The Second Marriage Chance

Sarah

Due to the growing team and the need for more space, an office was rented near Luminary Production's building. With my team expanding, this move was essential. Along with Emily, Amir provided me with two more assistants: Sophia, a sharp-witted woman in her early thirties with a background in marketing, and Mike, a finance expert around my age.

None of my staff knows that I'm pregnant. I'd managed to keep it a secret within the people in Serenity Pines, even from Emily.

After discussing some business matters, I decided to ask Emily about her relationship with Bronn.

"I have a meeting with Bronn this afternoon to discuss some details about the LoveLogic app," I informed Emily as she sipped her coffee while I nursed a glass of calcium-rich milk, a new addition to my routine. Mentioning Bronn, I noticed a look of sadness in Emily's eyes.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" I asked curiously.

"I saw Mr. Martin at the hospital when I took Willow for a check-up. He... he saw my daughter."

I gasped, my curiosity deepening. "Did Bronn suspect that Willow is his daughter?"

Emily shook her head. "The funny thing is, he thought Dr. Ethan Vanderbilt is Willow's father. Mr. Martin knows I've known Ethan's father for a long time. I guess he made the connection and assumed I was involved with the younger Dr. Vanderbilt."

I grimaced, understanding how Bronn could have made that assumption. Ethan, with his striking blue eyes and naturally blonde hair, could easily pass as Willow's father. When I asked Ethan why he stopped coloring his hair, he said some patients lost trust in him.

"That must have been awkward," I sympathized. "Jakob told me that Bronn is donating his share of the earnings from the non-player character to the hospital's charity, particularly to the department specializing in heart diseases," I continued.

As I spoke, I noticed Emily's hand, resting on the countertop, clenched into a tight fist. We shifted our focus back to work to avoid further discussion about Bronn.

I also read some articles as I monitored Lila's activities. In recent weeks, she has become more audacious, boldly using my name, Sarah Benner, in her social media profiles and interviews with local lifestyle magazines.

I've let her be for the past few weeks, and it seems she's enjoyed the lack of confrontation. Every false claim, every stolen accomplishment, was another piece of evidence in my growing collection. The more Lila lied about her identity, the stronger my case against her became.

As afternoon approached, Bronn arrived, flanked by his two imposing bodyguards and Robert Kingsley. The sour expression etched on Bronn's face spoke volumes before he even uttered a word.

Bronn's voice thundered through the room as the door to my private office closed behind us, expressing his disappointment at my concealment of the truth about Willow.

"How could you keep this from me?" he demanded, his eyes flashing with anger and hurt. "My own daughter, and I had no idea!" Turning to Emily, his voice took on a threatening edge. "I'll see you in court because I'll do everything possible to get my daughter!"

Emily visibly trembled, her eyes widening in fear and shock. The color drained from her face as the weight of Bronn's words sank in.

I intervened, trying to keep my voice steady. "Emily, Robert, could you please give Bronn and me a moment alone?"

"B-But-" Emily stuttered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

I locked eyes with Bronn. Robert gently guided Emily out, closing the door behind them.

As soon as we were alone, I couldn't contain my anger. "You're being an absolute asshole, Bronn!"

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His face tightened in irritation.

"Sarah, anyone in my position would be furious! She hid my child from me-my own flesh and blood! The last time I saw Willow, she was furious with me. Emily kept her from me all this time! Don't I have the right to know about my own daughter?"

"Have you ever considered that Emily might have had valid reasons? You're being selfish! This is exactly why she didn't tell you! Damn it, Bronn! How was Emily supposed to disclose your child when you never respected our feelings? You claim to love Emily, but all you do is hurt her!"

Bronn squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenching as he absorbed my words.

"I don't blame Emily for hiding Willow from you. Let's be honest: you never planned to have a child with her, did you? If you sue Emily and drag this paternity case to court, you'll put Willow in an impossible situation."

My voice softened as I concluded, "Your public profile has grown significantly. By pursuing this, you're putting your daughter at risk. People will talk; they'll dig into Emily's past, into Willow's life..."

As I spoke, I noticed a shift in Bronn's demeanor. The anger in his eyes began to fade, replaced by a conflicted, almost vulnerable look.

I continued, my voice laced with a mix of frustration and concern," Bronn, the real problem is that you don't know what you truly want."

His face darkened again, a familiar stubbornness creeping into his expression. "I follow tradition, Sarah... I do what's expected of me. That's how I was raised."

"You're not twelve, Bronn! You're the head chief of BM Technologies, for heaven's sake! Can't you take charge of your own life, especially when it comes to your daughter?" I shook my head in disbelief.

I paused, collecting my thoughts. "Emily confided in me about your relationship status before. I wanted to understand, to make sense of it all. I thought you were doing the right thing, which is why I distanced myself. But I never expected you to be still this conflicted after all this time."

He explained, "I never planned to let go of Emily. I was just embarrassed in front of Grandpa Mitchell. I owe him a lot, so I was determined to reconcile with your family..."

"Then do something about it!" I urged. His earlier anger seemed to have calmed. He needed to persuade Emily; I knew they could still reconcile. A custody battle would ruin his relationship with my assistant.

"Anyway, how did you find out about this?" I asked.

"Jakob," Bronn replied simply.

That rascal! Jakob and I had a decent conversation, but that man was as stubborn as they come! He even mentioned he was scared of ending our friendship over this!

On the other note, Emily seemed hesitated to tell the truth. I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"Talk to Emily, Bronn. Don't make this situation any more complicated than it already is!"

"Our situation is already difficult, Sarah. It's been difficult for such a long time..."

***

Emily

Trembling has persisted since I entered Bronn Martin's car. The atmosphere was thick with tension, but I tried my best to ignore it. Sarah had graciously allowed me to leave the office early so I could properly introduce Willow to her father. A heavy sigh escaped me involuntarily. Robert, seated in the driver's seat, cast a glance at me through the rearview mirror while Bronn, occupying the backseat beside me, remained silent.

"What are your plans, Mr. Martin?" I finally mustered the courage to ask, breaking our uneasy silence.