The Second Marriage Chance

Sarah

With my vision blurred, I tried to spot the person who snatched my phone. Wait... why do I sense a new presence? No!

"Hello there, Sarah, darling! It's been a while since we last saw each other," said a familiar voice-definitely not Jane's. Darkness crept at the edges of my consciousness, threatening to pull me under. I fought against it, clinging to awareness with all my willpower.

"W-wait a moment? Is she okay?" Jane's worried voice pierced through my foggy mind. I squeezed my eyes shut even though my mind was hazy.

"Jane, you've played your part beautifully. Why are you hesitating? Isn't this what you wanted-to separate Sarah and President Cornell? After all, didn't you blame Sarah for your unfortunate encounter with Mr. Martin? Think about it. If they split again, she'll have no choice but to rely on you. You'll be her only true friend."

"But I... I never meant for-" Jane's voice cracked, her sobs interrupting her words.

"Oh, come now. Deep down, you've always hated her success and happiness. It eats at you, doesn't it?"

'Jane...' I felt my heart shatter as I realized she had betrayed me.

"Enough chit-chat. Take her to the client!" ordered Madam Olsen in her cold, confined tone. Rough hands gripped my arms, trying to lift me from the chair.

I refused to be taken to the VIP room! My fingers found the pepper spray in my pocket. The cool metal gave me a glimmer of hope. Without hesitation, I pulled it out and aimed at the nearest blurry figure.

"Argh! My eyes!" screamed the waiter I had spoken to earlier.

I nearly fell but struggled to stay upright, clinging to a chair for support. Blindly, I sprayed again, sweeping my arm in a wide arc. Angry noises and swearing filled the air, my hope resting on the chaos caused to deter my attackers. "This customer has gone crazy!" Madam Olsen explained to the other patrons. "You there! Get her!" she ordered.

"Get away from me!" I finally managed to shout, but it drained the last of my strength.

Moments later, people inside the club started screaming. I heard a gunshot, and my strength ultimately gave out. Arms caught me, and I didn't know what happened next.

***

Philip

"Boss, something's wrong. They're blocking me from entering Eclipse Club Lounge, where Madam Sarah and I went," Trey's voice said as I spoke with him on the phone. "What do you mean?" I snapped, feeling a rush of icy disbelief. Trey was a seasoned bodyguard. How could he have let Sarah go into the establishment alone?

"Miss Jane is inside alone, having drinks. Madam Sarah asked me to find your sister's guard. After I called the mansion, I found out Miss Jane had escaped. When I tried to enter, they wouldn't let me in, saying I'm not a club member," Trey explained rapidly.

My jaw tightened. Sarah and I were supposed to meet, and a wave of dread washed over me.

"Call the police. Now!" I ordered, ending the call abruptly.

Without a backward glance, I abandoned the high-profile event I was attending, ignoring the startled looks of the other guests. Sprinting to my car, tires screeching as it peeled out of the parking lot, my security team hurried to follow in their vehicle.

My phone rang again. Jakob's voice was tight and worried, "President Cornell, you must get to Sarah immediately! I just spoke with her, but something's terribly wrong. I think she's in danger at that club." Luckily, the prestigious club was close to where I was. Within minutes, I slammed on the brakes outside the gleaming façade.

Trey stood at attention near the entrance, visibly restraining himself from causing a scene that might endanger Sarah further. The police arrived in response to our complaint, allowing us to enter. There was a scuffle when we were denied entry, and one of the police officers fired a shot.

Taking advantage of the chaos, I shouldered past the stunned bouncers. Inside the pulsing lights and panicked patrons, I saw her-Sarah, staggering, her eyes not focused. I caught her before she hit the ground. "B-brother!" Jane's scared voice stood out amid the chaos. Trey had already informed me that my sister was there.

My eyes narrowed on Madam Olsen as I demanded firmly, "What have you done to Sarah?"

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"Why not ask Jane instead?" the lady replied, a malicious smirk playing across her ruby-red lips.

I glanced at Jane, who sat silently crying. I needed answers immediately. Trey approached me and scrutinized Sarah, curled up as I gathered her close. Her typically vibrant eyes were unfocused and glazed. "Boss, I suspect Madam Sarah might have been drvgged," Trey declared. "We have to take her to a doctor right away. Without knowing exactly what she was given, we can't afford to wait."

It was evident that Sarah was under the influence. Jane and the people at the club would be included in the investigation. I called Ethan for help, but he couldn't leave his place, so Sarah and I went there instead. Upon arriving at Ethan's expansive villa, I was surprised to find Dr. Ruth already there. They immediately began tending to my wife.

"What happened to Sarah?" my friend asked.

"Sarah went to the Eclipse Club Lounge," I replied, my voice filled with anger.

Dr. Ruth's expression darkened, her green eyes flashing with barely restrained anger. "That's my ex-fiancé's shameless establishment! I've seen enough cases from there to know exactly what Ms. Mitchell requires regarding IV fluids and possible antidotes."

"Wait, your ex owns that club?" Ethan interjected.

Dr. Ruth pressed her lips into a thin line, refusing to elaborate. Ethan respected her silence and returned his focus to Sarah. As they worked, my phone buzzed incessantly with calls and messages. After assuring myself that Sarah was in capable hands, I reluctantly prepared to leave.

"For now, we'll monitor her closely to ensure Ms. Mitchell's safety," Dr. Ruth explained.

Ethan added, "I've already had the medical team take blood samples from Sarah to determine what kind of drug was administered to your wife... just in case Sarah decides to file a complaint, she'll have evidence."

I nodded and thanked them. "Please call me immediately if there's any change. I must return to the police station to question Jane and piece together what happened tonight."

Ethan escorted me to my car, where I decided to question him. "Since when have you had a relationship with Sarah's doctor?"

Ethan choked. Despite knowing almost everything about Ethan's life, I was completely blindsided by this revelation about his relationship with Dr. Ruth.

"Uh, she's pregnant, and I'm the father," he confessed.

Wincing, the shock of this news momentarily overshadowed my concern for Sarah. "Alright! I'll find out more about this later. I need to go now."

With a heavy heart, I drove to the police station. When I arrived, I saw my father's assistant ready to take Jane.

In the small room, facing Jane, I unleashed all my pent-up anger.

"Jane, how could you do this to Sarah?" I demanded.

My sister's face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes. "B-Brother Philip, I didn't mean to- really! Madam Olsen influenced me... She convinced me it was Sarah's fault I was in this situation. That it's her fault Emily and Bronn met or that I met that guy. I tried to stay away from Sarah because I was so jealous of her..."

Jane's voice broke as she continued, "At least when you two separated, I could talk to you. You were there. Why did Sarah get to be happy and leave me behind? We both suffered because of Madam Cornell, but you had her by your side while I was left hurting."

I stared at her, bewildered and disbelieving.

"Jane, admit it. You never wanted Sarah to be happy from the start, did you? Now it all makes sense! You didn't tell me Sarah was pregnant back then. You even told Mom about Dr. Morgan and hid about the medication Sarah was taking. From the very beginning, you only wanted Sarah to suffer!"

My sister sobbed uncontrollably, her body shaking with each breath. I felt my anger give way to a deep, aching disappointment.

"I can't believe you!" I exclaimed, my voice rising. "Sarah risked her life to save you on that cruise, even though she knew it could endanger our children!"

Jane froze, her sobs quieting. It seemed like sanity was slowly returning to her.

"Sarah has only ever wished for your happiness," I continued, "but you seem to wish her nothing but misery. Do you think she'll ever trust you again after this? Or even me, for that matter?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to say next.

"I'm sorry, Jane, but I can't allow you near my wife or my children anymore."