Chapter 1 He's Already Remarried

Natalie's POV: "Your husband is married to another woman." What is he talking about? I'm still alive—who could he have possibly married? A ringing started in my ears, and it felt like I hadn't really understood what the lawyer just said. Three years back, the cruise ship I was on got attacked by pirates. I was taken captive and held in their territory. It wasn't until recently that the international peacekeeping police managed to rescue me. For the past three years, I held onto the hope every single day that my husband would find me and take me home. I never imagined that, after everything, I'd return only to be told he's already remarried. I tried to speak, but nothing came out of my mouth. The ordeal left me with traumatic aphasia—I lost the ability to speak because of what I went through. "I'm sorry," the lawyer said gently. "According to the documents, your husband declared you legally dead in the second year after you went missing. He remarried not long after that." "Natalie!" The door flew open, and someone hurried in, panic etched all over his face. It was Mike—my husband. He was wearing a sharp, tailored suit, clearly high-end, and the watch on his wrist alone looked like it cost a fortune. Looks like Mike struck it rich while I was gone these past three years. Mike pulled me into a tight hug. "Thank God you're alive!" His arms felt just like they did three years ago—strong, steady, and full of warmth. It almost convinced me he still cared. If the lawyer hadn't just told me he'd already remarried and had kids, I might've believed he still loved me. "Everything's alright now. Don't be scared. Come home with me," he said softly, wrapping his fingers around mine. I drew my hand away. Home? Did that place still exist for me? Mike froze for a moment. His eyes turned glassy, and he averted his gaze. His voice shook as he spoke. "I'm sorry ... I stopped searching. The people I hired back then told me you didn't make it, so ... " He looked so genuine, so full of raw emotion. Could the lawyer have gotten it wrong? Mike and I had been deeply in love—how could he have ended up with another woman? He was my first love. We'd been together since the freshman year of high school—ten years of dating and three more years of marriage. How could he belong to someone else now? Were those memories all just illusions? "Don't worry," Mike said gently, reaching for my hand again. "I'll find the best specialists to help you speak again." He still cared—he still loved me! I looked up at him, hope flaring in my chest, and walked out of the law office beside him with purpose. The sunlight outside was dazzling, bathing everything in warmth. I had escaped that nightmare—surely what lay ahead had to be something better, something like heaven. But ... "Natalie ... I'll bring you to a hotel first," Mike said, his tone uneasy. "A lot has happened these past few years. We can't come back home, because... well, it's a bit complicated right now..." My gaze snapped to his face. What was that supposed to mean? He wouldn't let me go home! But why? I pulled out a notepad and pen, my hand moving quickly as I wrote, "Home!" That was my place. The house Mike and I paid for together before we even got married—it was where all the good things in my life had begun. I had to go back. Mike froze, silent for what felt like forever. Then, at last, he said softly, "I'm sorry ... " A cold shiver ran through me, and I clenched my fists to stop the trembling. Even when a pirate pressed a gun to my head, I hadn't been this terrified. But now, it felt like death had finally struck. "Natalie ... you were gone for three years. Everyone believed you were gone for good," Mike said quietly. "I got remarried. My wife and child live in that house now ... I'm sorry, but I can't let them be hurt." What about me? I am your wife!