Divorce With Benefits: A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 106: In Danger

Chapter 106: In Danger

During lunch, Harold made his way over to Jerica’s table, sitting across from her with an air of determination. The casual conversation around them seemed to dim as Harold leaned forward slightly, his face serious. Jerica felt the shift immediately and paused mid-bite, sensing that he had something on his mind.

Maybe he’d picked up on the underlying tension between them from earlier. It didn’t surprise her; Harold was observant, even if he didn’t always show it. What did surprise her was when he spoke up.

"I’m planning on canceling the engagement with Chelsea Glover," Harold said, his voice steady but tinged with a vulnerability she wasn’t used to seeing in him. "I want to seriously date Lila."

Jerica froze, her fork hovering in mid-air. Had he really made that decision already? She placed her fork down carefully, her thoughts racing. Harold wasn’t one to make snap decisions, but this felt... rushed. Unplanned. Still, she didn’t want to jump to conclusions or discourage him outright, so she chose to stay silent, focusing on her meal instead.

"You’re not saying anything," Harold said, his brows furrowing. The tone of his voice carried a faint accusation, as if her silence spoke volumes.

Jerica hesitated but then decided to ask the question that had been bothering her. "Does Lila know that you want to date her?"

Harold’s expression shifted, his pride shining through. "Why wouldn’t she be?" he asked with a small smirk, as though the idea of Lila not reciprocating his feelings was absurd.

Jerica resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Harold," she said gently but firmly, "you’re serious about her. You need to make sure she feels the same way. You can’t make a decision like this without knowing if you’re on the same page."

Harold’s smile faltered, and his shoulders stiffened. She could tell her words weren’t landing the way she intended. His pride seemed to shield him from hearing the truth. "Lila will come around," he said dismissively, brushing off her concern. "She just needs time to realize what we have."

Jerica’s patience was beginning to wear thin. "Harold, this isn’t just about what you feel. Lila told me herself that she wasn’t looking for something serious. You can’t ignore that."

But Harold wasn’t in the mood to listen. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms defensively. "I know what I’m doing," he said, his voice rising slightly. "You don’t have to lecture me about relationships, Jerica."

The sharpness of his tone stung, but before Jerica could respond, Jared appeared out of nowhere, his presence instantly commanding attention. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Mind your business," Jared said lightly but firmly, his eyes locking onto Harold’s with a quiet warning. "Harold’s a big man; he can handle his affairs."

Jerica blinked, momentarily taken aback. She wanted to push further, to stop Harold from diving headfirst into something that could hurt him—and Lila—but Jared’s calm demeanor softened her resolve. His kiss, though fleeting, was grounding, and his confidence in Harold’s ability to handle things, misguided as it might have been, gave her pause.

She sighed, reluctantly leaning back. Maybe Jared was right. Harold was a grown man, and he’d have to navigate his own choices, even if they led to mistakes. For now, she let the matter rest, though her heart ached at the thought of what might come next.

As the evening stretched into dusk, the group was finally preparing to leave. Jerica had already settled into her seat on the bus, but a sudden and unavoidable need to pee made her groan inwardly. She sighed and stood up, ignoring the collective groans and complaints that rippled through the group.

"I’ll be quick!" she called out, waving a dismissive hand as she stepped off the bus.

Her plan was simple: use the "Out of Order" port-a-potty Jared had designated as her personal sanctuary during the trip. She smirked to herself at the memory of him making it off-limits to everyone else, his thoughtfulness hidden beneath his usual nonchalance. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with a questionable gas station restroom later.

Jerica quickly made her way to the port-a-potty. It was still untouched. She felt a small wave of gratitude for Jared as she stepped inside, took care of business, and stepped back out into the cool evening air.

But as she zipped her jacket, something caught her eye—a fleeting, dark movement at the edge of the tree line. Her pulse quickened as she squinted into the fading light. The shadows played tricks on her, but then she saw it again: a large, brown, furry shape moving swiftly between the trees.

Her breath hitched as realization struck. It was a bear—a massive, brown grizzly bear.

Her mind went blank, panic flooding her system. What was she supposed to do? Make herself bigger? Make noise? No—wasn’t that for black bears? What about brown bears? The advice blurred together in her mind, and all she could think of was one word:

Run.

And she did.

Her legs moved on instinct, sprinting toward the bus as her heart pounded in her chest. The bear’s presence loomed behind her, and then she heard it—a heavy thump, followed by another. Her blood ran cold.

The bear was chasing her.

Terror surged through her veins. Her breaths came in sharp gasps as she pushed her legs harder, the ground a blur beneath her. She could hear the bear gaining on her, each thunderous step The realization was stark and terrifying: she couldn’t outrun it.

"Jared!" she screamed, her voice cracking with desperation. It wasn’t a call for reason; it was raw instinct, a primal cry for help. Deep down, she wasn’t even sure what he could do—what anyone could do—or if she was selfishly putting him in danger too. But she didn’t think about that. She just called him.

Her mind raced through flashes of memory: Jared’s teasing smirk, his protective arm around her, the warmth of his touch as he whispered promises of their future. It made the looming end all the more unbearable. Not like this. Please, not like this.

The thudding behind her grew louder, the vibrations rattling her senses. Her chest tightened with each thunderous step as the bear closed in. Adrenaline surged, but it felt like a futile flame against an impending storm. A single, harrowing thought consumed her: I’m going to die.

She turned her head for a fleeting glance.

It was a mistake.

The bear’s hulking form filled her vision, its dark eyes locked on her, its massive frame a force of nature just meters away. Her heart stopped as she stumbled forward, her foot catching on a root. Time slowed as gravity betrayed her, pulling her body toward the earth.

Not like this. Not today. Not when Jared changed his mind. Not when I have a chance to become a mother, like I’ve always dreamed.

She hit the ground hard, her face slamming into the dirt. The impact jarred her, but she barely noticed the sting on her cheek or the scrape on her hands. Her mind was screaming, louder than any pain: Run! Get up! Do something!

But she couldn’t. The bear was too close.

Jerica instinctively curled into herself, pulling her arms over the back of her head to shield herself, bracing for the inevitable—razor-sharp claws tearing through her flesh, teeth sinking into her back. Every nerve in her body screamed for survival, but all she could do was wait for the unbearable pain to come.

And then—

Bang!

A deafening crack shattered the silence, followed by another. The ground beneath her seemed to tremble, but it wasn’t from the bear.

Bang! Bang!

Jerica’s eyes squeezed shut as the sound echoed in her ears. The sharp scent of gunpowder filled the air. A heavy thud shook the ground behind her, the warmth of the bear’s body pressing against her legs.

Silence followed.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Slowly, trembling, she lifted her head. The weight of the moment pressed against her chest, but her mind refused to process what had just happened.

The massive bear lay behind her, its lifeless form still and terrifyingly close. Blood pooled beneath it, staining the forest floor. Jerica stared, wide-eyed and frozen, the reality of her survival sinking in like a slow tide.

Did someone kill the bear? Did I really hear bullets? Her thoughts were a chaotic blur. Who protected me?

Her head snapped toward the direction of the shots, half expecting to see Harold standing there. Harold had always boasted about his hunting exploits—his family’s prized collection of rifles, his precision on the shooting range. If anyone had brought a gun to this camping trip, it would be him. She clung to that thought as her eyes flickered toward the lifeless bear sprawled on the ground.

The monstrous beast that had nearly ended her life now lay eerily still, its massive form almost serene in death. The sight made her stomach churn. She shuddered, the raw weight of how close she had come to being eaten alive crashing over her. Her fingers dug into the dirt as she struggled to ground herself in the reality that she was, miraculously, still here.

But then her gaze landed on the figure holding the gun.

Her breath hitched.

It wasn’t Harold.