Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 174: Bond between Daniel and Anna

Back at Fiona’s apartment, soft music played in the background as mother and daughter sat together on the couch, glasses in hand.

At first, it looked like a peaceful evening — two women sharing a quiet drink. But Fiona soon noticed something was off.

Her mother wasn’t sipping her wine. She was gulping it down, glass after glass, as if trying to drown something heavy clawing at her chest.

"Mom, slow down," Fiona finally said, setting her own glass aside. "Just what are you so upset about?"

Ester didn’t respond immediately. She simply stared at the rim of her glass, her lips pressed tightly together before taking another long drink.

Fiona sighed, leaning back. After the embarrassment she’d endured yesterday, she’d been grateful for a free day — no shoots, no cameras, no forced smiles. She’d planned to spend the day clearing her mind, going over what Venus had told her, and figuring out her next move.

But that peace had lasted all of twenty minutes.

Ester had shown up unannounced, flustered and restless, demanding a drink before Fiona could even greet her properly. At first, Fiona assumed her mother was just tired — a woman seeking relief after another long, pointless social gathering.

But the way Ester had nearly emptied half the bottle and was now eyeing the next one told a different story.

This wasn’t about exhaustion. This was about frustration.

Fiona tilted her head, watching her mother’s expression closely. "You’ve been quiet since you got here. What happened?"

Ester finally looked at her daughter, eyes glinting with a mix of anger and worry.

"Rosiline won once again," Ester sneered, bitterness dripping from every word as she emptied the last of her drink.

Just yesterday, she’d stood proudly before the women of their charity circle, confident she would finally unseat Rosiline Bennett as leader. But today, that confidence had turned into humiliation.

Not a single vote in her favor. Not one.

The sting of it was worse than the loss itself.

’I’m sorry, Ester, but Rosiline just has the right connections,’ one woman had said in that falsely sweet tone.

’Don’t be upset, dear. Try again next time... though I doubt it’ll make much difference,’ another had laughed.

The memory burned.

Ester had left the venue before the final announcement, head held high, though inside she was seething. The humiliation had only deepened when she realized Rosiline hadn’t even bothered to attend. She’d been so certain of her victory that her presence wasn’t required.

That, more than anything, had felt like a slap across the face.

Now, seated on Fiona’s couch, the anger that had been simmering all day spilled freely.

"These Bennetts are going beyond our reach, Fiona," Ester said sharply, setting her glass down with a soft clink. "Just yesterday, I thought I could stand against Rosiline — but today, I lost miserably. Do you realize what that feels like?"

Fiona exhaled through her nose, her gaze drifting toward the city lights outside the window.

’Ask me about it,’ she thought bitterly, her lips pressing into a thin line. ’You’re not the only one who’s lost to a Bennett.’

But she didn’t say it aloud.

Because if her mother’s pride was wounded, Fiona’s was bleeding.

It felt like just yesterday Fiona had Anna neatly wrapped around her finger — one well-timed word, one careful act, and the girl would crumble exactly as planned. But now, everything had changed.

Anna was no longer the meek, timid woman Fiona could easily manipulate.

’When did she become so sharp?’ Fiona thought bitterly, her nails digging lightly into her palm. ’She was supposed to be the one I could walk all over — not the one walking past me.’

"I just feel like I can’t stand her anymore," Ester’s sharp voice cut through Fiona’s thoughts, snapping her back to the present.

Fiona shifted in her seat, picking up her glass again. "I wonder how Dad can still call them friends," she muttered, swirling the liquid before taking another slow sip. "After they’ve made it clear they don’t want anything to do with us."

Ester’s lips tightened. She couldn’t argue with that. Still, she leaned back on the couch, crossing one leg elegantly over the other. "He needs them for business, darling," she said with a resigned sigh. "You know the Bennetts still hold shares in our company. And through them, we can get Daniel Clafford’s attention too."

The moment Daniel’s name left her mother’s lips, Fiona’s expression darkened. The memory of his cold, cutting gaze still burned in her mind — the humiliation of standing before him and being dismissed without a word.

"Mom," she began carefully, setting her glass down, "why do you think Daniel Clafford is still close with the Bennetts if there’s no alliance happening between them?"

Her tone carried suspicion more than curiosity.

’Neither is he interested in Kathrine... so what’s keeping him tied to them?’ she wondered.

Ester frowned, the same thought clearly weighing on her. "I’ve been wondering the same thing," she admitted. "With the Bennetts already at his mercy, it’s strange. Daniel’s not the kind of man who holds on to something he can’t use. If they weren’t serving a purpose anymore, he’d have tossed them aside by now."

Fiona’s brows furrowed as a chill crawled down her spine. "Then maybe... the Bennetts are still useful to him."

Ester tilted her head. "Or maybe," she said with a slow, unknowing smirk, "it’s not them he’s after anymore."

Her words hung heavy in the air — sharp, suggestive, and unsettling.

Fiona’s heart gave a slow, uneasy thump as her mind immediately jumped to one possibility she didn’t want to admit.

’Anna.’

Fiona’s doubts were sharpening now, cutting clean through her earlier confusion. Whatever bond existed between Daniel and Anna, she was determined to uncover it — and soon.

"Is it true that Kathrine Bennett’s back from her vacation?" she asked suddenly, her voice calm but laced with calculation.

Ester swirled the wine in her glass, letting it roll across her tongue before answering with a faint hum. "Hmm."

Her agreement came with quiet confidence — because she did know. Fredrick had mentioned Kathrine’s return just the other day, along with whispers of her unexpected visit to the company.

The Stewarts might have ranked below the Bennetts in social standing, but they made sure their eyes were always on them.

Fiona’s lips slowly curved into a sly, victorious smile. "Then I think I’ve finally found a way to learn everything I need to know."

Ester blinked, narrowing her eyes in mild confusion. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

Her daughter’s smile vanished in an instant. "No," Fiona replied quickly, taking another sip to mask her expression.

Ester tilted her head, watching her suspiciously — unsure whether Fiona was hiding something or just starting to feel the wine’s effect.

But Fiona said nothing more.

Her mind, however, was already racing — plotting, connecting, and preparing.

Because now she knew exactly where to start.

***

[Clafford Estate]

Later that evening, after Anna returned from her shoot, she found herself pacing her room — still thinking about him.

"Just how eager he sounded when he asked me out for lunch," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she glanced at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. "And now? Not a single text or call. Did he suddenly suffer from temporary amnesia?"

Her tone was laced with sarcasm, but the tiny pinch of disappointment hiding beneath it didn’t escape her own notice.

Anna was, as usual, a walking contradiction — torn between keeping Daniel at arm’s length and wanting him close enough to hear her heartbeat. Logic told her to slow down, to take things one step at a time. But her heart... well, it wasn’t exactly good at listening.

After a quick shower and a change into something comfortable, she sat idly on the couch, restless. The silence of the mansion felt louder than usual.

Finally, deciding she needed a walk, she headed downstairs — only to spot Mariam crossing the hallway, handbag in tow.

"Mariam?" Anna called out, catching the woman’s attention.

The housekeeper turned with her usual warmth. "Madam."

"Going out?"

Mariam nodded. "It’s the weekend. I thought I’d visit my place for a bit — tidy things up before I come back."

Anna’s brow arched in understanding. She remembered Mariam had her own small apartment in the city — though lately, someone else had been staying there.

"Ah... about Kira," Anna said carefully. "How’s she doing? Has she finally made peace with her... obsession?"

The faintest discomfort flickered across Mariam’s face.

After what had happened — Kira’s dangerous fixation on Daniel, the spiked drink, the shameful attempt at manipulation — it was still a sensitive subject. Anna had only learned the truth after confronting Mariam, who’d been devastated to realize how blind she’d been to her niece’s behavior.

"I don’t think so," Mariam admitted quietly. "But she hasn’t been calling or asking for money lately. That’s... something, at least."

She sighed, straightening her bag on her shoulder. "That’s why I’m going to see her — just to make sure she’s alright."

Anna studied her for a moment before nodding. "You should go. It’s getting late anyway."

Still, as Mariam smiled faintly and headed for the door, something uneasy tugged at Anna’s chest.

Something about Kira — about her silence — didn’t sit right.

She watched Mariam disappear down the hall, the faint sound of the door clicking shut echoing through the quiet house.

Anna’s gaze lingered a moment longer, her expression thoughtful, her instincts stirring.

Something isn’t right.

But she brushed the thought aside, convincing herself it was just her overactive mind.

Or maybe, deep down, she already knew it wasn’t.