Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 554: I am serious about what matters

"I am sure Kathrine must be as shocked as I was. Maybe even more. But why has she not called me yet?"

Anna stared at her phone as though sheer willpower could make it ring. She had placed it on the table in front of her, screen facing up, volume at maximum. It had officially become the most important object in the room.

She had never intended to hide the recording from Kathrine. The moment she received it, she had forwarded it. Transparency, she believed, built trust.

But now the silence was testing her patience.

Daniel, seated behind his study desk, glanced at his wife and shook his head with quiet amusement.

He had decided to work from home that day. Anna, who was on a rare day off and already bored out of her mind, had insisted on accompanying him to his study. According to her, watching him work was "less boring than staring at walls."

She had already completed the small assignment she had taken on earlier. With her upcoming lead role, she had also been preparing intensely. Strict diet. Consistent exercise. To her surprise, she had lost more weight than expected. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Now, with nothing else to do, she had turned her full attention to waiting for Kathrine’s reaction.

Anna leaned forward, narrowed her eyes at the phone, and sighed dramatically. "This is torture."

Daniel continued typing. "It has been twelve minutes."

"Twelve very long minutes," she corrected.

He raised a brow. "You sent her a recording that could alter multiple relationships. Perhaps she needs time to process it."

Anna crossed her arms. "I processed it in thirty seconds."

Daniel glanced at her. "You thrive on chaos."

She gasped. "Excuse me. I thrive on clarity."

Before Daniel could respond, Anna’s phone suddenly rang.

She nearly knocked over the chair as she jumped to her feet.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, sprinting toward the window for no logical reason other than dramatic effect.

Daniel leaned back in his chair, watching her with mild disbelief.

Anna answered the call immediately.

"You are late, Kathrine," she complained playfully. "I was expecting a call right after I texted you."

On the other end, Kathrine let out a quiet scoff. "I need time to comprehend, sister. You do not want me reacting without thinking, do you?"

Anna pouted at the glass window as though Kathrine could see her. "A little panic would have been acceptable."

"I am not your entertainment," Kathrine replied dryly.

Daniel pressed his lips together to stop himself from smiling.

"Fine," Anna huffed. "So? What do you think?"

There was a brief pause.

Kathrine exhaled slowly. "It is real."

Anna straightened instantly. "I know it is real."

"That is not what I meant," Kathrine clarified. "I mean the implications are real. This is not gossip. It is deliberate."

Anna’s playful tone faded slightly. "Who do you think it might be?"

Kathrine fell silent for a moment.

Truthfully, she had no idea. The possibilities were unsettling.

"Maybe someone we know," she said finally.

Anna blinked.

Then she burst into laughter.

Daniel looked up sharply.

It was not loud laughter, but there was something unusually amused about it.

"Someone we know?" Anna repeated between giggles. "That narrows it down to half the city."

"I am being serious," Kathrine said. "Access like this is not random."

Anna tried to compose herself, but another chuckle escaped. "Imagine if it is someone sitting right under our noses."

"That is exactly what worries me," Kathrine replied.

Anna’s laughter softened.

Daniel watched her carefully now. The shift in her expression did not escape him.

"You are enjoying this too much," Kathrine added.

"I am not enjoying it," Anna protested. "I am fascinated."

"That is worse."

Anna leaned against the window, lowering her voice slightly. "Whoever it is, they are helping us."

"For now," Kathrine reminded her.

Anna’s lips curved into a small smile. "You sound like Daniel."

"I am agreeing with him," Kathrine replied calmly.

Anna glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who was pretending not to listen while clearly listening to every word.

"Daniel thinks it is a strategic move," Anna said into the phone.

"It probably is," Kathrine answered.

Anna’s expression turned thoughtful. "But it feels personal."

There was a pause on the other end.

"That is what makes it dangerous," Kathrine said quietly.

Anna’s laughter faded completely.

Daniel watched her carefully as her posture shifted from playful to alert.

"Okay," Anna said finally, her tone steadier now. "We verify everything. No assumptions."

"Agreed," Kathrine replied.

After ending the call, Anna remained by the window for a moment.

Daniel studied her.

"Well?" he asked.

She turned slowly, a faint smile returning to her lips.

"She thinks it might be someone we know."

Daniel’s gaze darkened slightly. "That is not amusing."

Anna tilted her head. "No. It is not."

Yet there was still a spark in her eyes.

Daniel shook his head and returned to his laptop. "She is being strange again," he muttered under his breath.

Anna heard him.

"I am not strange," she protested.

He did not look up. "You laughed."

She folded her arms. "Because this is becoming interesting."

Daniel finally glanced at her.

"That," he said calmly, "is exactly what worries me."

"You are no fun, husband," Anna frowned when she realized Daniel had suddenly turned serious.

Daniel closed his laptop halfway and looked at her steadily. "I am only fun when nothing concerns my wife," he said calmly. "But if you doubt that the person is someone we know, then who could it be?"

His tone was thoughtful rather than skeptical now. He genuinely could not place a face that fit the situation.

Anna leaned against the edge of his desk, folding her arms as she began mentally scanning through everyone involved in their lives.

Friends. Colleagues. Rivals. Family connections.

None of them seemed close enough to Collin to access such private conversations. And none of them appeared to have a reason to help them without asking for something in return.

Her brows knit together.

"Who could it be?" she murmured under her breath.

The more she thought about it, the more the possibilities thinned out instead of expanding.

Then she exhaled sharply.

"Why do I suddenly feel dizzy?" she muttered dramatically. "Have I been dieting too much?"

Daniel chuckled softly at her exaggerated sigh.

"You have been skipping snacks," he said knowingly.

Anna glared at him lightly. "I have been disciplined."

"You have been dramatic," he corrected.

Before she could argue further, Daniel stood up and walked toward her.

"Then let me help you, wifey," he said with a faint smile.

Without warning, he swept her off her feet.

"Daniel!" she yelped, instinctively gripping his shoulders.

He carried her toward the couch with ease and sat down, settling her carefully on his lap.

Anna blinked at him. "You could have warned me."

"And ruin the moment?" he replied casually.

She tried to look annoyed but failed when he brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

"Let me check you properly," he said, though his tone did not sound concerned at all.

Anna huffed softly as she looked at him. His fingers traced along her cheek, slow and deliberate, before sliding beneath her chin and lifting her face slightly.

She narrowed her eyes. "That does not look like a medical examination."

Daniel tilted his head, studying her as if he were deeply assessing something critical.

"Maybe a kiss would help you steady," he suggested calmly.

Anna blinked at him.

"We were not talking about a kiss, Daniel," she corrected, trying to keep her voice serious. "We were talking about the anonymous person."

But Daniel was clearly no longer invested in that line of discussion.

"That person can wait," he replied without hesitation. "The kiss, however, is mandatory."

Anna tried to maintain her composure, but the corner of her lips betrayed her.

"You are impossible."

"And you are overthinking," he countered.

She placed a hand against his chest, pretending to push him away. "We were having a serious conversation."

"We still can," he said smoothly. "After the kiss."

Anna shook her head, though she did not move away when he leaned closer.

"You are using distraction tactics," she accused.

"I prefer to call it priority management."

She laughed despite herself. "Priority?"

"Yes," he replied, his voice lowering slightly. "Ensuring my wife is stable comes first."

"That is not stability. That is romance."

"Same thing," he said confidently.

Anna rolled her eyes, but her earlier dizziness and overthinking had already faded beneath his playful insistence.

"You are ridiculous," she murmured.

"And yet you are not stopping me," he pointed out.

She hesitated for half a second, then sighed dramatically. "Fine. One kiss. Then we go back to discussing the mystery."

Daniel smiled as if he had just won an important negotiation.

"One kiss," he agreed.

But the way he leaned in suggested he had no intention of making it brief.

Anna shook her head, though she could not hide her smile.

"For someone so serious five minutes ago," she muttered softly, "you recover very quickly."

Daniel brushed his lips against hers gently before pulling back just enough to speak.

"I am serious about what matters," he said.

Anna looked at him, her teasing expression softening.

"And right now?" she asked quietly.

"You," he answered without hesitation.

For a moment, the mysterious recordings, the hidden identities, and the layered suspicions faded into the background.

They would return to it.

But not before Daniel claimed what he called his mandatory priority.