Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"Don't worry aunt, I'll definitely talk to Andrew about it and see if he can do something," Rachael assured her.

"Thank you," Roma sighed. "I know I might be wrong but I still can't help but worry. Joshua is my only child, I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I want him to live a peaceful and normal life."

"I can understand but don't stress about it too much, it will affect your health." A mother being concerned for her child was completely normal. Rachael understood her aunt's concern regarding Joshua but they were yet to find out if he had really lied to everyone about his whereabouts in Russia for so many years. Worrying too much without any solid evidence would only cause a negative impact.

…..

[Rachael's Room]

When Rachael came back to the room, Andrew was lying on the bed after taking a shower. He was scrolling through his phone.

Without saying anything, she lay down next to him and snuggled closer.

"Did you finish talking to aunt?" He asked as he pulled her in his embrace.

""Hmm—" When her eyes landed on his phone screen, she asked, "Is this a group?"

"Yes," he answered as he typed the message he was about to send in the group.

"THE BOY GOSSIP CLUB." Rachael read out the group name aloud and laughed. "Do you guys gossip a lot?"

"I won't call it gossip," he remarked. "We just discuss and tell each other important things whenever it's needed."

"Well, it sounds like gossip to me." She took a closer look at the group icon. "What is that picture? Can you show me?"

Without saying anything, Andrew enlarged their group icon and gave her his phone.

It was an old picture of three teenage boys, posing with their arms on each other's shoulders. They had bright smiles on their faces and looked very happy.

"Is that you, Justin and Owen?" she curiously inquired.

"Yes," he answered as he caressed her arm. "It's a very old picture from high school."

Reminiscing about the good old times, he laughed, "After taking this picture, we got drunk and ran away from the dorm."

"So should I assume that you were a very naught teenage boy back then?" she rested her chin on his chest and looked at him.

"I am not gonna lie to you, I have done pretty wild things when I was in highschool," he chuckled. "But the things Justin and I have done is nothing in comparison to the things Owen has done."

When the messages in the group started flooding, Rachael gave him the phone back.

When Andrew read the message and laughed, she curiously inquired, "What are you guys talking about?"

He did not say anything but directly showed her the conversation between Justin and Owen.

[Owen: What do you mean by I am not your type? (angry emoticon)]

[Justin: Go away]

[O: Now that you have found yourself a wife, I am suddenly not good enough for you?]

[J: I am not having this conversation with you again]

[O: Did you forget that I am your first kiss?]

[J: Hey, that kiss was an accident -_-  It has been more than a decade, why are you suddenly bringing it up?]

[O: Accident or not, I am your first kiss and that fact is never gonna change.]

[O: Andrew, back me up on this]

"Oh my God," Rachael widened her eyes in shock and looked at Andrew. "Did they really kiss?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Yes."

"How?"

"Well, Owen was teaching Justin how to smooch since he wanted to kiss his first girlfriend. I don't remember what exactly happened but they both ended up kissing each other."

"Poor Justin," she sneered.

Taking the phone from her hand, he tossed it on the bedside table and pulled her closer.

"You are not gonna reply?" She asked. His phone was still constantly buzzing.

"No need, let me hug you for a while." He kissed the top of her head and sighed in satisfaction as he held her in his arms. He always felt at peace whenever he was with her.

"When are we going to London?" she inquired.

"In three days," he answered.

"If that's the case then let's go home tomorrow and pack our luggage." When he let out an affirmative sound, she asked, "For how many days are we going?"

"For how many days do you wanna stay there?" he questioned her back. When she looked at him, he said, "We will stay there as long as you want."

"If we stay there for a long time, what about work?"

"Ben will handle everything." He kissed the back of hand. "Don't worry about work."

"Poor Ben," she sighed. "Sometimes I feel so bad, work must be so hectic for him."

Without waiting for his reply, she said, "Let's give him a vacation once we come back, okay?" Rachael had always seen Ben run around for either office work or Andrew's private affair. Not only that, he also helped her a lot when she was in office.

"Okay, we will do as you say," he immediately agreed.

"Oh before I forget—" She sat up straight. "Do you have connections in Russia?"

Supporting his head with his elbow, he looked at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Answer my question first," she insisted.

"The answer depends on what kind of connections you are talking about," he raised his brows.

"Aunt Roma thinks Joshua is lying about his work—"

"What do you mean?" he curiously inquired. His interest in the conversation suddenly skyrocketed.

"She thinks he doesn't work for a NGO but—" She hesitated for a while before continuing. "She thinks he is involved with some dangerous people."

"Why does she think like that? Did something happen?" Andrew frowned. Since Joshua had left Igor's side, there was a high possibility of his parents' life being at risk too.

"Nothing happened, she just saw multiple scars in his body and once, he came home injured," she sighed.

…..