The Second Marriage Chance

Sarah

“Are you sure you’re going out?” Philip asked, taking the pair of diamond earrings from my hand. With careful precision, he fastened them to my ears.

I had taken only one day off to recover from the exhaustion of Madam Cornell’s abduction of Jane. The memory of those tense hours still sent a chill down my spine.

“I don’t want to just stay here in Serenity Pines,” I replied, meeting Philip’s worried gaze in the mirror. “I need to prove to my grandfather that I can handle what they left me.” As I spoke, I unconsciously placed a hand on my slightly swollen abdomen, a reminder of the new life growing within me.

After securing the earrings, Philip leaned in, placing a tender kiss on the curve of my shoulder. I felt him inhale deeply, savoring my scent.

“That’s precisely why I feel the need to push myself even harder,” he murmured against my skin. “How’s your family? What do they say about your pregnancy?”

“I know I disappointed Grandpa Mitchell. He didn’t expect me to get pregnant. Amir is still busy in Dubai, working on a new car model and other projects. But now that I’m pregnant, my grandfather is pestering Amir to get married next,” I said, looking at him. “How about you? What did you and your dad talk about?” I asked casually.

“I will resume work. Ethan forbade me from leaving Serenity Pines because the last round of tests showed some complications. He wants to keep a close eye on my recovery.”

A knot of worry formed in my stomach. “Has Mariano tried to contact you since you regained consciousness?

“No, but Orlie did. I reached out to him after I regained my strength. I think Mariano has calmed down a bit. Don’t worry about him. He won’t hurt you. That’s a promise.”

He kissed me on the lips before I said goodbye. If I stayed in Serenity Pines any longer, he definitely wouldn’t let me leave.

As I prepared to leave, I sent a quick message to my LoveLogic team: How’s everyone doing?

One by one, responses started coming in on my phone.

Lexi: Busy as a bee! But the food here in Highland Hills is definitely to die for!

Jakob: Swimming in Amir’s pool!

Those two were still enjoying their stay at Amir’s villa, showing no signs of wanting to leave yet. I suspected a chemistry developing between them, but I decided it was best not to meddle.

I went to Aspire Financial Group, eager to learn more. When I reached the executive floor where Emily and I shared an office, I found her completely absorbed in a stack of reports.

I greeted her cheerfully, “Hello, dear!”

Emily’s head snapped up. “Sarah! It’s nice to see you!”

“I can tell you’re very busy. I’m sorry,” I said. Since I returned to Dubai, Emily has taken over much of my work.

We immediately dove into discussing the work I had missed during my absence.

Emily started explaining, “The jewelry brand where you hold a 5% share, its stock performance has been strong. According to the president, based on our last meeting, they plan to open another branch.” Emily continued to share more updates, including several invitations from various brands addressed to me, which would enhance my credibility and reputation.

During our conversation, Emily received a call from her child’s nanny.

“Hello? What?” Her voice suddenly filled with panic, her face paling. “Oh my God! I-I’m on my way!”

“What happened?” I asked urgently after she ended the call.

Emily’s hands shook as she gathered her things. “My daughter was taken to the hospital because she ate something with peanuts. Luckily, her nanny noticed she was turning red and itchy. But when she started vomiting, the nanny panicked and called for emergency help.” She looked at me, contemplating. “S-Sarah, I know we have important matters to discuss, but can I go to the hospital?”

“Of course! I’ll go with you!” I didn’t hesitate to follow her to the hospital, understanding the gravity of the situation.

We rushed to the hospital. When we arrived, a woman in her fifties, who I assumed was the nanny, approached us.

“Emily, I’m really sorry… I got distracted by some mail that arrived, and I didn’t notice that I hadn’t put away the chips I had eaten earlier that contained peanuts. I was confident because I left Willow reading on the carpet and didn’t see anything unusual. About twenty minutes later, I noticed her face swelling and turning red. Then, the vomiting started. I’m truly sorry…”

Emily nodded tersely, her focus clearly on getting to her daughter.

I followed Emily to the emergency area, where the doctor examined her child.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“Willow!” Emily cried out.

“Mommy…” Willow’s voice was small and scared. She reached out for her mother, who quickly hugged her tightly.

“Ms. Emily Carter?” an elderly doctor addressed Emily.

“D-Dr. Vanderbilt!” Emily exclaimed. “I’m glad you’re here, doctor. How is Willow?”

The doctor smiled kindly. “It’s good to see you again, Emily, though I wish it were under better circumstances.” He began explaining Willow’s condition, reassuring Emily as the little girl continued to cling to her.

Dr. Vanderbilt? I think he’s related to Ethan.

The door swung open. To my surprise, Ethan himself walked in, his face etched with concern.

“Sarah? I saw you enter the hospital and got worried that something might have happened to you, so I followed you.”

I scowled. “I bet you’re just in the mood to tell my husband where I am again!”

Ethan’s gaze shifted, and he noticed Emily still in conversation with the older doctor. “Emily has a daughter?” he asked, surprise evident in his voice.

I nodded and asked in return, “Is that man your dad?”

“Yes.”

“He and Emily seem to know each other.” I was also confused as to why Emily and the older doctor seemed familiar with each other.

Once Dr. Vanderbilt finished his explanation, I politely asked Ethan to follow his father out. I didn’t want Philip’s presence to complicate matters at the moment.

“Sorry about this, Sarah…” Emily’s face showed genuine apology while still holding the little girl.

“No, I should be apologizing,” I insisted. “I think I might need to hire another assistant to share your workload.” Given my pregnancy, I realized I needed to prepare for various scenarios. Emily didn’t object, which suggested she welcomed the idea.

Looking at the little girl’s face, I couldn’t help but ask about Bronn because it was undeniable that the child was his. Blonde hair, dark blue eyes…

“Does… does Bronn know about her?”

Emily shook her head, a visible shiver running through her body. It was clear that discussing Bronn and their child was a sensitive topic.

I didn’t want to meddle in that matter, so I stayed quiet.

“Please, Sarah… Please don’t tell Bronn,” she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.

I reached out, grasping her hand supportively.

“He might sue me, Sarah… That’s the most frightening thing of all. It’s ironic that out of everyone I could tell this to-it’s you.” I could see the pain in her eyes. “Since you already have an idea about me, I’ll tell you not to ruin Bronn’s image for you… our contract explicitly stated that I couldn’t get pregnant. That was the life I agreed to back then, and I’m still bound by it now.”

She’s right! This situation was indeed complicated.

If that’s the case, how did Willow come into her life?

On one hand, I felt sympathy for Emily and the fear she must live with daily. From what I know of Bronn, he would definitely follow the contract.