The Second Marriage Chance

Philip

The streetlights blurred as I stared out the car window, my mind a whirlwind of emotions on the way back to Serenity Pines.

I had just come from the police station, where I met my father, who had a grim look throughout the process. My mother died in prison. The news of my mother's suicide in prison hit me like a physical blow. Even though she had become a bad person, Madam Cornell was still my mother. It pained me to think she had managed to hurt Sarah.

Dad had taken on the grim responsibility of identifying and claiming Mom's body.

My mind was in chaos as the car approached Serenity Pines. It must have been around one in the morning, and Sarah was probably curled on the bed. I checked my phone and saw a message from her, which had been sent hours ago. Sarah: Is everything alright, Philip?

My throat tightened. No, nothing was alright.

I decided to tell Sarah the truth in person, so I didn't respond to her message. Besides, she was likely asleep by now.

I got out of the vehicle and saw Sarah outside with Josh. What was she doing? Why was she out there? Above all, why did it seem like they were having a serious conversation?

With a dark expression, I approached them. Before I could close the distance between us, he did the unthinkable-he leaned in and kissed Sarah. Time stood still. My vision narrowed on the spot where Josh's lips met my wife's. A primal rage surged through me, and my fists clenched involuntarily.

He dared to touch what's mine!

In that eternal moment, all I could think was: Is this it? Is she leaving me?

***

Sarah and I reconciled quickly after the incident I witnessed. The misunderstanding was resolved, and our bond grew stronger after enduring yet another challenge. Now, here I am at the cemetery, emotions swirling beneath a calm exterior. It was late afternoon. There was a drizzle, so most attendees held black umbrellas as they paid their last respects to my mother, Madam Cornell.

Familiar faces filled the crowd: long-lost relatives, my friend Ethan, and even some business associates like Bronn and Madam Olsen. Despite the turmoil inside me, I maintained a stoic façade, my face betraying no emotion.

Jane decided to stay away and focus on her day at work instead. I understood her choice; the trauma from her abduction by my mother was still fresh, with both physical and emotional wounds yet to heal. Sarah also stayed at Serenity Pines Estate, a wise decision considering the reporters circling the cemetery's outskirts.

I didn't notice when the people at the cemetery started to leave one by one. My friend Ethan was beside me, supporting me, along with a few guards.

After a while, Trey's voice interrupted my thoughts. "We need to go, boss!"

I nodded, turning towards the waiting car. As I did, I thought I saw someone by a big oak tree-just for a moment, I thought it was Sarah, but she quickly disappeared from my sight.

To ensure that Sarah wasn't around, I called her phone.

"Hello!" Sarah answered.

"What are you doing right now?" I asked, my eyes still fixed on the tree.

"Finalizing your character in the LoveLogic app," she replied.

Does that mean she's home?

My brow furrowed. "My character?"

"Yes. Philip, your character was completed by Lexi, and it was so handsome! I almost don't want to release it to the public. If I didn't think about my team's effort and the potential earnings for our app..." For the first time that day, a smile tugged at my lips. "You're probably ogling over the AI version of me."

"Of course not! That's being a pervert!"

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"You are a pregnant pervert. You just admitted it to me..."

"Did I?" She's so cute when she's confused. I'm so fucking in love with this woman. God, how I wanted to see her, to hold her and feel the swell of her belly where our babies grew. Right now, she's the person I need the most.

"Please take care of yourself," I reminded her.

Sarah was in a challenging situation, compelled to stay at Serenity Pines and work there.

"I will, babe!" Sarah replied. "Pick up some delicious buns from the bakery near Luminary Productions before you return home. Bye!"

After ending the call with Sarah, Ethan turned to me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"I never thought Sarah was the key to making you smile. It's almost cringe-worthy how obsessed you are!"

"Crazy!" I retorted, shaking my head at Ethan's comment. My gaze returned to the old oak tree on the edge of the property. "I thought I saw her standing there earlier. That's why I called her-to see if she'd managed to sneak out somehow." Ethan glanced toward where I had pointed. Trey looked alarmed and instructed another guard to check the spot. Whether it was Sarah or not, caution was necessary.

Moments later, the guard returned, slightly out of breath. "Boss, there's no one there. I checked the surrounding area, too-all clear."

"You were probably just missing Sarah," Ethan commented.

Possible. The thought repeated in my mind, bringing a surge of longing.

"Boss, we should get going," my other guard remarked.

Glancing at my watch, I realized it was time to meet Mariano's group. I sighed heavily, feeling anger resurface. "Could you give Ethan and me some space?" I requested of my guards, my tone leaving no room for argument. They nodded silently and moved away, positioning themselves at a respectful distance but still within sight. "What's your plan, Philip?" Ethan inquired softly.

"It's about Josh. I saw him kissing my wife, Sarah," I gritted my teeth, speaking in a low voice.

"What?" Ethan exclaimed, clearly confused.

"Ethan," I said, gripping his arms tightly and looking him directly in the eyes, "if something happens to me during this meeting, I need you to promise me you'll ensure Sarah and the babies are safe. No matter what." Confusion and alarm warred in Ethan's expression. "What does that even mean, Philip? What are you planning?"

"I have to confront Mariano's team because Josh is his people. This meeting is inevitable since Josh has unexpectedly chosen to leave my team. I question his motives even more. It's not me he's been watching over all this time-it's Sarah!" Ethan's eyes widened as he glanced around at our companions, ensuring we weren't overheard. "What exactly are you implying?"

"It's not easy to leave Mariano's team, especially if you know as much about his operations as I do. Yet Mariano allowed Josh to leave my team without any fuss. Don't you find that suspicious? I think Mariano deliberately placed Josh in my team to watch over Sarah."

Ethan paused, processing this revelation. "Wait, are you saying Mariano wanted to protect Sarah?"

I nodded firmly. That's right! Josh was always there for Sarah, ensuring she recovered fully from her panic attacks. Now that my wife is improving, Mariano suddenly allows Josh to leave my team.

"You know what I'm thinking?" I continued, lowering my voice even further. "I think Mariano might be one of Sarah's family. Maybe Amir, her father, or Grandpa Mitchell!"