The car was parked at the quiet cliff overlooking the sea, the sa place Daniel and Anna often ca to when they wanted to spend so ti away from everything else.
The evening breeze was cool, carrying the faint sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. Normally, the peaceful view would calm Daniel.
But today he was still sulking.
Anna was doing her absolute best not to laugh.
Unfortunately for her, Daniel’s expression was making that nearly impossible.
He sat with his arms crossed, staring straight ahead as if deeply offended by the universe.
"I told you," he finally said in a firm voice, "I am not into n."
Anna pressed her lips together.
"I have a beautiful wife," he continued with emphasis, finally turning to glare at her.
That was it.
Anna completely lost it.
She burst into laughter inside the car, her shoulders shaking as she tried to breathe properly.
Daniel stared at her in disbelief.
"You find this funny?" he asked, clearly annoyed.
Anna tried to respond, but another wave of laughter escaped her.
"I’m sorry," she managed to say between breaths. "I really tried not to laugh."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
"You failed."
"Miserably," she admitted.
Daniel let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his seat.
"This is exactly why you did not want to know Kevin’s secret," he muttered.
Anna wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still smiling.
"You should have seen your face when I told you."
Daniel gave her a dry look.
"My face?"
"Yes."
"What about it?"
Anna tried to imitate his earlier expression by widening her eyes and stiffening her posture.
"You looked like soone had just accused you of committing a cri you did not understand."
Daniel stared at her.
"That is because I was confused."
Anna giggled again.
"And Kevin?" Daniel continued. "Why did he even confess sothing like that?"
Anna shrugged.
"It was not really a confession. Betty accidentally found out and teased him about it until he admitted it."
Daniel shook his head slowly.
"That man has terrible taste."
Anna gasped dramatically.
"Excuse ?"
"You heard ."
Anna turned toward him with narrowed eyes.
"So now you are insulting Kevin because he once liked you?"
"I am stating facts."
Anna folded her arms.
"You know what, Daniel? Most people would be flattered."
"I am not most people."
"That is true," Anna admitted. "Most people do not react like they just discovered a conspiracy against them."
Daniel sighed.
"You are exaggerating."
"Am I?" she teased.
He gave her another unimpressed look.
"Yes."
Anna leaned closer to him slightly, her eyes gleaming with amusent.
"Co on, admit it."
"Admit what?"
"You were shocked because soone found you attractive."
Daniel blinked at her.
"That is not what shocked ."
"Oh?"
"What shocked ," he said calmly, "was discovering that my wife finds this entire situation extrely entertaining."
Anna tried to look serious.
It lasted two seconds.
Then she started laughing again.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"I cannot believe this."
Anna finally managed to calm herself down after a mont.
"Alright," she said, still smiling. "I am done laughing."
Daniel gave her a skeptical look.
"Are you?"
"Yes."
A small grin appeared on her face again.
"Well... almost."
Daniel groaned quietly.
"You are impossible."
Anna leaned her head back against the seat and looked out toward the ocean.
The sunset was painting the sky in shades of orange and purple.
After a mont she glanced back at him.
"You know," she said thoughtfully, "Kevin was really embarrassed about it."
"He should be."
Anna nudged his arm.
"Don’t be an."
"I am not being an."
"You just said he has terrible taste."
Daniel looked at her with a straight face.
"Well, he clearly does."
Anna blinked.
"Why?"
"Because he chose when you exist."
Anna froze for a second.
Then she smiled.
"Nice recovery."
"That was not a recovery."
"Sure it wasn’t."
Daniel leaned slightly closer to her.
"You are the only person I am interested in."
Anna raised a brow playfully.
"So you are saying Kevin never had a chance?"
"Not even in another lifeti."
Anna laughed softly.
"Well, I should hope so."
Daniel looked at her with quiet affection.
"You really enjoyed teasing today."
Anna shrugged innocently.
"A little."
"A little?"
"Okay... a lot."
Daniel shook his head, though a faint smile had finally appeared on his lips.
"You are lucky I like you."
Anna leaned toward him with a teasing grin.
"You do more than like ."
Daniel did not argue.
Instead, he simply reached out and pulled her closer.
"And whose fault is that?" he asked quietly.
Anna smiled, resting comfortably against him as the two of them continued their playful banter while the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon.
***
"You were right. Aunt Norma was not happy when she found out I reopened the case," Daniel said quietly.
He stood leaning against the bonnet of his car, his arms folded as he stared ahead.
Beside him, Anna rested her back against the tal as well, looking up at the sky.
The sun had already disappeared, leaving behind a dark canvas filled with glittering stars. The cool night air brushed against her skin, and for a mont she simply admired the peaceful view above them.
She had always loved the night sky.
It felt calm. Honest. As if the world slowed down under it.
"Of course she wouldn’t be happy," Anna replied after a mont. "She would never have taken that step herself. She would rather keep chasing revenge than uncover the truth."
Daniel glanced at her briefly before nodding.
Over the past few weeks, things between them had changed in a way that surprised even him. Communicating openly had made everything easier. Their thoughts aligned more naturally now, and they could understand each other without needing long explanations.
It was a strange comfort.
There had been a ti when Daniel had wanted nothing more than to see the Bennett family suffer the sa fate his parents had.
He had believed they deserved it.
Back then his anger had blinded him to everything else.
But now, the more he thought about the past, the more he realized how many layers of the truth had remained hidden from him.
The story he had believed for years suddenly felt incomplete.
Daniel exhaled slowly.
"I am sure Collin knows who you am," Anna continued thoughtfully. "And yet he still chose to stay close to Aunt Norma."
Daniel nodded again.
"That says a lot."
Anna lowered her gaze from the sky and looked at him.
"If Collin truly knew about your connection to the past, there is no way he would stay near Norma without a reason," she said. "He is not the type of man who walks blindly into situations."
Daniel’s expression grew more serious.
"That is exactly what bothers ," he admitted.
Anna tilted her head slightly, but didn’t say anything. She only watched Daniel in silent.
The night wind rustled softly around them.
"Collin is patient," Daniel said eventually. "Too patient. A man like him does not attach himself to soone unless there is sothing to gain."
Anna nodded slowly.
"And Norma is useful to him."
"Exactly."
Anna crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"She believes she is using him to destroy her enemies," she said. "But the truth might be the opposite."
Daniel looked down briefly before lifting his gaze again.
"That is why when you suggested reopening the case, I did not hesitate."
He finally revealed the thought he had been holding back, but when he noticed Anna simply smiling at him, he blinked in surprise.
"You already guessed it, haven’t you?" he asked.
Daniel slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer against him.
Anna leaned comfortably into his side, her lips curving into a playful smile.
"I know you more than you realize, husband," she said, giving him a mischievous wink.
But the very next mont, Daniel moved.
He gently cupped the back of her neck and pulled her face closer to his.
Anna’s breath instantly hitched.
His sudden closeness caught her off guard.
The teasing warmth in his eyes made her heart flutter in a way she could never fully prepare for.
"Then tell , wifey," Daniel murmured softly, his voice lowering slightly. "What do you think I am thinking right now?"
The shift in his tone made Anna’s stomach twist with nervous excitent.
Her confident expression faltered.
"I... you—"
She fumbled over her words, unable to finish the sentence.
Daniel’s smile widened at her reaction.
Just a mont ago she had been teasing him confidently, yet now she looked completely flustered.
"Oh?" he said, clearly amused. "Where did all that confidence go?"
Anna narrowed her eyes at him, trying to regain control of the situation, but she failed badly as a smile escaped her lips.
"Stop distracting , will you?" she said, attempting to step away from him.
But Daniel was quicker.
Before she could move even a step farther, he pulled her gently back toward him.
"I like it when you get flustered," he said with an amused smile. "It’s a sight worth admiring."
Anna felt the warmth rush straight to her face.
"You’re impossible," she muttered, trying to hide her embarrassnt.
Daniel chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"Yet you keep staying with ," he replied.
Anna glanced up at him, pretending to be annoyed, though the softness in her eyes betrayed her.
"That might be because soone refuses to let go," she said.
Daniel tilted his head slightly.
"And why would I do that?"
Anna opened her mouth to respond, but the words never quite ca out. Instead, she simply shook her head and laughed quietly.
The teasing between them slowly faded into a comfortable silence.
The night sky above them glittered with countless stars, and the cool breeze carried the distant sound of the sea below the cliff. It was one of those rare monts where the world felt calm despite everything else happening around them.
After spending so ti alone, the couple decided to leave, unaware of the problem that awaited them.
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