The Second Marriage Chance

Sarah

My bedroom remained cloaked in shadows, the darkness enveloping me like a comforting embrace as I sought solace within its confines-with only a faint light shining in from outside. I came here briefly to release the tears I’ve been holding back.

Philip’s words kept replaying in my mind: he never loved me, not in the past, not now. The realization cut deeper than any blade, even though a part of me already knew the truth.

Yet I felt his heartbreak, which only added to my confusion.

I felt so foolish!

It felt like a second stabbing as if the initial wound had been reopened and salt poured mercilessly into the raw, exposed flesh. I couldn’t breathe, my chest tightened, and my vision blurred from the pain.

Nevertheless, I had to pull myself together, return to my original plans, and ensure Madam Cornell suffered!

“Miss, are you alright?” Amanda asked worriedly as darkness engulfed me again.

“I’m fine…” It’s expected to be hurt again, right? This is my fault. I let myself fall into the trap a second time. But now that I know the truth, that there’s no truth to the one-year extension in my life, I had a more precise and extended plan to bring down Madam Cornell and Megan. Their downfall would be my ultimate redemption.

I took a deep breath to calm myself.

“Mr. Bronn Martin wants to see you,” Amanda muttered.

I stood up from my seat by the window. “Please prepare my bath. I’ll meet with Bronn briefly.”

I promised to give Bronn Martin some time to get to know him. Now is that opportunity.

After making sure there were no traces of tears in my eyes, I faced Bronn, who was waiting for me in the garden area. He sat casually, his bodyguard nearby. The sky held a faint light from the moon, casting an ethereal glow over the surroundings, while small fluorescent lights were scattered around the garden area, guiding my path.

“Hi,” I greeted him with a smile.

“Your grandfather was right. The mansion is indeed promising during the night,” he commented.

Bronn discreetly signaled to his burly bodyguard to step back, allowing us to have a private conversation.

“Are you okay? Sorry for bringing President Cornell along earlier. Given how strict the village is, he might not be allowed in. At least the security outside already knows my plate number as a regular visitor to your mansion.”

“It’s fine,” I replied casually. It was also good for Philip to see what I have. I continued to explain my plan to him. “Anyway, thanks for waiting for me. I also wanted to talk to you about the representative of BM Technologies at Luminary Production…”

“Jakob already informed me that we must replace you in that role. From that alone, I figured things didn’t go well between you and President Cornell… Uh, sorry for being nosy,” he apologized.

I offered a faint smile, bracing myself for the inevitable question. “Bronn, please don’t take this the wrong way, but why exactly do you want to marry me?”

The query clearly caught him off guard. He hadn’t anticipated such a direct inquiry. Nevertheless, he answered honestly. “Because you are Sarah Benner. You wouldn’t think I want to marry you because I love you, right? I’d be an ass to lie, Sarah… I’m doing this out of a sense of responsibility. Back then, I never allowed myself the opportunity to get to know you better truly, but you’re a woman now, Sarah.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Bronn was right. It would be naive, even arrogant, of me to assume he had spontaneously developed romantic feelings, especially considering our limited interactions in the past. He’s not much older than Philip, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he thought I was too young before. I only saw him visiting the mansion to meet with Grandpa Mitchell to discuss some matters. He exuded an aura of maturity while I was still a carefree student in my final year of high school.

Maintaining steady eye contact, I proposed, “Then let’s give each other a chance, Bronn. I ended things with Philip today because I wanted to explore the possibility of a romance with you. D-do you find me stupid or impulsive for making that decision?”

“I will refrain from prying into what transpired between you and him. He’s part of your past and no longer relevant at this point. I appreciate your honesty, and you can expect the same from me. It’s a fair arrangement for both of us.”

That was when I realized I knew very little about Bronn’s romantic history. In fact, I could not recall a single instance where he had even casually mentioned being in a relationship or dating someone seriously. His personal life in that regard was a complete mystery to me.

Our discussion shifted to LoveLogic and the person they would assign for ChronoGrafix in Luminary Production.

“Jakob will search for the most qualified candidates. Luminary should understand if we pull you from the project since you weren’t part of the original contract. Any decisions surrounding the project ultimately lie between myself and President Cornell,” Bronn explained.

“Thanks for your help!”

“Think nothing of it, Sarah!”

“Anyway, I’ll be busy in the coming days. Just let me know if you encounter any issues with Luminary Production. As for the non-player character in LoveLogic-your character-I’ll handle the design for now, but I might find someone else to take over soon.”

Our conversation continued smoothly for the next few hours until he said goodbye.

Before I went to sleep, I received a call from Jane. It was decided-she was set to marry Mr. Olsens, who has two bratty children, and I couldn’t do anything about it since I was just a friend and an observer. The marriage agreement was a matter between their families.

During the following days at the mansion, I focused on gathering information about financial strategies. My grandfather then revealed the substantial profits and incentives I had accumulated from various companies.

As he guided me through the bank account statements, I was overcome with disbelief at the staggering figure displayed-several billion dollars.

“Grandpa, w-why do I have so much money?” I asked.

“Because a considerable portion originated from the stocks and shares bequeathed to you by your mother upon her passing. Those assets remain under your name to this day,” he clarified.

“But you were the one who arranged and took care of it… I-I don’t know if I can accept it… How about you or Amir?”

“Don’t worry about your brother. Amir is doing well in your dad’s company.” Grandpa Mitchell reassured me with a dismissive gesture.

With the significant funds from my inheritance, I realized I had more than enough money to support the ambitious LoveLogic project fully.

“Now, don’t let me down, Sarah. You’ll be representing yourself from now on.”

I nodded.

While Grandpa Mitchell continued discussing some matters with me, my phone rang. Upon glimpsing the screen, I noted that the incoming call originated from an unfamiliar number, prompting me to ignore it and swiftly switch the device to silent mode. After my session with Grandpa Mitchell, I saw three more missed calls from the same number. There was also a message.

Anonymous number: Madam Sarah, this is Trey. I apologize for disturbing you with my calls. I watched over Miss Jane here at Mr. Benner’s mansion. But I regret to inform you that we have been compelled to send Miss Jane to the hospital because we found her with cuts on her wrists. It appears she has made an attempt to take her own life tragically, Madam Sarah…

I trembled uncontrollably as the weight of those words sank in. Hastily, I checked the calendar to confirm the date. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day of Jane’s wedding to the Olsens. It became clear that the thought of being forced into a loveless marriage had driven her to the absolutely unthinkable as her only perceived way out.

Without a moment’s delay, I began packing my belongings and told Grandpa Mitchell I needed to return to Highland Hills immediately.