Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 201: Marking your territory

Anna’s world spun completely upside down and the moment she stepped off the ride, her knees buckled, and she stumbled.

"Ah—!" she yelped, but Daniel caught her just in time.

"Careful," he murmured, steadying her. He slipped an arm around her waist and guided her toward a quiet bench away from the crowd.

"Sit," he said softly, his brow creased in worry.

Anna sank onto the bench, breathing heavily. Sweat beaded across her forehead, and she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Anna," Daniel said, crouching in front of her. "Are you okay? Should we leave?"

He reached up and gently cupped her face, tilting it toward him.

She pulled her mask down and exhaled shakily, still feeling the ground tilt beneath her. The nausea from the roller coaster hadn’t faded; if anything, the world was still spinning.

At one point during the ride—when the coaster had reached its peak—she had been so terrified she thought her heart had leaped right out of her chest. She’d clutched Daniel’s arm in blind panic, her nails digging into his sleeve as she screamed her lungs out.

Now, sitting on the bench, she could still feel the phantom sensation of falling.

Daniel’s face twisted in concern when he noticed how pale she looked. "No, that’s it—we’re going to the hospital," he said firmly. "You look like you’re about to pass out."

Anna blinked at him, stunned. "Hospital?"

Her voice came out weak, but the disbelief in her tone was clear. Was he serious?

’Hospital? For just being scared?’ she thought incredulously.

Daniel, however, wasn’t joking. He knew about her occasional panic attacks and her fear of suffocation, and he wasn’t about to take any chances with her health.

"Yes," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "We’ll get you checked. I’m not taking any chances if you’re feeling dizzy or short of breath."

Anna stared at him, still breathless, a mix of amusement and warmth flickering through her tired eyes. He was being overdramatic, yes—but it was endearing.

Daniel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, guilt creeping into his voice. "I shouldn’t have dragged you onto that ride. I just... wanted you to have fun. I didn’t think it would scare you this much."

Anna shook her head weakly. "You didn’t drag me. I chose it," she muttered. "I just... didn’t expect it to go that fast."

Daniel chuckled softly, brushing a few strands of hair off her face. "Fast? That was the slowest one here."

Anna shot him a glare, but it lacked any real fire.

He smiled faintly, his thumb grazing her cheek. "Next time," he said quietly, "I’ll stick to the merry-go-round."

And though her legs still trembled, Anna couldn’t help but laugh—because somewhere between the screams and his ridiculous overprotectiveness, she realized this was turning into one of her favorite memories.

"Show me your hand," Anna said suddenly, reaching for him.

Daniel blinked in confusion but extended his hand anyway. She took it gently, inspecting it with care. The faint marks from her nails were barely visible, and relief washed over her face.

"Good," she murmured softly. "At least I didn’t scratch you the way I imagined."

Daniel chuckled under his breath, watching her fuss over his hand like it was something precious.

"Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?" he asked again, unable to hide the worry that still lingered in his tone.

Anna looked up at him and shook her head firmly. "No. Let’s not ruin our day, Daniel."

Her lips curved into a smile, the color finally returning to her face. "There are so many games around here. Why don’t we try those instead?"

The spark in her voice—playful and determined—was enough to make Daniel exhale the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She was fine. Shaken, maybe, but fine.

"Alright," he said, his lips twitching into a smile. "Games it is."

In truth, he’d found the roller coaster a bit overwhelming himself—not that he’d ever admit it aloud. The sudden drops, the deafening screams, and Anna clutching his arm like a lifeline had nearly made his own heart stop. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

But seeing her recover so quickly, her laughter returning like sunlight breaking through clouds, made him forget all about it.

As they began strolling toward the rows of game stalls, Daniel reached for her hand again—this time more gently—and Anna didn’t hesitate to take it.

Whatever the rest of the day held, he knew one thing for sure: nothing could top surviving their first roller coaster together.

***

Ditching the rides, the couple began strolling through the rows of colorful stalls.

"Let’s play this one!" Anna said excitedly, pointing toward a balloon dart game.

But the moment she saw the long line of people waiting, her shoulders slumped.

"How are we even going to finish this line?" she muttered, frowning.

Daniel followed her gaze, then smirked. "Don’t worry. I’ll get this stall cleared just for us."

Before Anna could react, he was already reaching for his phone.

"Wait—what are you doing?" she squeaked, grabbing his wrist before he could dial.

Daniel raised a brow, utterly unfazed. "What? You said you wanted to play. So, I’m making it happen."

Her eyes widened. "Are you crazy? Do you want to draw attention to us by kicking everyone out?" she hissed, snatching the phone right out of his hand.

He blinked at her, puzzled. "But you wanted to play now. So what’s the problem if I make a quick call? It’ll just take a minute."

Anna sighed, exasperated. Of course, he didn’t see the issue—he never did. The way he flaunted his power so casually made her skin prickle, not because of arrogance but because it reminded her too much of her father. The same kind of authority that believed everything could be solved with a command.

"I don’t want people looking at us like we’re selfish," she said quietly, her tone soft but firm. "They’ve been waiting too. We can wait, too."

Daniel stared at her, momentarily speechless. She wasn’t angry—just sincere, her words carrying a quiet dignity that made him lower his phone without protest.

Anna stepped closer and whispered, her voice low but warning, "Promise me you won’t call anyone."

He looked down at her, his expression torn between amusement and contemplation.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he leaned slightly closer, murmuring, "You’re the only one who’s ever dared to order me around like that."

Anna shot him a look. "Promise, Daniel."

This time, his smile softened. "Alright. I promise."

And though he said it playfully, the warmth in his tone made her believe him.

"Now come on, let’s stand there," Anna said, shoving his phone back into his pocket before grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the line.

Since both of them had their masks on, hardly anyone recognized them. Still, anonymity could only go so far—Daniel’s presence alone was impossible to ignore.

Even with his face half-covered, his tall frame and confident stride drew attention like a magnet. The men in line threw him irritated glances, while their partners... well, they were far less discreet.

"God, who is this handsome man?" one woman whispered, not even trying to lower her voice.

Anna’s ears twitched at the comment, and she scoffed internally. Haven’t they seen a man before?

But the remarks didn’t stop there. A few giggles followed, along with murmurs about his shoulders, his voice, his everything.

At first, Anna couldn’t figure out why she was feeling so bothered. It wasn’t like she cared what strangers thought. But then—curiosity got the better of her. She turned to look at Daniel.

And that’s when she understood.

For someone she’d mostly seen in tailored suits and polished shoes, Daniel in casual clothes was a completely different story. His neatly combed hair now fell slightly over his forehead, softening the sharpness of his usual look. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing the strong lines of his forearms, and his mask couldn’t hide the curve of his jaw.

And his eyes—those sharp, unreadable eyes—were fixed on her, glinting with quiet amusement.

"Are you..." Daniel began, his voice low and teasing, "...marking your territory, wifey?"

Anna blinked, heat rushing to her face as she realized she’d been staring just a little too long.

"I–what? No!" she said quickly, looking away. "I was just... making sure you didn’t trip or something."

Daniel chuckled under his breath, leaning closer so only she could hear. "Hmm. Is that what we’re calling it now?"

Anna shot him a glare that only made him laugh harder.

And as the line inched forward, she couldn’t help but think that maybe the roller coaster wasn’t the wildest ride she’d be taking today.

"Excuse me, are you here to play the balloon darts?"

A sweet, lilting voice interrupted their moment, and both Anna and Daniel turned toward the sound.

Standing before them was a young woman—bright smile, perfectly curled hair, and eyes that sparkled a little too eagerly as they locked on Daniel.