Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 589: A flawed man

Roseline was left speechless as the recordings of her conversations with Collin played one after another on her phone.

For several seconds, she could only stare at the screen, her mind refusing to process what she was hearing. Her own voice echoed through the speaker—clear, unmistakable, and terrifying.

It was then that realization struck.

The unfamiliar application on her phone wasn’t just some random software.

It was a recorder.

Someone had installed it on her phone without her knowledge.

The device trembled violently in her hand as her breathing grew heavier.

"Who... who in the world hijacked my phone?" she muttered under her breath, fear slowly creeping into her chest like icy fingers tightening around her heart.

Her pulse quickened as the recordings continued to play—every conversation she had with Collin, every visit she had made to his apartment, every secret she thought had remained hidden.

Then suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind.

"Y–Yes... Hugo."

The name escaped her lips like a startled gasp.

Her eyes widened as she recalled that strange day when Hugo had suddenly approached her and asked to start fresh.

At the time, it had shocked her.

For days he had accused her of betrayal, questioned her loyalty, and treated her with cold hostility. Yet out of nowhere he had softened, speaking calmly and even apologizing.

Back then, she had thought he was finally letting go of his suspicions.

But now...

As the recordings continued to reveal her secrets, the truth began to take shape.

Her chest swelled with anger, her fingers curling tightly around the phone.

"So that was it..." she whispered.

But then she paused.

Her brows slowly knitted together.

"Why would Hugo do that? What was his purpose?"

No matter how hard she tried to think, the answer refused to form—until a horrifying possibility surfaced.

Unless...

He had been collecting evidence.

The realization struck her like a thunderclap inside her mind.

Her breathing became erratic as she slid off the bed and began pacing across the room.

How much had he heard?

How many recordings did he have?

And more importantly—

Who else knew about them?

Roseline tried to piece everything together, but the more she thought, the more chaotic it became.

"Argh!" she groaned, pressing her fingers against her temples. "Why, Hugo... why would you do this to me?"

Yet another thought crept into her mind.

Perhaps Hugo believed she deserved it.

After all, from his perspective, she had betrayed him first.

A sudden thunderclap exploded outside.

BOOM.

Roseline’s head snapped toward the window as rain began to lash violently against the glass.

The storm outside mirrored the turmoil raging inside her.

Dread slowly spread through her chest, but she refused to give up.

Norma had likely succeeded in handing Collin over to the police.

But these recordings...

Where had they been sent?

And why?

Roseline stopped pacing and quickly looked down at her phone, preparing to investigate the app further.

But at that exact moment—

The lights inside the mansion abruptly went out.

Darkness swallowed the entire house.

A wave of panic surged through her.

Roseline looked around anxiously before switching on the flashlight on her phone.

"Is... is anyone here?" she called out cautiously.

Her voice sounded small in the silent mansion.

She considered calling one of the maids, but then remembered it was already late. They had most likely retired to their quarters.

"I should ask the guards to check the fuse," she murmured to herself.

Power outages were rare in the mansion, but with the storm raging outside, it wasn’t impossible.

Holding the phone tightly, she stepped out of her bedroom and into the dark corridor, using the flashlight to guide her path.

The house felt eerily silent.

Her footsteps echoed softly against the marble floor.

Suddenly—

Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

For a brief second, the entire hallway was illuminated in stark white light.

Roseline’s steps faltered.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes widened in terror. Because standing ahead of her—was a figure.

Someone was standing in the corridor.

"W–Who’s there?" she stuttered, her fingers trembling as she raised the flashlight toward the person.

The beam of light fell onto the figure’s face.

And the moment Roseline saw who it was—

The blood drained from her body.

Before her mind could even process what was happening, the figure suddenly sprinted toward her.

Everything happened in a blur.

A sharp object plunged straight into her stomach.

"Ah—!" Roseline screamed as searing pain ripped through her body.

***

Meanwhile, Kathrine stood quietly by the window, staring at the rain as it streamed down the glass. The storm outside had grown heavier, the distant thunder rumbling through the night.

She didn’t turn when she heard footsteps approaching behind her.

Only when Ethan came to stand beside her did she shift her gaze slightly.

"He wants to spend his final days with us," Ethan said quietly, his eyes briefly darting toward Kathrine before returning to the dark view outside.

His voice was calm, but there was a heaviness in it that could not be hidden.

Kathrine slowly turned to look at him.

"Are you... not upset with me?" she asked hesitantly. "I knew everything, yet I didn’t tell you."

There was uncertainty in her voice. She had been expecting anger... or at least resentment.

But Ethan had been unusually calm ever since they left the hospital.

Still, she couldn’t ignore the redness in his eyes. The faint swelling around them told her that he had cried earlier, even if he was trying his best to hide it.

For a moment, Ethan remained silent.

Then he let out a slow breath and gave a faint, tired smile.

"You were protecting me," he said gently.

Kathrine’s eyes trembled slightly at his words.

She had expected blame. Perhaps even anger.

But not understanding.

Ethan rested his hands on the window ledge, his gaze drifting toward the storm outside. The rain struck the glass relentlessly, as if the sky itself refused to calm down.

"For years," he continued quietly, "I believed my father was a man who could never be broken."

His jaw tightened slightly.

"A man who never made mistakes."

Kathrine said nothing, sensing that Ethan was speaking more to himself than to her.

"But today..." Ethan exhaled slowly. "When I saw him like that... sitting there, looking so small... I realized something."

He paused, his voice growing heavier.

"He’s just a man."

Kathrine watched him carefully. The faint tremor in his voice betrayed the calm expression he was trying to maintain.

"A flawed man," Ethan added after a moment.