CHAPTER 147: I’M BACK

"Master, your dinner," Mariam announced with a polite smile as she entered the room. But the moment her gaze landed on Anna — sitting with her face turned away and Daniel lounging nearby — her brows furrowed in suspicion.

Did they... or did they not? she wondered. The atmosphere between them felt oddly normal, not at all like what she had imagined after walking in on them earlier.

"Keep it on the table," Daniel’s voice cut through her thoughts, deep and composed.

Mariam blinked, quickly obeying before giving one last curious glance at the couple and retreating out of the room.

The moment the door clicked shut, silence filled the space again. Daniel stood, shrugging off his suit jacket in one smooth motion.

"Are you planning to ignore everyone forever?" he asked, watching Anna who stubbornly kept her face turned away.

When she still didn’t respond, Daniel moved closer and gently tilted her chin toward him. The moment her eyes met his, he couldn’t help but laugh.

"Don’t you dare laugh at me, Daniel!" Anna snapped, glaring at him. "It’s all your fault my lips are swollen. They probably look like they’re bleeding!"

Her tone was sharp, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her embarrassment. Daniel’s grin only widened.

"It wasn’t me who started it, wifey," he teased, voice low and playful. "You were the one who couldn’t control yourself. I simply fulfilled your desire."

Anna’s jaw dropped, her glare intensifying. "You—! I did not! You twisted—ugh!"

She crossed her arms, pouting in irritation, but deep down, she knew he wasn’t entirely wrong. Still, she’d rather die than admit it.

Daniel chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Alright, enough sulking. Come here and eat. You’ll need your energy if you change your mind later."

Anna blinked, caught off guard. "Change my—?!" She stared at him in disbelief. "You’re impossible!"

He only smirked in response, carrying the dinner tray toward the bed. Since it was already late, he didn’t want her going to sleep on an empty stomach.

Besides... she did look adorable when she was hungry.

Anna tried to maintain her glare, but the moment Daniel lifted the lid off the tray, the mouthwatering aroma filled the room — and all her anger evaporated on the spot.

Her eyes sparkled instantly, lips parting slightly as she licked them without thinking.

Daniel chuckled, utterly satisfied by her reaction. "And there it is," he said with mock pride. "My wife’s greatest weakness — food."

Anna shot him a look, but her eyes couldn’t leave the plate. "You’re lucky it smells this good," she muttered, her tone half threat, half surrender.

Daniel grinned, setting the tray in front of her. "Then I’ll take that as a thank-you."

"Don’t push it," she warned, but there was a tiny, reluctant smile tugging at her lips as she picked up the spoon.

Daniel watched her fondly — the way her irritation faded the second she took her first bite, the way her shoulders relaxed, the quiet hum of contentment that slipped from her throat.

If he could, he’d make her smile like that every day.

The two continued to eat, with Daniel insistently feeding her each bite. Anna tried to protest at first, but he was persistent — and annoyingly gentle about it.

Eventually, she gave up and let him have his way. She’d come to realize that Daniel’s habit of feeding her wasn’t out of courtesy or some traditional sense of care — he simply liked doing it. There was a quiet satisfaction in his eyes every time she accepted a spoonful from him, as though it meant more to him than she understood.

And truthfully, she didn’t really mind.

So she sat there, reluctantly eating while pretending not to enjoy it, until her stomach finally felt full and warm.

Daniel set the empty tray aside and turned back to her. Anna leaned against the headboard, her expression calm, almost sleepy — the picture of contentment after a good meal.

He watched her for a moment, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"So..." he began, his tone low and suggestive.

Anna froze mid-blink, her heart skipping. Slowly, her gaze darted toward him.

Oh no... not that tone again.

Her mind instantly replayed their earlier encounter — the heat of his touch, the stolen kiss, the way everything had spiraled until Mariam’s voice had interrupted them.

’Is he going to ask me to kiss him again?’ she wondered, her pulse quickening despite herself.

The memory alone was enough to send a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

Daniel tilted his head slightly, clearly noticing her sudden stiffness — and the way her eyes widened in that adorable mix of panic and anticipation. His lips curved into a knowing smirk, and she quickly looked away.

"W-What?" she stammered, pretending to sound annoyed.

He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Nothing... you just look like you were expecting something."

Anna’s breath hitched. He knows.

"Don’t flatter yourself," she muttered, refusing to meet his gaze.

But the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her, and Daniel’s quiet chuckle filled the room — soft, deep, and far too self-satisfied.

"No, I am not! But still, if you want to kiss me, you can," he said, his tone dripping with teasing amusement.

Anna’s cheeks flushed—not with shyness, but with anger. Without a moment’s hesitation, she pushed him away.

Daniel only chuckled, unfazed by her reaction. He stood up, the faintest smirk curling on his lips as he watched her flustered expression. Then, with lazy confidence, he headed toward the bathroom.

"God, why is he so impossible?" Anna muttered under her breath, pressing her palms against her burning face.

No matter how much she tried to deny it, the memory of his kiss lingered. Her heart thudded just thinking about it. She hated how easily he could get under her skin—and worse, how a small, secret part of her was already looking forward to the next time.

Anna was just beginning to calm herself when her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached for it absentmindedly, still trying to steady her thoughts—until her eyes fell on the message.

"I’m back, Anna."Her breath hitched.

For a moment, everything around her went still. The warmth in her cheeks vanished, replaced by a cold shiver that ran down her spine. Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at the screen, disbelief and dread colliding in her chest.