One More Chance

"And when are you going to stop chasing someone who's already taken? When are you going to wake up and stop believing that Luke is my boyfriend, that he will never love you no matter what you do, and that he is mine?"

But to my surprise, she suddenly burst out laughing in front of us.

"Whew! That's kinda funny, I swear!" She even wiped her fake tears much to my annoyance. "My dear Sam, I'm not here for Luke, I'm here for you because like I said, I'm concerned with you. When are you going to believe me that your beloved boyfriend cheated on you? He's now left you, I mean dumped you because he's now married to someone else!"

"What the hell on earth that this bitch is talking about?" Dana turned to me, frowning.

"Don't mind her, she's just lying!"

"Oh, how I wish I am just lying,"novelbin

"Get out!" I just said nicely instead of yelling at her.

The word 'cheated' left an impact on my now confused and aching heart.

"Get out, Lucy," I don't know what I can do to her when the anger I've been holding already bursts out of my chest.

"If you don't believe me, why don't you ask him the truth? Or... why don't you investigate so you will know that what I'm saying is true? Oh, wait, I have some proof here," She smirked as she pulled a brown envelope from her bag. "Here, you can---"

But she was stopped from speaking as Martha quickly snatched it from her.

"Jesus Christ!"

My eyes followed Martha's movements when she opened the envelope and the photo of Luke kissing that same woman in the newspaper in public made me gasp in shock. A sharp shooting pain crept into my chest that I almost lost my balance if it wasn't for Dana who grabbed my elbow and supported me right away.

"See? I told you, didn't I?"

"Get out," I tried to swallow back the lump that had formed in my throat and immediately blinked away the tears as I don't want her to think she's won to insinuate pain in me and ruin our relationship.

"Now, you believe me that Luke is not meant for you---"

"Didn't you hear me? I said get out, didn't I?" I threw her a death glare this time.

"Whoa! You're not going to kill me, are you?"

"She already said get out so, get the fuck out, bitch, or I swear to rip your body here right now! And yes, if she couldn't kill you, then I will, so get out!" I guess Dana couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Fine! I'm going out now," But she didn't leave without giving me a wink and a demonic laugh.

*************

"Argh!" I screamed right after I entered the office and slumped on the couch while crying.

It was only then that I let out the sobs I had been holding back earlier.

It was only then that I screamed the pain out of my chest.

It was only then that I realized why he stayed there and hasn't called me these past few days.

And it was only then that the word 'cheated' rang in my ears... again.

"Sam..." Dana and Martha came running to my side and held my shaking hands and shoulders.

"H - He did it again... he did it... again!" I choked on the last word. I really don't know how to explain the pain I was feeling right at that moment. It seemed like millions of needles were simultaneously piercing my heart and sanity at the same time. It's so hard to breathe, it's so hard to think straight.

"Sam, let's wait for him, so we can ask him if those pictures were true," Dana said tucking my loose strands behind my ear.

"No, Dana, there is no need for that!"

"But Sam---"

"At first, I don't want to believe Lucy when I read the article but..." I paused as I felt short of breath due to painful sobs that escaped my throat.

"What do you mean by article? Which article?"

Martha stood up in an instant when she saw the newspaper on my desk. They both flipped through all the pages until they saw it.

"Oh, holy cow! Is this even real?" Martha exclaimed in shock and confusion. She even looked at me with eyes filled with worry.

"At first, I thought it wasn't, but seeing his name that has written on it plus the pictures that Lucy gave earlier, I realized they were all true! He cheated on me again, but I guess now is more painful compared to the first time he had done it because he promised me he'd never make the same mistake again." "What if those photos were edited and what if this article were just made up to criticize Luke's reputation? To turn him down, you know, business industry?" Martha asked as she walk back to my side.

"If so, then why he hasn't called Sam and why didn't he inform her about this article?" Dana replied as a question.

"Haist! That's what I'm also confused about, jeez!"

Hearing them talk about the silent questions in my head made me even more upset and felt betrayed.

How could he do this again? How could he break my trust again when he knew that he had a hard time getting it at first? How could he say and promise to love me when he already has someone else by now and they're already married? "What's your plan, Sam?"

"I don't know, Dana, honestly I don't even know how to think anymore."

"Why don't you ask him the truth? Why don't you follow him in Saudi Arabia to find out if this is all true?"

"But how would I do that when I don't even know where in Saudi Arabia he could be?"

"Caleb is here, so I'm sure he knows where to find Luke," Dana shrugged but I shook my head.

"I can't, Dana,"

"But Sam..."

I closed my eyes as suddenly a part of my painful memory rushed back into my head. That memory that I had started to let go of a long time ago, but this time it seemed like rushing back again with the same person who had also caused it even before.

It was when Jack called me to witness how Luke was cheating on me with Cherry. I remember how much pain I felt that time when I saw how happy he was with her. It was unbearable and I felt like my world suddenly crushed down to my feet, especially when I saw him kiss her. I was so devastated.

I regretted for a long time what I had done to him. I know I became selfish before and I forced him to marry me and become my husband, so somehow I understand why he cheated.

But now, I started asking myself again what I had done this time and he still managed to cheat again. Am I not enough or is it true that he loves me? Do I deserve this?

And as the days went by that I didn't receive any calls or messages from him, I gradually began to believe that what has been written in the newspaper was true.

Maybe I would have accepted it when he told me before leaving or when he informed me that he had already met someone else. That he had already met someone else who is much better than me. Maybe... just maybe... I shouldn't have wondered what mistake I'd made this time for him to leave me without saying goodbye.

I could have let him go if he had just said so or if he ask me to. I won't force him to stay in our relationship, or stop him from leaving if he would just be honest with me... then I will let him go.

"Before when he did it the first time, I couldn't stand the pain, what's more now that it's the second time? The pain has doubled as he not only destroyed our relationship but also the trust I had given him... so I can't do it, Dana. I'm sure it's going to kill me this time when I saw him flirting with that woman... with his wife."

Mentioning the last word felt so hard and tasted bitter in my mouth that created again another painful sob in my throat.

"I understand your decision, but I just want you to know that we are here for you and we will never leave your side until we find out the truth,"

"Yeah, we will support whatever your decision is,"