The Second Marriage Chance

“Did you ever, even once, imagine yourself loving me?” Sarah inquired, her voice laced with hope as she gazed into Philip’s unyielding countenance. “Don’t make me laugh, Sarah. Everything between us has been purely about pleasure and business.” With a heavy heart, she affixed her signature to the divorce papers, clinging to a glimmer of hope that one day, she would find a man who would adore and worship her worthiness. *** Sarah On a quiet night at Serenity Pines Estate, my home for three years, I heard the door click, signaling my husband Philip’s arrival. Philip Cornell is running to become the president of Luminary Productions, an entertainment company. I got up from the sofa, my usual spot where I waited for him, and looked at the clock. It was already one in the morning. The heavy wooden door opened, and Philip stumbled in. The smell of alcohol hit me before I saw him. His assistant, Alexander Davies, was helping him walk. “What happened to him?” was the question I managed to ask Alex. “Madam, I’m truly sorry. Something happened. Boss Philip had drunk too much,” he replied. He didn’t give more details, as usual, even though I wanted to discuss Philip’s more frequent drunken episodes lately. “Please help me! Let’s take him to the room.” Alex and I teamed up to help Philip to the bedroom. He was a lot heavier than me, and I felt like my bones might break and I’d be covered in bruises. Both Alex and I were panting heavily as we carefully laid his boss down on the bed. “Th-thank you!” With a simple smile, the assistant made his way toward the door, poised to leave Serenity Pines Estate. It was a rare moment of conversation between us, like the ones I have with my husband, Philip. I carefully took off Philip’s shoes and socks, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. Then I tackled his polo shirt, something I could only do while he’s in this state. How long had I been secretly fantasizing about him? My husband, so close physically yet so far emotionally, bound by the unspoken rule that we shouldn’t interfere in each other’s lives. As I finally got his polo off, he vomited violently, filling the air with a terrible smell. My stomach turned, and I almost threw up too. I fought hard to keep it down, tears of frustration in my eyes. No one else cleaned up the sour and nauseating mess he had expelled beside the bed except me, and I did it. Three years ago, my mother-in-law asserted that our duty as women was to serve our husbands. I hoped that by fulfilling this duty, Philip would notice or perhaps view me as a woman who loves him deeply. After cleaning thoroughly and removing any remaining odors, I went to the wardrobe to find his pajamas. Inside, I found an expensive-looking box. Curious, I opened it to discover a beautiful necklace with a captivating blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Tomorrow is our third anniversary, and I can’t help but wonder if this is Philip’s surprise for me. Climbing back into bed, I found comfort in watching his peaceful face, a rare treat only these special nights offered before sleep claimed me. *** “Sarah!” My mother-in-law’s voice echoed through the kitchen as I busied myself with cleaning. Philip had left early, and he was no longer beside me when I woke up. “Madam Cornell?” I sighed inwardly, used to her random drop-ins at Serenity Pines Estate, making sure I always looked after her son. She’d bring friends too, since Philip’s dad was super uptight about who came to the Cornell mansion. Sitting at the round table with five other ladies, they were all deep into gossip and card games. Even though it was my home, where Philip and I live, I felt burdened by thoughts I couldn’t express, which made me completely silent. “Hello, ladies!” I greeted them cheerfully, though I secretly wished they wouldn’t visit because their presence increased my workload. “Hello, Sarah!” one of the ladies responded, while the others seemed to ignore my existence entirely. “Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and prepare tea and snacks for us!” Madam Cornell’s reprimand cut through the air. As a dutiful daughter-in-law, I promptly went to the kitchen to fulfill her requests. After finishing the preparations, I returned to the group of ladies, arranging tea cups, cookies, and wrapped biscuits on the table. As I resumed my household chores, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. “Oh, did you hear? Megan’s back,” Mrs. Wilson mentioned casually. My grip faltered, and a delicate vase slipped from my fingers, shattering on the floor. “Sarah, are you trying to destroy every precious thing my son owns in this house? That vase was imported from Japan! Do you even understand the value of it? I doubt you could afford to replace it!” Madam Cornell scolded angrily. “I-I’m terribly sorry! I’ll clean it up right away,” I stammered. Her intense anger radiated like a physical blow. She fought to maintain composure, resisting the urge to react impulsively in front of everyone. ‘Megan... Megan...’ The name echoed in my mind as I cleaned up the broken vase. A sharp piece of glass pricked my finger, causing pain. Despite the blood, I brushed it off, lost in my thoughts. Anxiety gripped me. Megan is Philip’s ex-fiancée. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling about Philip’s recent drunken behavior. Could Megan’s sudden return be the reason?