Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose at the sheer force of Norma's voice, her words cutting through the receiver like steel. Still, he steadied himself and confirmed flatly, "Yes, I did marry Anna."
"And when," Norma's tone sharpened, cold and precise, "were you planning to tell me?"
Daniel's jaw tightened. Of course—this was what he had dreaded. He hadn't told her, not because he wanted to hide it forever, but because the timing was wrong. Norma had always been more invested in his union with Kathrine Bennett. The marriage Hugo pushed onto him had been the perfect weapon for their shared goal—the Bennetts' downfall.
But Kathrine's disappearance had shattered that plan, leaving him cornered. Marrying Anna had been an unplanned move, a compromise. A move Norma was never going to forgive easily.
"I thought—"
