Anna’s schedule was free for the weekend, so when Daniel suggested they stay at Rosewood House, she agreed without hesitation.
By the ti they arrived, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. The house greeted them with a warm, golden glow. Soft lights were on, the faint scent of wood and fresh linen lingering in the air. It felt calm. Private. Safe.
"You didn’t ask what I talked about with Shawn," Anna said as she stepped inside, slipping off her shoes.
Before she could turn fully toward him, Daniel wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her gently against his chest.
"Have I ever doubted you?" he murmured near her ear. "Then why should I be concerned about what you discussed with him?"
Anna let out a small chuckle, resting her hands over his.
"You weren’t this sensible before," she teased. "Did you forget you once thought Shawn was pursuing ?"
Daniel clicked his tongue softly and brushed a kiss along her neck before turning her around to face him.
"That was before," he admitted. "I didn’t know he had a thing for Betty."
Anna raised a brow. "So you were jealous."
"I was observant," he corrected, though a faint smile betrayed him.
He had to admit it.
When he first realized Anna had been seeking Shawn’s help, sothing territorial had stirred inside him. He hadn’t liked the idea of another man standing too close to her world, even professionally.
But the more he watched, the clearer it beca.
Shawn wasn’t interested in Anna.
His attention had been elsewhere.
And then there was Ethan.
Daniel’s jaw tightened slightly at the mory of his own earlier assumptions. For a brief period, he had wondered if Ethan’s presence in Anna’s orbit ant sothing more complicated.
But that, too, had proven unfounded.
Now, looking at Anna standing in front of him, smiling lightly, he couldn’t help but feel faintly amused at himself.
"You know," he said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, "my mind tends to overthink when it cos to you."
Anna’s expression softened.
"That’s because you care," she replied gently.
Daniel exhaled quietly.
"I suppose I do."
She stepped closer, slipping her arms around his waist.
"You don’t have to worry," she said. "If I wanted soone else, I wouldn’t be standing here."
His eyes held hers for a long mont.
There was no insecurity in them now. Only certainty.
"I know," he said.
And for once, he truly ant it.
Anna didn’t argue further.
She knew he was telling the truth.
The Daniel standing before her now was not the sa man driven by suspicion and unspoken fears.
He had grown.
And so had they.
Holding her gaze, Daniel’s expression shifted into sothing playful yet certain.
Without warning, he bent slightly and lifted Anna into his arms.
"Daniel!" she laughed, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
"It’s ti to shower," he said with a wink.
Anna smiled, fully aware of what he was implying as they made way to their room.
***
[Bennett Mansion]
Hugo was taking his usual slow walk across the lawn, as instructed by his doctor. The evening air was cool, and though his steps were steady, there was still a trace of fatigue in the way he moved.
He disliked feeling monitored by his own body.
A maid approached him cautiously.
"Sir, Officer Clent is here to see you."
Hugo paused mid-step.
"Let him in," he replied evenly.
A few minutes later, Officer Clent walked across the lawn toward him, posture straight, expression professional as always.
"Mr. Bennett," Clent greeted.
Hugo gestured toward the seating area under the garden canopy. "Please, have a seat."
Clent nodded and sat down opposite him.
"I heard about your stay at the hospital," Clent said. "How are you now?"
"Recovering," Hugo answered calmly. "For now."
He signaled to a maid standing at a distance. She stepped forward, placed a glass of water in front of Clent, and quietly retreated again.
There was a brief silence.
It had been so ti since Clent last visited the mansion. The last ti had been chaotic—right after Collin’s escape.
Since then, there had been no confird sightings.
No official leads.
Nothing concrete.
But now that Hugo had personally called him back, it was clear the visit wasn’t casual.
It was about Collin.
"Regarding the investigation of Collin Fort," Hugo said at last, his voice controlled, "are there any leads on his whereabouts?"
It had been weeks since Collin vanished. Weeks of silence. No confird sightings. No solid trail.
Officer Clent shook his head slightly. "We’re still searching, Mr. Bennett. Nothing concrete yet."
Hugo exhaled slowly, displeasure flickering across his face.
"However," Clent continued, choosing his words carefully, "there is sothing I need to ask."
Hugo frowned faintly but nodded. "Go on."
"It’s regarding Mrs. Bennett," Clent said. "She visited Collin on the sa day he escaped."
The words landed heavily.
Hugo’s expression darkened instantly.
"Roseline t him?" he asked, his tone sharp. "In the hospital?"
Clent nodded. "Yes. According to the nurse on duty, she entered the ward claiming to be a family mber."
Hugo’s jaw tightened.
He had known Roseline kept things from him.
But this—
This was deliberate.
"And you were unaware at the ti?" Hugo asked coldly.
"We were," Clent replied. "There was no official record of her visit. We only discovered it later during routine questioning."
Hugo’s eyes turned icy.
"So my wife t an escaped criminal," he said slowly, "and no one thought to inform ."
"The escape happened the sa day," Clent added.
That was what truly caught Hugo off guard.
The coincidence was too precise.
Clent watched Hugo closely.
This reaction wasn’t rehearsed.
It wasn’t defensive.
It was genuine shock.
Then why...?
"Mr. Bennett," Clent called, breaking the silence.
Hugo looked up.
"Are you alright?" the officer asked carefully. "Did you not know about this?"
Hugo’s fingers curled slightly against the armrest as his mind was still reeling through everything he heard and he longer he stayed silent, the more awkward it beca until...
"I need to know everything"
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