THE SECOND CHANCE LOVE

The clock read 8 PM when Alyssa arrived at her front door. She didn't go in immediately but stood there for a few seconds, lost in thought.

Suddenly, she felt uneasy, as if something was about to happen. But what? Alyssa couldn't guess at all. Or maybe it was just a side effect of her body and mind being too exhausted today?

"Has Brent come home yet?" Alyssa murmured as she held the door handle.

She was a bit afraid of meeting Brent and being interrogated by him for coming home this late. It wasn't without reason that she had just returned. She had to stop by the convenience store in front of her house to buy ice to compress her swollen eyes from crying too much about her increasingly unclear marriage. In any case, Alyssa didn't want to make Brent, who was already tired from work, worry about her condition. Now Alyssa could only hope that Brent wouldn't interrogate or get mad at her.

Alyssa took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Now, she tried to stay calm despite her irregular heartbeat.

The sound of the door opening felt rather ominous, perhaps because of the eerily quiet mment that seemed almost uninhabited.

Looking around cautiously, Alyssa stepped inside.

"Where have you been?"

"Oh my God!"

She screamed in surprise when Brent suddenly appeared behind her. It seemed he had just come from the kitchen.

"Brent? You startled me," Alyssa said nervously.

"I asked where you've been, Grace. Why are you just getting home at this hour?" Brent repeated sharply.

"I... I just...."

Damn it, Alyssa thought.

Alyssa, who never lied, suddenly had to try to deceive Brent to keep the peace in their house tonight. However, it turned out that lying wasn't easy. As a result, she now sounded like a toddler learning to speak. It was pathetic.

"I... I was meeting a friend," Alyssa said.

Her eyes darted around. It was clear she wanted to avoid Brent's gaze to prevent her lie from being uncovered. Suddenly, Brent moved to the living room. Still wearing his work clothes, he sat on the sofa while Alyssa stood to his right. For some reason, she didn't want to sit. Her instincts told her she shouldn't sit right now.

"Have you eaten? Do you want me to cook something?" Alyssa offered.

Brent didn't answer. Instead, he took out his phone from his pocket, fiddled with it for a moment, and then placed the thin device on the table with the screen lit up, showing a photo.

"Is this the 'friend' you were meeting?" Brent asked, looking sharply at her.

Alyssa's eyes automatically focused on the photo on Brent's phone. Her pupils dilated involuntarily when she saw that it was a picture of her and Hiro.

"Brent, I can explain," Alyssa said in a shaky voice.

As he stood up, Brent asked, "What is there to explain?"

"I... it's not what you think. Hiro and I--"

"I know you and Hiro broke up a long time ago. You were close and knew each other before I came along. But... you shouldn't have done this, Grace. You should remember...."

Brent turned his face away for a moment to control his emotions.

"You should remember that you're my wife now," Brent emphasized.

Not giving Alyssa a chance to explain further, Brent then walked towards his room.

Alyssa, left behind, could only stand there in silence. Her body felt nailed in place, unable to move. The sensation of tightness in her chest now took over.

"I didn't mean it like that, Brent," Alyssa whispered.

Today was supposed to be a day Alyssa spent with Brent. They were supposed to do the monthly grocery shopping together. However, when Alyssa woke up this morning, Brent was already gone. As a result, Alyssa had to circle the supermarket alone.

She couldn't deny that she was quite sad when Brent left without saying goodbye. His behavior seemed to indicate that he was deliberately avoiding Alyssa. They should have met today to clear up last night's misunderstanding.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

Alyssa's daydream was interrupted by the rebuke of a middle-aged woman who was accidentally bumped by Alyssa's cart.

"Oh, sorry, Ma'am. I'm so sorry," Alyssa apologized.

The woman shook her head a few times before continuing on her way.

"Idiot! You almost caused a scene," Alyssa cursed herself.

She continued to walk around the supermarket, filling her cart with items she thought they needed, ignoring the fatigue in her legs.

"Do we need soy sauce?" She mused as she reached the condiment aisle.

Alyssa quickly grabbed a few bottles of sweet soy sauce. Seeing the bottles in the cart reminded her of Brent again.

"It's been a long time since I cooked Brent's favorite soy sauce chicken," Alyssa muttered, her eyes reflecting a sad light.

Her expression quickly changed. A bright smile replaced the sadness that had momentarily appeared.

"Okay. Today, I'll cook soy sauce chicken for Brent," she decided. Alyssa's smile grew wider as she imagined Brent's face enjoying his favorite meal.

"Brent...."

Whether it was a coincidence or divine plan, at that moment, the person Alyssa was thinking about appeared unexpectedly. Just a few meters ahead, Brent was pushing a cart full of groceries with a woman at his side. The woman's face seemed familiar to Alyssa, but she couldn't recall where or when she had met her.

Seeing this scene, Alyssa tried to stay calm even though her mind was swirling with negative thoughts. She forced a smile as Brent, with a stiff expression, arrived in front of her. If she wasn't mistaken, Brent looked surprised to see her there.

"Brent?" Alyssa greeted, forcing her smile to stay in place. The woman next to Brent looked surprised and then asked, "Oh, are you with Alyssa?"

"Yes," Brent replied flatly.

Alyssa felt something collapse inside her chest. A gaping hole opened in her heart. An overwhelming pain caused her smile to vanish instantly.

So, this is what it feels like not to be acknowledged by your own husband? Alyssa thought sadly.

Meanwhile, the woman smiled broadly, in stark contrast to Alyssa, who seemed dazed by Brent's response.

The woman extended her hand. "Hi, Alyssa? Finally, I get to see you in person."

Alyssa nodded without smiling or accepting Janice's hand. Her heart sank in pain as she remembered that this woman was Janice, the one Brent almost married before choosing Alyssa.

Slowly, Alyssa backed away with her cart, then turned and left without a word.

"Janice...." Alyssa whispered.

Tears fell unbidden, accompanying her heavy steps.

Alyssa was utterly shattered. All her confidence vanished after meeting Janice in person.

"So... this is the reason? Brent never wanted to talk about Janice, but it seems... I'm not someone he trusts in this marriage," she sobbed, heartbroken.

To be continued...

Alyssa repeatedly glanced at the front door and the clock on the wall. Just to see how long she had been sitting in the silence of the living room, waiting for Brent, who still hadn't come back.

He left in the morning and met Alyssa at the supermarket that afternoon. So, where did Brent go after that? What place is he visiting that he hasn't returned this late? Or does Brent have no intention of coming home? Because he's busy with Janice?

"Brent couldn't be that cruel, right?" Alyssa whispered as she stared at the tightly closed front door.

Three seconds later, she turned her gaze. Her eyes now focused on the abstract painting hanging on the living room wall. A bitter smile appeared on Alyssa's face as she looked at the painting.

"We don't even have a wedding photo," Alyssa said, her tone full of regret.

Why did Alyssa only realize this now? Where has she been all this time?

The girl then looked up, trying to hold back the tears that suddenly welled up.

"Brent?"

She stood up reflexively when she heard the front door open from the outside. Sure enough, it was Brent who opened it.

Brent's appearance looked a bit disheveled. His face showed signs of fatigue. If she didn't remember that there was an issue that needed to be resolved, Alyssa wouldn't have had the heart to confront her husband.

"Brent, we need to talk!" Alyssa shouted as she saw Brent trying to ignore her.

Like a robot controlled by a remote, Brent turned to face Alyssa with stiff movements, matching his expression that also looked rigid.

"What's wrong with you?" Alyssa asked as she approached Brent. In a flat tone, Brent replied, "Do I look like something's wrong?"

"You're asking what's wrong? Did you forget how you treated me this afternoon? You acted like I was nobody. You ignored me and chose to help Janice instead. Did you know that? I intended to ask you to go shopping with me, but you just left like that. Turns out you already had plans with another woman. Why? Are you bored with me? Don't need me anymore? Ashamed to acknowledge me as your wife? Because I'm from the Mitchell family? Because I don't want to give you children? Because I can't fulfill your and your family's wishes? Is that it?" Alyssa snapped.

Brent's indifferent attitude had burned away all of Alyssa's patience. So tonight, instead of talking calmly as she had planned, Alyssa exploded uncontrollably.

Brent stared sharply into Alyssa's red, tear-filled eyes.

"Watch your words, Grace," Brent hissed.

"You're cruel," Alyssa whispered.

"Don't twist the facts. Clearly, you started all this, Grace. You're the one getting close with other men. You're the one who doesn't understand your position as my wife. You know? It's lucky that day Janice saw your behavior and not someone else or your mother's friends-"

"Janice is the culprit? She's the one who gave you the photo?" Alyssa snapped quickly.

Brent clamped his mouth shut. His jaw tightened with anger, especially seeing Alyssa chuckle cynically with tears streaming down her face. It was an expression Brent did not want to see.

"So, you trust Janice more than you trust me?" Alyssa asked. Her tone indicated how much she couldn't believe Brent.

Instead of answering Alyssa's question, Brent turned his face away.

"Okay. I understand."

After saying that, Alyssa hurried to her room. She couldn't bear to face Brent anymore and had to swallow the reality that Brent trusted Janice more than her.

In her room, Alyssa sobbed quietly, covering her mouth to prevent Brent from hearing her cries.

Alyssa never expected the past to repeat itself. She never thought Brent would be just like Hiro, her ex. They both trusted someone else over her.

"Will the end be the same?" Alyssa muttered amidst her sobs.

...

"Brent, how long are you going to stay here? It's almost morning."

David had asked Brent this countless times over the past four hours, watching his friend drink himself into a stupor. David was nearly ready to give up. He didn't know how else to convince Brent to stop his madness.

After fighting with Alyssa, Brent left the house and retreated to David's nightclub. Brent, who hadn't touched alcohol for years, was now drinking again, hoping to forget his fight with Alyssa.

"I just wanted to pay her back, David," Brent said, holding his head in his hands.

"Huh? What do you mean?" David was confused.

"Yesterday...."

He told David everything. About how he ignored Alyssa, his wife, in front of Janice to make Alyssa jealous, just as he had felt seeing Alyssa hug Hiro. Brent's reckless actions were driven by his excessive jealousy.

"You're out of line, Brent," David said.

"She started it," Brent retorted.

"But you didn't hear her explanation. You just believed what you saw and gave in to your overwhelming jealousy," David scolded. Brent, unfocused, stared at the shot glass in front of him.

"Apologize to your wife. That's my advice," David suggested.

"I'm not wrong," Brent refused.

"You're wrong!" David insisted.

"Can you imagine how she felt when you ignored her in front of another woman? Especially since I'm sure Alyssa knows who Janice is," David added.

Without warning, Brent threw his shot glass, shattering it into pieces. He glared at David, who remained unfazed by his outburst.

"That photo must be real because your sister sent it to me," Brent hissed.

"Idiot!" David snapped.

"How long have you known my sister? Have you forgotten everything she's done to drive away any girl who tries to get close to you? Forgotten?" David berated him.

Loosening his tie, David downed the alcohol the bartender had just served him in one gulp.

"You're insane, Brent," David muttered.

Brent, called insane, didn't respond. He seemed stunned. His eyes reddened and filled with tears, as if realizing the foolishness of his actions. But his regret was too late, wasn't it? He had already hurt Alyssa. He had let his jealousy blind him to the important things he should never have missed.

"This is why dating before marriage is important. So that when problems arise, you can think straight," David said sarcastically.

Brent ignored David's jibes. He sat limply on the bar stool, pulling at his own hair.

I'm sorry, Grace. Brent regretted in his heart.

To be continued...

The alarm rang loudly on a morning already brightened by the sun. Brent, who was sound asleep, had to wake up. He quickly sat up with his back against the headboard.

"Shhh."

He hissed softly as he felt a headache coming on. It was definitely the effect of last night's heavy drinking. Alcohol always leaves a bad effect on the body, no matter what.

While massaging his forehead, Brent surveyed the quiet room. It seemed like not only his room but the entire house was silent. However, for now, he didn't want to worry about the strange silence. He had to get up and clean himself up because he needed to go to the office to finish his work.

It didn't take long for him to finish cleaning up. He came out of the bathroom and was stunned. Suddenly, he felt an emptiness. Usually, after his shower, Alyssa would have his clothes ready. But this morning, she hadn't done it.

Brent took a deep breath, aware that they were still caught up in a misunderstanding. So, it was understandable that Alyssa didn't want to prepare his clothes.

Brent quickly went to the wardrobe not far from him. But once again, he was bewildered by the sight of the empty dressing table. There were no makeup items or the usual skincare products Alyssa used.

"Where did she go?" Brent asked, though no one was there to answer.

He then opened the wardrobe and found another oddity. The contents of the wardrobe looked reduced. Alyssa's clothes were gone. Brent also realized that her suitcase was missing. As a result, he began rummaging through the wardrobe to confirm what he saw. But it was true, Alyssa's suitcase and clothes were gone.

Still in his bathrobe, Brent moved to Alyssa's former room. He checked the wardrobe there, but none of Alyssa's belongings were present. The room was very neat. The study table and dressing table were empty. The room felt cold, like it had never been occupied.

"Where did you go, Grace?" Brent panicked, then went to find his phone.

He wanted to contact Alyssa. But when he opened his phone, Brent found a message from the girl with the big eyes.

Grace:

My departure schedule was moved up. Sorry I didn't say goodbye, you looked tired. I couldn't bear to wake you. See you in three months.

After reading the message from his wife, Brent immediately tried to call Alyssa. But her number was not active. He tried several times, but it was the same. Alyssa's number couldn't be reached.

Brent sat on the edge of the bed. His gaze was empty as his mind cleared and he realized that Alyssa had left before their misunderstanding was resolved.

"It's my fault, Grace," Brent muttered, closing his eyes in despair.

If only that day Brent hadn't acted rashly and had listened to Alyssa's explanation, none of this would have happened. He and Alyssa wouldn't have reached this point.

All the way to the meeting room, Brent was accompanied only by unending regret. Regret for acting rashly and following his excessive jealousy. So excessive that it blinded him to many things, including the fact that she could never betray him.

"Good morning, Mr. Brent!"

Brent was almost at his office but happened to run into Hiro. Yes, his wife's ex-boyfriend also worked under his company. Initially, Brent intended to ignore Hiro, but Alyssa's past greeted him and stopped him.

"Morning," Brent replied flatly.

Nevertheless, Brent was still upset remembering Hiro had once hugged Alyssa. Even though he knew that hug meant nothing,

"Mr. Brent, do you have a moment? I need to talk to you. Just for a moment," Hiro asked politely.

"Five minutes," Brent said.

"Ten minutes," Hiro bargained.

"I'm busy, Hiro," Brent retorted.

"But this is about Alyssa, sir," Hiro persuaded.

Since Hiro mentioned Alyssa, Brent had no reason not to give in and give Hiro ten minutes to talk. They finally decided to talk in Brent's office.

"So, what about my wife?" Brent asked, deliberately calling Alyssa "my wife" to remind Hiro of Alyssa's current status.

"Alyssa told me everything. About the photo of the two of us," Hiro revealed.

"And? I know the photo doesn't mean anything," Brent said, as if he had not been affected by the photo before.

"Are you sure, sir? Then why did Alyssa say you had a misunderstanding a few days ago? When Alyssa told me, I intended to come and explain everything to you, but Alyssa stopped me. She said you needed time to calm down and that you would listen to her explanation once you were calm. But... it seems Alyssa was wrong," Hiro explained at length.

"Yesterday... Alyssa also told me that the person who sent the photo was Janice," Hiro continued.

Brent remained silent, listening to Hiro's entire explanation.

"I don't know if Alyssa has told you or not, but I'll tell you everything."

"Tell me what?" Brent asked seriously.

Hiro smiled slightly. Brent didn't care about the meaning behind the smile; he only wanted to hear the story Hiro mentioned.

"I know Janice, she's been my friend since childhood. I know what she's like. She'll do anything to separate people she doesn't like, sir," Hiro asserted.

Hiro's expression changed instantly as he recalled Janice's deceitfulness. "What do you mean?" Brent asked impatiently.

"Cheryl also sent a photo of me and Alyssa. We were hugging at that time, but I had no other intention. I just wanted to comfort Alyssa, who was shaken after hearing her father was hospitalized. But Cheryl made up a story, and you believed it," Hiro explained.

Damn. Brent cursed inwardly as he recalled his foolishness.

"I bet yesterday you also believed Janice," Hiro hissed, unable to hide his frustration.

"I was wrong about that," Brent said, clenching his fists secretly.

Brent was deeply disappointed in himself. His jealousy had blinded him to everything. He hadn't even thought to investigate and had immediately accused Alyssa, hurting her by not acknowledging their marriage in front of Janice.

"That's between you and Alyssa," Hiro said flatly.

Then, he pushed his phone towards Brent.

"This is why I hugged your wife that afternoon." Hiro showed a photo of a kebaya with bloodstains that Alyssa received that afternoon.

Brent grabbed Hiro's phone and closely examined the photo of the kebaya.

"Alyssa has been receiving threats for a long time, sir. She's always been threatened with death if she didn't leave you," Hiro explained.

"Grace never told me," Brent said in disbelief. "Don't blame Alyssa, sir. She tried to tell you, but the timing was always off. She always said you were already exhausted from work. Alyssa didn't want to add to your burden."

In silence, Brent squeezed Hiro's phone, not out of anger at Hiro but out of anger at himself for being so unaware and unable to read the situation.

"Ten minutes," Hiro said, taking his phone back.

"Thank you for your time, sir," Hiro said, leaving Brent speechless.

Brent's hands were now clenched on the concrete desk. His jaw tightened, a sign that he was struggling to control his anger.

Only now did Brent realize his shortcomings. How foolish he had been. He didn't know anything about what Alyssa was going through. Instead, he accused and hurt her. He should have been the first to comfort Alyssa, the first person she turned to when those threats haunted her.

"Threats?" Brent muttered as if recalling something.

"Janice," he said sharply.

To be continued...