The Second Marriage Chance

Sarah

I remembered the day Jakob and I had our conversation through video call, just after I finished arranging my things. It was the day I arrived at Amir's villa from Henderson.

The kitchen island where I now stood, nibbling on sliced fruits, was the same spot where our conversation had taken place.

Josh came to mind while we discussed my security and other work-related matters.

"I'm confused about Josh," I said, thinking I needed to meet him too while staying in Highland Hills.

"Josh, who?" Jakob inquired, his fingers halting on the keyboard as he shifted his focus entirely to me. Even at this late hour, he remained dedicated to the BM Technologies office. "Philip's bodyguard. Remember when I asked you to investigate him, and we discovered that his identity records were created only six months ago?" I explained.

"Oh, that guy!" Jakob said, finally recalling. "Do you have his photo?"

"Why would I have a picture of Josh? And what would you do with it anyway?"

"I'll use the facial recognition tool I developed," Jakob replied.

"You made an app?" I was taken aback and surprised at the depths of Jakob's talents. How had I missed this during our time working together? "Anyway, I don't have a photo of Philip's bodyguard, but he was captured by the surveillance cameras at BM Technologies' building."

I also dreaded the thought of my ex-husband questioning me again with, 'Why do you have another man's photograph?'

Jakob's memory flooded back as he recounted the day Josh made an unanticipated appearance at the BM Technologies office. It was the moment when Josh handed me the medication, shedding light on its true nature. "Ah, yes! I remember now! That day at BM Technologies when you had an unexpected guest!" he exclaimed

I affirmed his recollection with a nod.

"When exactly was that again?" Jakob inquired, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with increased speed.

The date was etched vividly in my memory, coinciding with my scheduled move to Apartment No. 5. I relayed this information to him. "Hold on. Are you planning to-"

"Shh!" Jakob cut in, hushing me with a gesture. "I've got it!"

I was utterly speechless.

My mind raced with concern. Wasn't that Bronn's domain? What if BM's security systems detected any tampering with the camera footage?

However, just as easily as Jakob got the file, he soon expressed his frustration upon encountering an error. "Oh, darn it! The bodyguard's image on the camera is too blurry. He's also wearing a baseball cap, obstructing key facial features needed for a proper scan. I require a clearer image. Could you provide one so I can yield better results?"

"Absolutely!" despite being aware of the difficulty.

My hands trembled with apprehension as I aimed my camera at Josh, striving for a clear image. Despite Trey's reassuring presence before me, Josh's imposing presence loomed over me, making me feel uncertain.

I couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden behind his inscrutable expression.

Bringing my focus to the present, I sat on the kitchen island, indulging in spoonfuls of ice cream while Jakob remained in his softly lit Henderson apartment.

"Josh confided in me about his need for money, and something about his demeanor convinced me he was being genuine. He even verified his profession as a doctor and handed me this." I revealed to Jakob through the camera, displaying the envelope's contents.

"Hmm, what's in there?" Jakob inquired.

"Documentation regarding Madam Cornell and Dr. Morgan-the physician designated to me by Amir. Now, it's making me question everything. Why is he helping me? Should I be wary of him? Though, to be fair, he hasn't posed any threat yet. In truth, he's come to my rescue on numerous occasions."

"I'll run your bodyguard's photo through the system now. Just a moment," Jakob muttered, his fingers dancing over the keyboard.

"Screen share!" I interjected, eager to uncover the truth about Josh.

"Sure thing!" Jakob's screen popped up, and we both watched as the facial recognition software whirred into action.

The progress bar advanced steadily. 10%... 50%... 80%...

Approaching the completion, the pace decelerated marginally. 97%, 98%, 99%...

Finally, a collage of images materialized from various sources-hospital records, social media, and more. I couldn't help but gasp at what Jakob and I had stumbled upon.

"Impressive tool you've got there, my friend!"

He grinned in response.

"So, he was really a doctor," Jakob commented as we sifted through the pictures.

In one of the images, Josh is dressed in blue scrubs, his grin radiating for the camera. Some pictures are too shadowed to discern his demeanor, while others show him interacting with patients.

Jakob scrolled down further, and our jaws dropped at the sight of the next photo. In this particular snapshot, Josh had his arm casually draped around Megan, planting a tender kiss on her cheek. Their intimacy was undeniable. Seeing another man with Megan, even just in a photo, was almost jarring, given her usual attachment to Philip like a leech!

"Damn! Isn't this Megan?" Jakob blurted out as if he were the only one noticing.

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"That's definitely Megan!" I felt a chill run down my spine. My thoughts were spiraling. Are Josh and Megan involved romantically? Why did Megan return? And what motivated Philip to hire Josh as his bodyguard?

"Could Josh and Megan be related? Cousins, perhaps?" Jakob's question seemed like a desperate attempt to avoid the implications of the photo.

"Nope. C-can you check the date when the picture was taken?" I stammered out, my mind racing with the implications. What details had I unwittingly divulged to the bodyguard? Could he use this as leverage to manipulate me into his camp? What does he require of me? How has he fallen under Philip's control now? This barrage of questions is giving me a headache.

"The photo was taken two years ago," Jakob disclosed, his words hanging in the air as I stared at the photograph still linked to my laptop, confirming his statement.

"Oh my God! Megan wasn't around then, and Philip was still my husband," I remarked; a wave of realization hit me.

"Sarah, do you know who Megan supposedly ran off with? The man who caused her marriage engagement to Philip to fall apart?" Jakob's tone was serious as he pressed for an answer.

I shook my head, a surge of agony pulsating through my chest.

"In that case, Dr. Josh was likely Megan's lover-the one she left with and perhaps the reason you ended up marrying Philip," Jakob concluded, his words sending a shiver down my spine.

I leaned away from the laptop, struggling to digest the revelation. My friend's deduction seemed chillingly plausible. Though speculative, my intuition echoed Jakob's thoughts, much like it had when I first suspected Josh was a doctor. What does Josh want from me? Is he an ally or an adversary?

And does Philip have any knowledge of this?