Chapter 281: Just distant echoes

“Anna,” he warned, voice low. “You’re drunk.”

“I’m brave,” she corrected, poking his chest lightly. “There’s a difference.”

She shifted, effectively cornering him against the door, her knee sliding onto the seat beside his thigh. Daniel’s back pressed against the car door, and for once, he did not immediately move her away.

“You dragged me away from my fun,” she continued quietly. “All strict and scary in front of my friends.”

“You were misbehaving,” he replied, eyes darkening as his gaze followed every tiny movement she made.

“And you enjoyed it,” Anna shot back. “I saw your face.”

Daniel let out a slow breath. “Get down.”

She shook her head, hair brushing his jaw as she leaned even closer. “Not until you admit you were jealous.”

Silence.

Then, very softly, “You were leaning on him.”

Anna smiled triumphantly. “Ah.”

Before he could finish that thought, she brushed her lips against his cheek, so light it was almost accidental. Daniel’s hand immediately came up, gripping her waist, holding her still.

“That’s enough,” he said, though his voice had dropped.

She met his gaze, smile gone now, something warmer taking its place. “You missed me.”

He did not deny it.

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved, the car too small for the tension sparking between them.

Finally, Daniel sighed, pressing his forehead briefly against hers. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love it,” she whispered.

His grip tightened just a fraction. “We’re going inside. Now.”

Anna smiled sweetly… but she did not move just yet, clearly enjoying how completely she had turned the tables on him.

“Have you ever heard of having sex in the car?” she asked suddenly.

Daniel froze.

For a solid second, he simply stared at her, genuinely caught off guard. Lately Anna had been bold, teasing, even demanding at times, but this… this was new territory.

Slowly, he shook his head. “No,” he answered honestly. “And frankly speaking, I don’t see how anyone finds it comfortable.”

That only made her smile.

“Then,” she said, her voice dropping as she shifted closer, “how about we try?”

Before he could respond, Anna carefully crawled onto his lap, her arms looping around his shoulders for support. The confined space made everything feel closer, warmer, far more intimate than it should have.

Daniel leaned back against the seat, eyes locked onto hers. Gone was the shy woman who used to hide her feelings behind hesitation and embarrassment. In her place was someone unapologetically daring, eyes glowing with mischief and unmistakable intent.

“You’re drunk,” he said quietly, though it sounded more like an observation than a warning.

“I’m curious,” she corrected, her forehead resting against his. “And you look like you could use some fun.”

Her confidence unsettled him in the best way.

This version of Anna, unguarded and fearless, stirred something deep inside him. He could see how determined she was, how badly she wanted to break routine, to steal a moment that belonged to just the two of them.

Daniel’s hands settled firmly at her waist, not pulling her closer, not pushing her away either. Just holding her there.

“You really don’t think things through when you’re like this,” he murmured.

She smiled softly. “I trust you to.”

The silence that followed was heavy, charged, the car suddenly far too small for the tension building between them. Daniel rested his forehead against hers, breathing her in, conflicted but undeniably tempted.

“Anna,” he said lowly, “you’re playing a dangerous game.”

Her lips curved. “Good. I like danger.”

And the way Daniel tightened his grip told her he did too.

Anna began to move slowly against him, a soft, deliberate sway that made Daniel’s breath hitch despite himself. A low groan slipped from his throat before he could stop it.

The corner of her lips curved into a playful grin. Leaning in, she captured his mouth, kissing him deeply. The faint taste of alcohol lingered on her lips, sweet and intoxicating, making his head spin in a way that had nothing to do with the drink.

She was bold tonight. Unrestrained. And that alone shattered the last of Daniel’s resistance.

Fine, he thought grimly. If she forgets this tomorrow, I’ll make sure she remembers.

Anna had a habit of waking up and pretending nothing happened, all innocence and denial. Not this time. Not after she had pushed him this far.

“You asked for it, wifey,” he murmured against her lips.

Then he surged forward, reclaiming the kiss with a hunger that stole the breath from her lungs. Her soft moan only encouraged him, his hands tightening at her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them.

The car filled with uneven breaths, whispered sounds, and the quiet creak of leather seats as the tension they had been building all evening finally snapped. Outside, the world remained oblivious, but inside the car, nothing else existed except the heat, the closeness, and the unspoken promise that this moment would not be so easily forgotten.

***

By the time Daniel carried Anna into the bedroom, her body had gone pleasantly heavy with drowsiness. Her head rested against his shoulder, arms draped loosely around his neck. She was sleepy, but still very much awake.

“Today… I met Mom,” she said softly as he stepped inside.

Daniel paused mid step and looked down at her. Anna lifted her head just enough to meet his gaze.

“Kathrine tricked me into meeting her,” Anna continued. “She said Mom wasn’t doing well. But guess what… she’s absolutely fine.”

Daniel’s brow lifted slightly. What caught his attention was not the story, but her expression. She did not look angry. She looked… bothered.

“Then why are you upset?” he asked as he gently placed her on the bed. “Shouldn’t you be scolding your sister for tricking you?”

From what Daniel had observed, Anna and Kathrine had a surprisingly healthy dynamic. They argued, spoke their minds, disagreed openly, yet never crossed into cruelty or judgment.

Anna blinked up at him, clearly surprised. “Am I that obvious?” she asked.

Daniel straightened just as she climbed onto her knees on the bed, peering at him with wide, innocent eyes.

He could not help it. A chuckle escaped him.

She looked nothing like the bold woman who had cornered him earlier. Right now, she was all softness and curiosity, acting more like a child seeking answers than a woman carrying hidden worries.

“No,” Daniel said, still amused. “But after living with you, I’ve learned a few things.”

Anna huffed lightly, clearly unconvinced but not offended. She tilted her head, watching him closely, her earlier mischief faded into quiet thoughtfulness.

And Daniel realized something then.

This was how she processed things. Not with anger. But with questions she was not yet ready to voice.

“You keep saying that all the time,” Anna pouted softly, “but you never once actually say it.”

With that, she turned away and lay back on the bed, facing him but drawing into herself just a little.

Daniel said nothing. Instead, he reached for the duvet and pulled it over her gently, tucking her in with careful hands. The room grew quiet. He stayed there, sitting beside her, watching as her breathing slowly evened out and her eyes finally fluttered shut.

Minutes passed.

When Daniel finally stood, intending to freshen up, a sudden grip around his wrist stopped him.

He froze and slowly turned back only to see Anna was wide awake.

Tears brimmed in her eyes, unshed but trembling, catching the dim light in the room. The sight stabbed at his chest like a sharp knife, and what she said next left the air out of his lungs.

***

[Flashback]

A day had passed since Anna’s funeral, yet Daniel refused to leave her tombstone.

Time seemed to have lost all meaning. The world moved around him, but he stayed rooted there, kneeling in the damp earth, fingers brushing the cold stone as if it were the only thing keeping him anchored to reality.

Even his aunt had tried.

“Daniel… please,” she had pleaded softly, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Come home. You can’t stay here like this.”

He had not responded. Not a word. It was as if sound itself no longer reached him.

Memories were all that remained.

The rain fell steadily, soaking the ground, blurring the world into gray streaks. Henry stood silently behind him, holding an umbrella over Daniel’s head, though Daniel neither noticed nor cared. Water dripped from his hair, his coat, onto the grave, as if even the sky was mourning with him.

“Sir…”

A hesitant voice broke through the haze.

A man from the hospital stepped forward, holding a small sealed bag. “These are Mrs. Clafford’s belongings.”

The words felt wrong. Unreal.

To them, she had committed suicide. A closed case. During the autopsy, her belongings were taken as protocol. Now they were simply being returned, labeled, documented, dismissed.

Daniel lifted his head slowly. His eyes were hollow, rimmed red, empty of the man he once was. He took the bag without a word, fingers trembling as they closed around it.

And then his vision swam.

The world tilted violently, the rain, the grave, Henry’s voice all blurring together.

“Boss—!” Henry caught him as his knees buckled. “Sir, can you hear me?”

Daniel heard nothing clearly. Just distant echoes. Then silence swallowed everything whole.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep