The Second Marriage Chance

Philip

Josh saw an opening and swung his legs upward, crossing them over my neck in a desperate attempt to break free. Suddenly, the ten-minute signal blared-it was time to find the hidden knife. My fists were already bloody, but I had to act quickly.

With a powerful thrust of his legs, Josh flipped me over, and we tumbled across the foam surface. The battleground shifted violently as a massive wave surged over us, knocking us both down. After ten minutes of relentless struggle, my internal organs screamed in pain.

“Fuck you, Philip! Fuck you for hurting Sarah!” Josh shouted, pounding my body with brutal force.

His words cut deep, but I had to stay focused. I knew my wrongdoings, but my wife had already forgiven me. “Your words don’t matter anymore! You’re just a pathetic fool trying to take what’s mine!”

Josh crawled towards a crate on the side, struggling to open it while lying downward. Empty!

I seized the opportunity and kicked his back repeatedly in desperation. He rolled away, dodging my foot, and countered with a powerful kick to my chest.

Josh’s strength was overwhelming, and I felt the force of every blow. The fight was brutal; I tasted my own blood as he punched my face, and I kicked back in retaliation.

Both of us were panting, drenched in sweat, and utterly exhausted, yet we pushed on, determined to finish the fight.

In a vicious move, Josh grabbed my hair and shoved my face into the salty water, pinning my body against the foam platform. Panic surged through me as water filled my mouth and nostrils.

“I fell in love with Sarah! I’ll fuck her once you’re dead!” he spat, his intentions clear. He planned to drown me, knowing we had opened half the crates without finding the knife.

I struggled against his grip, my vision blurring as the lack of oxygen took its toll.

Bubbles escaped my lips as my lungs strained for air. I fight against his suffocating grip, desperate to break free and prevent my head from being forced underwater.

Under the bright spotlight, I noticed a glimmer-a silver knife resting in a crate next to me, submerged and ready. With determination, I grabbed it, feeling its cold metal in my hand. Quickly, I slashed at Josh’s hand, the cut deep enough to make him let go of my tangled hair.

A gasp tore from my throat, loud and ragged, as I gulped in precious air. Teeth clenched, I lashed out in frustration, kicking at him with all the force I could muster.

“Ahhhh!” My scream pierced the dark night, a mix of fury and exhaustion.

We square off again in the middle of the sea, his gaze fixed on the gleaming knife gripped tightly in my shaking hand.

He growled fiercely as he approached. I swiftly ducked under his attack, sliding beneath his defenses. The knife struck, cutting into his legs, blood spurting from his wounds.

The sea churned violently and threatened our balances. Josh saw his chance and kicked my hand. The knife slipped from my grasp, tumbling into the hydrofoam platform! We fight for it, our fingers tangled in a desperate struggle to gain control.

Soon, the Viper Turf War is stained crimson with blood.

“Ahhhh!”

With determination, Josh struck back, the knife flashing dangerously close to my shoulder. Pain shot through me as the blade grazed my palm. I reacted instantly, elbowing his jaw and gritting my teeth against the pain.

We huffed…

Exhaustion filled the space between us, the weight of fatigue pressing down on us. In a rare moment of clear thinking, I seized my opportunity and drove the knife deep into Josh’s shoulder, close to his chest.

We stood on the edge of the battlefield, poised for action. Digging deep for one final burst of energy, I delivered a powerful kick to his neck, sending him sprawling into the sea, far from the turmoil of the Viper Turf War. Dizziness blurred my vision, but I stayed alert, ready for any hint of his return.

The pain from his deep cuts surged through me, every breath a battle against the creeping darkness.

I glanced right, then left, as darkness crept into my vision. Soon, I lost consciousness.

Or maybe… was I dead?

***

Sarah

After Philip called me tonight, I couldn’t calm my nerves down. It brought back memories of my conversation with Amir.

Today is Madam Cornell’s final farewell, a solemn event my husband’s mysterious absence made more complicated. Despite everything, I still believe Philip chose me, but I can’t shake the worry-did recent events hurt him more than he showed?

I find myself questioning if Philip could betray me again. My hands shook as I dialed Jane’s number, hoping for answers.

“Hi,” Jane’s voice sounded tired, heavy with exhaustion.

“Love, are you still at the office?” I asked, injecting warmth into my tone to mask my anxiety.

“Yes. Remember the SciFi project? Unfortunately, I’ve been assigned as its producer. Dad transferred the responsibility to me.”

I hadn’t been aware of this development. Jane hadn’t visited Serenity Pines in months, and I’d noticed a growing distance between us, unlike our closer bond in the past. Yet, I hoped it was merely my perception, considering she was still in therapy.

Jane continued, “Philip asked if I could join the family at the cemetery for his mom’s burial, but I declined. I… I chose to work overtime instead.”

“Oh, I see,” I murmured, processing this information. “Please, do try to visit soon. I miss you dearly, Jane,” I expressed warmly.

“I miss you too, Sarah!” Her voice perked up. “By the way, I heard from Philip’s bodyguard that Josh has quit?”

“Yes,” I replied shortly, wanting to change the subject from Josh, which was still sensitive. “Um, could you do me a favor? Can you check on Philip’s office? I just want to ensure everything’s okay, especially since today is Madam Cornell’s burial.”

“Sure thing!”

Philip and Jane’s office were in the same building, so it was convenient for Jane to inform me about my husband’s whereabouts.

As I sipped milk in the kitchen, another call came in from Jane.

“Hey, love! Brother Philip’s private office is closed. I saw Assistant Alex and noticed he was uneasy. Just as I was about to approach him, he received a call and hurriedly left. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.”

My heart pounded. Something was definitely wrong; I could sense it deeply. I had felt tension during Philip’s earlier call. Now, those suspicions rushed back to me. However, I chose to keep quiet, aware of Jane’s fragile state during therapy.

“Maybe your brother met a business partner outside the office, and then he called Alex to resolve some issues possibly… Anyway, it was lovely catching up. Take care of yourself, bestie!”

The moment I hung up, my fingers flew across my phone’s keyboard:

Me: Log in to our secure channel NOW. I need your expertise ASAP!

From the kitchen, I planned to head to the computer room to talk to Jakob. Passing through the living room, I glanced outside the villa’s floor-to-ceiling window. It seemed like my guards were on high alert, murmuring to each other.

I saw Trey stationed outside the door. My anxiety heightened. Instead of hesitating, I went to the door and flung it open.

Trey quickly turned at the sound, sensing my presence, and turned to look at me.

“What’s going on, Trey?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly despite my attempt to stay calm.

He swallowed.

“Philip told me he had something to do at the office, but I spoke to Jane, and she said my husband wasn’t there. What’s happening?”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Trey took a step towards me. But before the bodyguard could utter a word, the main gate opened, and Ethan’s emergency car pulled in from the hospital. It screeched to a halt in front of the villa’s grand entrance. The back doors flew open, and a team in scrubs began unloading an array of sophisticated medical equipment.

My blood ran cold. “W-where’s Philip?” I stammered.

“He’s on his way!” Ethan replied, then began giving instructions.

Ethan’s medical team hurried in, pushing carts filled with advanced equipment. They headed straight for the east wing-the same room where Philip had recovered from his coma months ago. My stomach twisted into knots.

“Damn it! Can someone answer me? Where is Philip?” I shouted, my voice trembling with fear and frustration. The staff flinched, exchanging nervous glances.

Ethan motioned for his team to continue their work, then approached me. He gently took my trembling hands in his.

“Sarah, one thing’s for sure: your husband is alive. Just like when he was in a coma, we can’t risk keeping him at the hospital. The media would swarm in no time. That’s why we’re setting up here.”

His words didn’t calm the rising panic in my chest.

Before I could demand more answers, I heard a helicopter approaching. He finalized our conversation. “Sarah, I know you have many questions, but your husband needed me.”

Ethan spun around and ran towards the improvised landing area on the expansive lawn. The helicopter descended, swirling up a storm of grass and leaves. As soon as it landed, the door burst open.

Trembling in fear, unsure of what had transpired, all that was evident was Philip’s wetsuit, torn by knives. Dark, wet stains covered the white sheets beneath him, and I realized in horror that it was his blood.

Tears streamed down my face as I watched them quickly take my husband away.