Divorcing My Husband Over His Stepsister's Secret novel Chapter 358

Chapter 358

Blake’s POV:

Her words stabbed at my heart.

I remembered Emily describing how Anna had once said those exact words-“he doesn’t need me“– and seeing that expression on her face now was unbearable. My breathing quickened as I struggled with the pain of it.

I was torn between protecting her from the old cases and the growing realization that my protective instincts had only pushed her further away. I’d been too cautious, too controlling. I needed to take risks now, consequences be damned. My fist clenched and unclenched at my side.

In two quick strides, I crossed the room and grabbed her hand. “I do need you,” I insisted, my voice shaking with intensity. “I need you so much…”

Anna’s POV:

The raw emotion in his voice caught me off guard. I felt a familiar ache in my chest but forced a smile.

“I understand,” I said quietly, gently pulling my hand from his grasp. “I’ll let you get back to work.”

I turned and walked quickly from the study, fighting the urge to look back.

In the hallway, my phone rang. It was Daniel, sounding cheerful.

“Nora’s visa documents are ready. When should I bring them over?”

I leaned against the wall, contemplating how events were unfolding exactly as planned. “Bring them to Seaside Manor,” I replied evenly. “I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon.”

After hanging up, I knocked softly on Nora’s door before pushing it open. “Nora,” I asked with a gentle smile, “would you like to visit Aunt Monica overseas?”

Nora was perched by the window, her small silhouette looking lonely against the twilight. Her eyes, so much like Blake’s, seemed to hold depths beyond her years. I approached her, saying softly, “The windowsill is cold. Don’t lean on it.”

Without turning, she answered /curtly, “Whatever.” After a pause, she turned to look at me, her clear eyes questioning. “What about him?” Her small finger pointed toward the window.

I crouched down to her eye level. “Are you asking about Oliver or your dad?”

Nora didn’t answer, just, stared stubbornly out the window, her little mouth pressed into a tight line.

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Chapter 358

Following her gaze, I saw Oliver in the garden below, carefully arranging fallen leaves into star shapes. Each time the wind scattered his work, he patiently began again, his small face a picture of

concentration.

I gently stroked Nora’s soft hair and sighed silently before leaving her room. The significance of companionship weighed heavily on my mind as I closed the door behind me.

The next day, I stood at the front door of Seaside Manor with just my purse, laptop, and phone. I took one last, long look at the house before hailing a taxi to the airport.

At the ticket counter, the agent asked, “Where would you like to go?”

“The farthest place I can reach today,” I replied.

I ended up in a remote, cold location. Opening the hotel window, I gazed at the serene landscape, trying to clear my mind. During the day, I sat by the window working on marine conservation case files I’d neglected. At night, I stared at the crystal–clear stars, contemplating my complicated relationship with Blake.

That evening, Blake discovered I was missing. My phone lit up with his calls, his name flashing repeatedly on the screen. I didn’t answer. He switched to texting: “Where are you? What happened?” His messages grew increasingly frantic.

I blocked his number and put down my phone. Donning a thick coat, I went for a walk outside the hotel, chatting with other tourists and forcing smiles during conversations with strangers.

Though I smiled, my eyes betrayed my unease. I kept glancing at my phone, a sense of foreboding growing stronger by the minute. My fingers twisted together nervously.

Back in my hotel room, my phone was vibrating constantly, the screen filled with notifications from seemingly everyone in my contacts.

With trembling fingers, I called Emily. She answered immediately, her voice tense and urgent. “Anna, where are you? Are you safe?” I could hear commotion in the background.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I asked confusedly, “What’s happening? Why is everyone suddenly

calling me?”