Rebirth: The New Bride Wants A Divorce-Chapter 551: I am not an easy person to deal with

"It was not my intention," Kathrine said, keeping her tone polite and steady.

She had never meant to tell Ethan about his father’s condition. That day at the hospital, tension had been high, emotions raw. In a moment of nervousness, the truth had slipped out before she could stop herself.

Marcus did not respond immediately. He simply looked at her.

The silence stretched between them, deliberate and heavy.

He would not have asked that question if he had not already known. Ethan’s visit to the hospital had not gone unnoticed.

In the business world, Marcus had survived by staying several steps ahead of everyone else. He knew how people watched, waiting like hawks for the slightest sign of weakness. They circled patiently, ready to tear apart anyone who stumbled. That was why, when he had learned about his cancer, he had chosen to keep it hidden from everyone. No board members. No extended family. No rivals.

Only his assistant knew.

"Hm."

The quiet sound was all that escaped him.

Kathrine blinked, staring at him in disbelief.

Just that? A simple hum?

Her mind raced.

’Is that it?’ she thought. ’Is he not going to accuse me? Call me an opportunist?’

"T... that is it?" she asked before she could stop herself. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The question sounded foolish the moment it left her mouth. She prided herself on composure, yet his calmness had unsettled her more than anger would have.

"You expected me to blame you?" Marcus asked evenly. "Or perhaps raise my voice?"

His tone remained level, almost detached.

"But I will not."

Kathrine studied him carefully. His face showed no visible irritation. No resentment. If anything, there was a strange clarity in his gaze.

This was not the reaction she had prepared herself for.

"I know what you are thinking," Marcus continued. "You assume I should be angry."

He paused briefly, then added, "Since you were truthful with me, I will let this pass."

For a second, she simply stared at him.

’Let it pass?’ she repeated inwardly with a faint scoff. ’As if I were standing trial.’

Outwardly, however, she remained composed.

Marcus did not dwell on the matter any further. He shifted the discussion back to business with seamless control, as though the topic of his illness had been a minor inconvenience rather than a deeply guarded secret.

They spoke of contracts, projections, and internal restructuring. His focus was sharp, his mind clearly unaffected by whatever personal vulnerability had been touched moments earlier.

Yet as the meeting progressed, a subtle shift occurred in Marcus’s perception.

When Ethan stood firm with his decision to be with Kathrine, he had thought her to be cunning girl, just like her family. But the more he observed her, the more he realized his initial judgment had been incomplete.

She had not denied what she did. She had not twisted her explanation. She had simply admitted it.

There was strength in that.A part of him understood why Ethan had chosen her.

And as much as Marcus disliked admitting it, he could not deny that she was not as reckless or opportunistic as he had first believed.

She was careful. Intelligent. And, despite her mistake, not malicious.

The meeting continued under a professional tone, but the atmosphere had changed subtly. What began as a confrontation had settled into something quieter. Not trust, perhaps, but acknowledgment.

Kathrine, for her part, remained attentive, though her thoughts lingered briefly on his earlier words.

He had chosen not to lash out.

Not because he was weak.

But because he did not see her as an enemy.

And that realization unsettled her more than anger ever could.

***

[Collin’s Hideout]

"It still surprises me how Hugo has been acting," Roseline said, pacing slowly across the dimly lit room. "After being so cold and distant, after everything we went through, it is as if nothing ever happened."

There was disbelief in her voice, but beneath it lay relief. The tension that had strained her relationship with Hugo for weeks had dissolved almost overnight. The arguments, the emotional distance, the unspoken doubts that had pushed them apart had suddenly vanished.

It felt unreal.

Roseline stopped near the table and leaned against it lightly, folding her arms. "It was falling apart," she admitted quietly. "And now it feels like we are back to how we were."

She exhaled, a faint smile forming despite herself. "I cannot deny that it puts me at ease."

Across the room, Collin remained seated, his posture still and composed. He had barely moved since she arrived. His expression was thoughtful, distant, as though his mind was elsewhere.

"You should still be careful," he said at last.

His voice was calm, but it carried a seriousness that made Roseline pause.

She turned toward him, her brows drawing together in confusion. "Careful? Why?"

She walked closer, searching his face for clarity. "All I have ever wanted was for Hugo not to change. I wanted him to trust me the way he used to. And now he does. He trusts me completely, just like before."

Her tone sharpened slightly. "Is that not a good thing?"

Collin did not respond immediately.

His silence only deepened her confusion.

Roseline frowned. "You are not saying anything."

She studied him more closely now. He did not look skeptical. He looked unsettled.

"And what exactly have you been thinking about all this time?" she asked.

Collin finally lifted his gaze to meet hers. There was a quiet intensity in his eyes.

"I am thinking about patterns," he said slowly.

Roseline blinked. "Patterns?"

"Yes." He leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "People do not shift overnight without reason. Especially not someone like Hugo."

She straightened defensively. "He was hurt. We both were. Maybe he realized he was pushing me away."

"Maybe," Collin agreed calmly. "But sudden clarity often comes from new information."

Roseline fell silent.

The words lingered.

"What are you implying?" she asked carefully.

"I am not implying anything," Collin replied evenly. "I am stating my point."

Roseline looked at him and frowned, irritation flickering across her face. There was something in his tone that felt unnecessarily rigid, almost dismissive.

"You are being overly dramatic," she said. "You do not have to worry about it. I know how to handle Hugo."

Her voice carried confidence, but Collin did not soften.

"Good," he said calmly. "Because if things do not go as we planned, then trust me, Roseline, I am not an easy person to deal with."

The words were spoken without raising his voice, yet they landed heavily.

Roseline felt a shiver run down her spine.

It was not a threat delivered in anger. It was worse. It was controlled. Certain.

She held his gaze for a second longer than necessary before looking away.