesitation. "Do you really think anyone can make me leave Ethan? He would have to face the devil himself."

Silence fell instantly.

Daniel froze mid-sip.

Ethan stopped moving completely.

Anna blinked.

Everyone stared at Kathrine.

"So... you are calling yourself the devil?" Anna asked slowly, her tone filled with doubt.

Kathrine pursed her lips awkwardly, immediately realizing how that had sounded.

"I mean," she corrected herself quickly, "I rejected his attempt to separate me from Ethan. But then... when he fainted back there, I couldn’t just leave him."

"He fainted?" Ethan spoke suddenly, his voice sharp.

Kathrine froze.

Her eyes slowly shifted toward him, and the moment she saw his expression, she regretted opening her mouth.

He was staring at her intently now, his eyes filled with concern and something else.

Something deeper.

"...and you didn’t tell me?" he finished.

The way he asked it made it sound less like a question and more like an accusation.

Kathrine forced out an awkward laugh. "Hehe... you didn’t ask. Besides, you were really angry at your dad that day."

Ethan went silent.

Because she was right.

He had been furious. So consumed by anger over what his father had done at the restaurant that he never stopped to question why Kathrine had been late returning that evening.

He had not asked.

And she had not told him.

Daniel and Anna watched the exchange carefully. The tension between them was subtle, but impossible to miss.

Something had shifted.

Something unspoken.

Before the silence could grow heavier, Daniel spoke, his tone calm but serious.

"By the way, I heard you managed to secure the deal with Marcus Helmworth."

Kathrine looked at him, surprised by how quickly the topic changed.

Daniel leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful.

"But let me warn you," he continued, "it’s not going to sit well with my aunt."

Kathrine’s brows furrowed slightly

Norma.

Daniel had already noticed the way Norma watched Kathrine, the quiet scrutiny, the concealed hostility. He knew his aunt well enough to recognize ambition when he saw it, and Norma had never been someone who accepted defeat gracefully.

When he learned that Kathrine had not only presented the project but had actually secured Marcus Helmworth’s approval, he knew it would provoke a reaction.

Norma would not stay silent.

She would not accept being overshadowed.

"I know," Kathrine said, her voice thoughtful. "And that is exactly what I am trying to figure out. What does she really want?"

Her brows furrowed slightly, but she did not allow herself to dwell on it for too long. Thinking about Norma too much would only exhaust her, and right now, she needed clarity, not anxiety.

Whatever Norma was planning, Kathrine knew she would deal with it when the time came.

The conversation gradually shifted to lighter topics after that. Anna’s occasional remarks brought back laughter, easing the tension that had briefly settled over them. Daniel remained observant as always, while Ethan stayed quieter than usual, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Eventually, it was time to leave.

Ethan and Kathrine said their goodbyes before departing from Clafford Mansion. The evening air was cool as they walked toward the car, the silence between them comfortable, yet filled with unspoken thoughts.

Once inside, Ethan started the engine and began driving.

Neither of them spoke immediately.

The soft hum of the engine filled the space between them, accompanied by the faint glow of streetlights passing one after another.

Kathrine leaned slightly against the seat, her gaze drifting outside the window. She assumed Ethan was simply tired.

But Ethan’s mind was far from calm.

Her words from earlier replayed repeatedly in his head.

He fainted.

The realization unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.

Marcus Helmworth was not a weak man. He had always appeared strong, controlled, and almost invincible in Ethan’s eyes. He was someone who never allowed vulnerability to show.

And yet, he had fainted.

Ethan tightened his grip on the steering wheel unconsciously.

This was not something that had ever happened before.

Not once in all the years he had known him and the thought that something might be wrong with him stirred a strange discomfort inside Ethan’s chest.

Concern.

Even if he did not want to acknowledge it.

***

Meanwhile, back inside their room, Anna changed into her nightdress. The soft fabric settled comfortably against her skin as she turned around, only to find Daniel staring at her without even attempting to hide it.

His eyes moved slowly, openly admiring her.

Anna narrowed her eyes at him, already used to his shameless behavior.

"What do you think would’ve happened to Mr. Helmsworth?" she asked, completely ignoring his gaze as she walked toward the bed and sat beside him.

"What?" Daniel asked, blinking in confusion, clearly pulled out of whatever thoughts he had been indulging in.

Anna frowned and flicked his forehead without hesitation.

"Ouch, wifey!" Daniel screeched dramatically, immediately bringing his hand up to rub the spot as if she had seriously injured him.

Anna rolled her eyes.

She knew him well enough to recognize his overreaction.

"You deserve that," she said flatly.

Daniel looked at her with mock betrayal. "For admiring my own wife? That is cruelty."

Anna ignored his complaint and leaned back slightly, her expression turning thoughtful again.

"I am serious," she said. "He fainted, Daniel. That does not sound normal."

Daniel’s playful expression faded slightly as he realized she was not joking anymore.

He leaned back against the headboard, his gaze shifting to the ceiling as he considered her question.

Marcus Helmsworth was not the kind of man who showed weakness easily. His reputation alone was built on control and strength. For someone like him to collapse unexpectedly meant something was wrong.

"Fainting rarely happens without a reason," Daniel said calmly. "It could be stress. Fatigue. Or something more serious."

Anna frowned.

"You think he is sick?"

Daniel did not answer immediately.

Instead, he looked at her, studying the concern on her face.

"It is possible," he admitted finally. "But men like him do not let others know easily. They hide it."

Anna fell silent, absorbing his words.

If Marcus truly was unwell, it would explain certain things. His sudden decisions. His unusual willingness to meet Kathrine. Even the subtle changes in his behavior.