Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 535: Hope

[Condo]

Ethan stared at Kathrine in utter disbelief as she began asking about his father’s likes and dislikes.

Of all the things he had expected from her after what happened at the restaurant, this was not one of them. Not even close.

He studied her carefully, searching her face for any hint that she was joking. But her expression held a strange mix of exhaustion and forced calm, which only made his unease grow.

"You’re sure you haven’t been drinking or anything?" Ethan asked slowly. "Because your curiosity right now doesn’t make any sense."

He meant it as a half joke, but there was real doubt beneath his words. Kathrine had never cared about his father before. In fact, she had avoided the topic whenever possible. Seeing her suddenly interested felt unnatural.

Kathrine let out a long breath and slumped back against the couch. Her body sank into the cushions like all the strength had left her at once. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she laughed.

It was not her usual laugh. It sounded hollow, almost broken.

"You think I’m drunk?" she asked, turning her head toward him.

Before he could answer, she abruptly sat up straight. Her palms slammed against her thighs as she steadied herself, her eyes locking onto his.

"No. I am not."

Her sudden intensity made Ethan blink. He had not expected that reaction.

"I didn’t mean it like that," he said carefully, choosing his words with caution. "I just thought... it’s strange, that’s all. You’ve never asked about him before. So I assumed something must have happened."

He watched her closely, afraid of saying the wrong thing and pushing her further away. Ever since the restaurant, things between them had felt fragile, like glass ready to shatter at the slightest pressure.

Kathrine’s expression shifted again. This time, she smiled. But instead of comfort, the smile carried something theatrical, almost desperate.

Then, to his shock, her eyes filled with tears.

"Because," she said, her voice trembling with exaggerated drama, "the new owner of our company wants me to charm him into signing a deal with us."

Ethan froze.

Her words did not make sense at first. They floated in the air between them, heavy and confusing.

"The new owner?" he repeated slowly, trying to process what she meant.

Kathrine nodded.

"You mean Madam Norma?" he asked.

She nodded again, confirming his suspicion.

A knot formed in Ethan’s stomach recalling everything he had heard from Daniel and Kathrine before.

Madam Norma was not someone people questioned. She was powerful, calculating, and terrifyingly perceptive. If she had set her sights on something, she rarely failed to obtain it.

"She wants you to convince my father to work with your company?" Ethan asked.

Kathrine let out another soft laugh, but there was no humor in it.

"What do you think?" she replied. "Why else would I suddenly care about his favorite food, his habits, or what kind of people he trusts?"

Her fingers curled tightly together in her lap.

"She knows," Kathrine continued, her voice lowering. "She knows about us."

Ethan pursed his lips. How wouldn’t she after they made their relationship public the very same day as Daniel and Anna’s.

Kathrine looked directly into his eyes.

"She knows that we love each other," she said quietly. "And she believes that because of that, your father will agree to work with us."

Silence filled the room.

"Don’t you find this fishy?" Ethan suddenly asked.

Kathrine let out a dry laugh, though there was no amusement in it. "Fishy? I’m sure she’s trying to cause as much trouble as she can just to make me pay," she said in one breath, her voice tight as if she had been holding the words in for too long.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as her fingers intertwined. Her nails pressed into her skin, grounding her in the storm of thoughts raging inside her mind.

She would be lying if she said she hadn’t seen through Norma’s scheme. Norma was not someone who acted without purpose. Every move she made was deliberate, calculated. Which was exactly why it unsettled Kathrine.

Why would she do this?

What was her real intention?

Was it truly just about business, or was there something deeper? Something more personal?

Her chest tightened at the thought.

Across from her, Ethan watched her carefully. He noticed the way her shoulders stiffened, the way her gaze drifted as if she were lost somewhere far away. He could see the conflict written all over her face, even if she tried to hide it behind forced composure.

Her words echoed in his mind.

She’s trying to make me pay.

For the first time, he felt like he understood the weight she was carrying.

And in that moment, his decision became clear. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Then I don’t mind helping," Ethan said quietly. "If that’s what protects you from being targeted."

Kathrine froze.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she lifted her head and looked at him in surprise.

She had expected it.

Deep down, she knew Ethan would offer. He had always been that way. He never hesitated when it came to her. He never stepped back, even when he should have.

But knowing it and hearing it were two different things.

A strange emotion stirred inside her chest, equal parts relief and guilt.

Because she knew the truth.

Yes, she needed this deal.

Yes, her father’s company depended on it.

But she also knew helping her meant involving his father. Marcus Helmsworth was not an easy man to deal with. He was powerful, proud, and unforgiving. Bringing him into this situation would not only complicate things professionally but personally as well.

It would put Ethan in a difficult position.

And she hated herself for even allowing that possibility.

She didn’t want him to think she was using him.

Didn’t want him to see her as someone who would take advantage of his feelings just to secure her own survival.

Her fingers loosened slightly as she steadied herself.

"Are you okay with it?" she asked carefully.

Her voice was softer now, stripped of its earlier dramatics.

She held his gaze, searching his eyes for hesitation, for doubt, for anything that would give her a reason to stop this before it went too far.

But at the same time, there was something else in her expression.

Hope.