Accidental Marriage with the CEO: Unwanted Bride
Chapter 47: Other woman

Chapter 47: Other woman

After another twenty minutes, there was still no news about Michelle’s whereabouts, despite multiple searches around the ocean.

"Still no sign of her?" Roman asked as Kay returned from his second dive.

"No. It’s too dangerous to go deeper. I suggest we continue in the morning," Kay advised.

"She won’t survive that long," Roman replied firmly. "Get me a wetsuit," he ordered, prompting Kay to quickly dispatch instructions to the other men.

Soon, Roman was geared up and dove into the water himself to search for Michelle. The tense silence dragged on for two minutes, and just as Kay was preparing to jump in after him, someone suddenly shouted, "She’s been found!" The announcement left everyone wide-eyed in disbelief. Many had already lost hope, some even assumed she had been eaten by sharks or some other ocean predator. Roman must be good at searching then if it took him such a little time to find her.

"Help them up!" Kay barked at the standby crew, who rushed over and lifted Michelle from Roman’s arms, placing her gently on the floor.

"Lay her flat on the ground," Roman instructed as he reached her side, and the men followed his command immediately.

"Quick, give her CPR!" Michelle’s sister urged, tugging at Roman’s hand, which drew attention from the growing crowd.

"Are they really going to get married?" Someone whispered among the onlookers. Patricia heard the comment and silently replied in her mind, ’If only they knew.’

"She’s unmarried. He can’t," Kay interjected. "You should do it."

But Michelle’s sister, clearly determined and aware of her motives, snapped, "They are soon to be married anyway, why can’t he? Everyone here knows they love each other. Who are you to interfere?" Her sharp retort sent a wave of gasps through the crowd.

"So the rumor is true," voices murmured as speculation swelled. Zara scoffed, knowing she had been right all along.

"I told you, it is all a ploy to trap Roman. If he saves her like this, everyone will side with her. Even if he introduces you later, they will see you as the other woman," Zara pointed out. Patricia already knew this, but she was trying not to let Michelle’s scheme get under her skin.

"It doesn’t matter. I will be divorcing him. I don’t care what anyone thinks," Patricia replied, trying to sound resolute, though deep down, she couldn’t help wondering whether he would actually perform the CPR.

"You are a doctor! Why are you just standing there while a patient is in need?!" Michelle’s sister screamed again, frustrated that her plan wasn’t unfolding the way she had hoped.

"Patricia is also a doctor, she can perform CPR too. Unless, of course, you are scheming and just want Dr. Roman to kiss your sister," Zara suddenly spoke up from the crowd, her voice cutting through the tension. Everyone turned to look at her, she and Patricia were only a few steps away.

Patricia’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to Zara, tugging at her hand, silently asking with her eyes what she was doing.

"Yes, Miss Patricia can also give CPR," Kay interjected, siding with Zara’s logic. Zara smirked and began nudging Patricia forward toward where Michelle lay.

"No, he’s more suited for it. What if she makes a mistake?" Michelle’s sister argued, her voice softer now. "Roman is a well-known doctor. His skills have never failed. That’s all I am saying."

Scoffing, "Do you know Patricia was the assistant surgeon who saved your sister’s life during the operation? Unless you are planning to perform CPR yourself, let her help or keep stalling," Zara announced, her voice loud enough to cut through the rising murmurs.

"It was her? That’s impressive. Who is she?" Someone asked from the crowd, and just like that, attention shifted toward Patricia. Michelle’s sister’s plan was beginning to unravel, and the shift in focus made her visibly anxious.

Realizing she was losing control, she blurted out, "It’s just hygiene. It’s cleaner for Roman to use his mouth than hers." But she instantly regretted her words. How did that even make sense?

"What?" Zara said in disbelief, then burst into laughter, prompting a few others to chuckle as well. Patricia found it amusing too, but she kept her laugh in, lowering her head modestly. If doctors waited for the perfect hygiene conditions before saving lives, there would be more of the dead than the living in the world.

"So foolish," someone muttered, shaking her head as others continued laughing.

As the situation continued spiraling, Roman’s sharp voice cut through the noise. "Enough. Patricia will perform the CPR. If you are not okay with it, then do it yourself," he said firmly, turning to Michelle’s sister with a fierce glare.

She froze under the weight of his stare, clearly intimidated. Without saying another word, she nodded in reluctant agreement.

Patricia stepped forward and knelt beside Michelle, placing her hands on her chest. She pressed down three times before bending over to breathe air into her mouth. Just then, Michelle suddenly coughed up water and began gasping for air, prompting her sister to rush forward and shove Patricia out of the way.

"Hey!" Zara shouted, hurrying over to help Patricia to her feet, not noticing that another hand was already outstretched to do the same.

"She just saved your sister, and this is how you repay her?!" Zara snapped, glaring at both Michelle and her sister.

"Michelle! Are you okay? I was so worried about you," Michelle’s sister cried dramatically, dropping to her knees beside her and bursting into tears. Zara cringed at the sight, disgusted by the fake emotions. She always seemed to be the only one who saw through their act first.

"Help her back into her room," Roman said coldly and began walking away. But Michelle suddenly clung to his leg, crying out in desperation, "No, please don’t leave me. I don’t want to sleep alone tonight!" Her voice cracked, laced with pitiful desperation.

"Forget it," her sister chimed in, adding more fuel to the fire. "He has no love for you anymore. He would rather have another woman save you instead."

"No! Roman will never stop loving me. He promised me forever. I don’t believe he doesn’t love me anymore!" Michelle cried out, her dramatic tone making Zara roll her eyes.

"So annoying," Zara muttered, watching the whole performance with growing irritation. The crowd stood silently, watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, waiting to see what would happen next.

Then, without a word, Roman bent down and gently picked Michelle up into his arms. The crowd erupted into applause at the gesture, some gasping, others cheering.

"Have them heat up her room," he instructed Kay before turning and walking away with Michelle in his arms.

Patricia stood frozen, watching everything unfold in front of her, unsure of what exactly she was feeling. She didn’t love him, at least, she told herself she didn’t. She didn’t care if he had another woman. But something deep inside her twisted at the sight of him showing affection to someone else. Maybe it was because she felt wronged. Maybe it was pride. But whatever it was, it made her deeply uncomfortable.

She silently prayed that it wasn’t her heart getting foolishly involved. That couldn’t be the case. It better not be.

"Let’s go back. The show’s over," Zara said casually, unaware of her friend’s emotional turmoil, and reached for Patricia’s hand.