CHAPTER 153: DO YOU LOVE HER?

Jaden remembered vividly the evening Daniel had called him out of the blue, asking about menstrual pain — of all things.

He’d been confused then too. The Daniel he knew didn’t ask personal questions, let alone sound worried about anyone. But that night, the concern in his voice had been undeniable. He’d even mentioned his wife having a fever.

Now, hearing Henry mention Daniel’s "intended-to-be wife" meeting his current wife, Jaden’s curiosity only deepened.

"Wait, Kathrine is back?" Jaden asked, blinking as he looked between the two men, equally puzzled and intrigued.

Henry nodded grimly.

Jaden frowned, scanning Daniel’s face, expecting the usual flash of fury — that familiar temper simmering right beneath the surface. But instead, he saw something different.

No anger. No confusion.

Just... shock.

Then, before Jaden could even process it, Daniel pushed back his chair and stood, his movements sharp, purposeful. The blood drained from his face, his lips pressed into a hard, thin line.

"Prepare the car, Henry," Daniel ordered, his voice firm and low. "We’re going to where they are."

He had already taken two steps when Henry darted in front of him, arms half-raised in panic.

"Boss, wait!"

Daniel’s glare was immediate — cold, warning, dangerous.

But Henry stood his ground, even as his heart pounded.

"Boss, I don’t think it’s right to interrupt their meeting," he said quickly, his tone pleading. "What if it’s not what you’re thinking?"

Daniel’s jaw twitched. "And what exactly am I thinking, Henry?"

Henry exhaled shakily. "That Miss Kathrine being with Miss Anna might mean something it doesn’t. Maybe they just want to talk."

Daniel’s gaze hardened. "Kathrine doesn’t ’just talk.’"

"Still," Henry pressed on, voice trembling slightly, "you told me once that Miss Anna already misunderstood your feelings — that she thinks you’re still in love with Kathrine. If you rush there now, you’ll only make it worse."

Daniel froze.

Henry’s words hit too close to home.

Jaden, meanwhile, looked between them with growing confusion. "Okay, someone better explain this mess to me because right now it sounds like a plot twist from a bad soap opera."

Daniel shot him a flat look. "Stay out of it."

But Henry, desperate to stop what was coming, spoke before Daniel could move again.

"Boss, I’m sorry for being a big mouth," he said, his hands clasped together nervously, "but maybe your friend here can help you think clearly before you do something rash."

Jaden’s brows shot up. "Finally, someone around here with common sense," he muttered, folding his arms.

Daniel’s head snapped toward Henry, his glare promising retribution.

Henry shrank instantly. "I—I’ll accept the punishment later, boss! But right now, please... just listen to him!"

Jaden sighed, running a hand through his hair as he eyed Daniel — the composed businessman now on the verge of making an emotional decision.

"Alright," Jaden said finally, his tone shifting to calm authority. "Before you go storming into that café like a jealous husband, tell me exactly what this is about."

Though Henry could practically feel Daniel’s death glare burning into the side of his head, he still went on explaining everything to Jaden.

He had already accepted that his life was at risk — but if there was one person who could get through to his boss right now, it was Doctor Jaden Williams.

Jaden wasn’t just Daniel’s doctor. He was his closest friend — the only one who truly understood how Daniel’s mind worked. And given that he was also a psychologist, Henry trusted him to handle this before Daniel made a decision he’d regret.

"So," Jaden summarized after listening carefully, his brows raised slightly, "you’re worried that Anna might confront Kathrine directly about the divorce?"

Daniel’s jaw tightened. He didn’t respond, but the way his nostrils flared and his gaze shifted away said more than enough.

Jaden leaned back, crossing his arms. "And I’m guessing this isn’t just about a conversation, is it?"

Daniel exhaled heavily, his tone clipped. "Kathrine was supposed to stay hidden. Her being here... it changes everything."

"Changes what exactly?" Jaden pressed, though his tone was gentle — the voice of someone who knew how to push without provoking.

Daniel didn’t answer right away. His mind was already spinning — images, consequences, fears all colliding. Kathrine’s return wasn’t just a personal complication; it was a threat to the fragile balance he’d finally managed to build around Anna.

’If Aunt Norma found out, if the media connected the dots, if Anna misunderstood even a fraction of what she saw—’ he stopped feeling the pressure of the whole situation.

His hands clenched into fists as he tried to swallow the fear he thought he wasn’t capable of feeling.

Jaden didn’t look away.

For a long moment, he simply observed — the silence, the subtle tightening of Daniel’s jaw, the way he pressed his emotions down like a man holding back a flood.

Jaden had seen this before — the quiet restraint, the internal storm. But knowing where to draw the line, he didn’t push too hard.

Still, there was one question he couldn’t leave unasked.

"Do you love Anna?"

The room froze.

Henry’s head snapped toward Jaden so fast that his neck almost cracked. His mouth hung open as he stared at the doctor, wide-eyed.

’That was so direct!’ he screamed internally. ’I could never ask that — not even after working with him for years!’

Daniel, meanwhile, didn’t react outwardly, but the faint twitch in his fingers and the tightening of his throat spoke volumes.

Henry, completely forgetting the tension, looked at Jaden like a kid meeting his hero.

"Doctor Jaden, you’re so cool!" he said, eyes sparkling in pure admiration. "Can I book an appointment with you sometime? I think I need lessons on how to handle my boss’s tantrums."

The silence that followed was broken only by Daniel’s slow blink.

Daniel: "..."

Jaden: "..."

Jaden’s lips twitched as he exhaled slowly, trying not to laugh.

"Of course, Henry," he said dryly, his voice laced with irony. "Anytime. But for now, your boss is the one we’re concerned about."

Henry grinned sheepishly, realizing only too late that both men were now staring at him.

He coughed awkwardly. "Right. Sorry. Continue. Pretend I’m not here."

Daniel dragged a hand over his face and muttered under his breath, "That would be a miracle."

Jaden chuckled quietly before turning his gaze back to Daniel, his expression softening.

"So?" he asked again, his tone gentler this time. "Do you love her, Daniel?"

Daniel’s hand froze mid-motion. His eyes lifted, meeting Jaden’s calm, probing stare.

For a moment, no words came. Just silence — the kind that carried more weight than any answer could.

And though Daniel didn’t say a word, the look in his eyes said everything Jaden needed to know.

***

Meanwhile, Anna wrapped up her meeting with Kathrine and returned to the film set, her mind already switching gears. The crew was bustling with activity as she prepared for the next scene alongside Ethan and Fiona.

The bright studio lights, the buzz of the cameras, the quiet hum of the staff — everything felt normal again. Almost.

Because even as Anna slipped into her professional rhythm, she could feel Fiona’s eyes on her.

That sharp, unrelenting stare — the kind that wasn’t curiosity but something darker.

Anna didn’t have to look to know what was going on in Fiona’s head. She could practically sense the resentment radiating off her. Still, she refused to give it attention.

Instead, she focused on her lines, on her mark, on the scene ahead.

If there was one thing Anna had learned by now, it was that silence was the best retaliation. Her calmness — her complete refusal to react — had always been what unnerved her enemies the most.

But Fiona...

Fiona couldn’t stand it.

From where she stood, watching Anna rehearse effortlessly under Director Wilsmith’s approving gaze, something ugly twisted in her chest.

It wasn’t just envy anymore. It was fury.

Anna was supposed to be the one humiliated — dragged down by scandal, replaced in disgrace. Fiona had even prepared herself for the victory, had imagined the headlines, the pitying glances.

But instead? Everything had turned in Anna’s favor.

The director had stood by her, the audience’s sympathy had shifted, and now, instead of shame, she was shining even brighter.

All without lifting a finger.

Fiona’s nails dug into her palm as she forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

’How long are you going to keep being lucky, Anna Bennett?’ she thought bitterly.

Because one thing Fiona knew for sure — luck never lasted forever.

And she was more than ready to be the one to ruin it.

With a sly glint flickering in her eyes, Fiona moved gracefully into position beside Ethan. The practiced smile on her lips never wavered, though the look in her eyes said otherwise.

"All the best, Anna," she said sweetly, her tone dripping with false warmth.

Ethan stiffened slightly when Fiona’s hand slipped around his arm. It wasn’t part of the script — not yet, at least — but with the cameras about to roll, he said nothing. Instead, he forced himself to stay in character, though the discomfort in his eyes was hard to miss.

Anna caught every bit of it.

Her gaze flicked briefly between Fiona’s tight-lipped smile and Ethan’s unease, her instincts quietly sharpening. She had worked with enough people like Fiona to know when someone’s kindness was nothing but a mask.

She smiled back anyway, calm and collected, as if she hadn’t noticed a thing.

’That smile...’ she thought, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. ’Why do I feel like she’s planning something?’

The energy radiating from Fiona was unmistakable — all charm on the outside, but chaos brewing just beneath.

’God, does she even realize how creepy she looks right now?’ Anna mused dryly, forcing herself to focus as the crew began their countdown.