Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 170: You’ve been facing obstacles

Hugo exchanged a brief look with his assistant, who immediately understood the cue and slipped out of the office, closing the door quietly behind him.

The instant the latch clicked, Hugo’s composed façade began to waver. He turned to face his daughter, one hand sliding into his pocket, his sharp gaze studying her carefully.

"How did you know I was talking about the Anderson project?" he asked, his voice calm but edged with surprise.

Kathrine met his stare without hesitation. "I might have disappeared for a while, Dad," she said evenly, "but that doesn’t mean I stopped keeping track of things. I know Daniel offered you that project — one you clearly think will bring you more profit than risk."

For a brief moment, silence stretched between them — then Hugo’s lips curved into a faint, amused smile.

Of course she knew.

If there was one thing he had always admired about Kathrine, it was her mind — sharp, observant, and unflinchingly strategic. She could read situations faster than most of his senior advisors, and even when life had taken her away from the boardroom, her instincts had clearly not dulled.

"That’s my daughter," he said finally, his tone softening just enough to let a sliver of pride show through. "Always two steps ahead."

He studied her a little longer, the amusement lingering in his expression but never quite hiding the flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Kathrine noticed it — the uncertainty, the unspoken question about why she was really here after all this time.

She lifted her chin slightly, her posture poised. "You might have built an empire, Father," she said quietly, "but I was the ace you used to make it shine. Don’t think I’ve forgotten that."

Hugo’s smile faltered just for a second — pride and regret mingling in the silence between them.

"Because I know what you’re capable of," Hugo said, recovering quickly and masking that flicker of emotion beneath his usual pride. "You’ve always been my daughter of worth — that’s why I wanted you to go places."

Kathrine let out a soft, humorless chuckle. "I know, Father. And I’m sorry I couldn’t live up to your expectations." Her tone shifted, quieter but sharper. "But that doesn’t give you the right to throw Anna into something she never understood. She was supposed to stay in the shadows — not become the face of a deal she didn’t even agree to."

The words hung heavy between them.

Kathrine rarely allowed emotion to seep into her voice, but this time, there was a raw edge to it — one born from guilt and frustration. She wasn’t angry at Anna anymore. She was angry at herself for not seeing it sooner.

Hugo’s jaw tensed, his pride faltering for a fraction of a second. A bitter taste filled his mouth as Daniel’s warning echoed back in his mind — the sharp, cold words that had left a sting he hadn’t yet shaken off.

"Is this why you decided to show up now?" he asked finally, lowering himself into his chair. His tone held a hint of mockery. "Because Anna’s suddenly become the talk of the town?"

Kathrine’s eyes flickered — a brief flash of pain behind them before her composure returned. She might have once been molded by his pride and manipulation, but she wasn’t the same obedient daughter anymore. She had seen too much, lost too much, to keep living by his rules.

Ignoring his jab, she walked over and sat across from him, crossing her legs with quiet poise. "Let’s not waste time, Father," she said coolly. "How do you plan to get the supplies when you’ve already exhausted the funds Daniel provided?"

Hugo’s amusement drained instantly. The mask of control slipped just enough for Kathrine to see the unease beneath.

She had hit the mark.

He straightened in his chair, exhaling slowly. "I’ll speak with the Anderson Group," he said. "They’ve been partners for years — I’m sure they’ll come up with a solution."

Kathrine leaned forward slightly, her gaze unblinking. "And what if they don’t?"

Her tone wasn’t questioning — it was challenging.

Hugo frowned, irritation flickering in his eyes. "You sound awfully confident. How can you be so sure?"

Kathrine’s lips curved faintly, though her expression remained unreadable.

"Think about it," Kathrine said, her voice calm but deliberate. "You’ve been facing obstacles with this project for a while now, haven’t you?"

A knowing glint flickered in her eyes as she looked directly at her father.

Hugo held her gaze, his expression unreadable — but she could see the tension in his jaw, the quiet realization slowly creeping into his features.

Her father wasn’t a fool. Far from it. He was a seasoned businessman, one who’d built his empire from the ground up. But lately, he’d been distracted chasing fires that weren’t his to put out, drawn into complications that someone else had deliberately set in his path.

’I guess he understands now,’ Kathrine thought, leaning back in her chair as her gaze lingered on Hugo. She watched the quiet shift in his expression — the furrow in his brow, the way his fingers stilled against the desk, clear signs that her words had struck where they needed to.

***

[Ethan’s Place]

"It’s been ages since I’ve been here," Stephanie said, her tone half teasing, half wounded as she poured juice into a glass and handed it to her son. "And my son doesn’t even miss his mother. Are you really that busy, Ethan, that even though we live in the same city, I need to book an appointment just to see you?"

Ethan sighed quietly, accepting the glass from her. Fortunately, his shoot wasn’t until the afternoon, so when she’d called that morning demanding breakfast together, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

He took a sip before replying, his tone calm but edged with amusement. "Mom, you already knew my schedule before you showed up. So how exactly does that make me the neglectful one when you clearly know everything?"

It was true — he could never actually neglect his mother. Not when she had a habit of checking in at least three times a day.

Thanks to his ever-loyal manager, who seemed to have developed a secret alliance with her, Stephanie always knew where Ethan was, what time he finished work, and even whether he’d had dinner.

Still, there were times he deliberately ignored her calls — mostly when she started nagging him about attending yet another one of her blind dates.

Stephanie huffed when he gave her a sidelong look, crossing her arms like a scolded child. "So what if your manager keeps me updated? That doesn’t change the fact that you ignore my calls!"

"Mom.." Ethan gave her a lazy look clearly aware that it won’t change anything that was coming next.