Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

Andrew pursed his lips and frowned. He tried calling Lokus again followed by Rachael but when the call did not go through, he started feeling very anxious.

Noticing the sudden change in Andrew's composer, Ben inquired, "What happened boss? Is everything okay?"

"Rachael is missing," He answered without taking his eyes off the phone.

"What?" Ben widened his eyes in shock. "Did Lokus—" He stopped and pursed his lips.

Why else would Lokus come to the city all the way from Russia?

Without saying anything, Andrew called Yuri, one of the guards of the mansion.

"Yes boss—"

"Yuri, I want you to run to my study room right now," he instructed. "Open the third drawer of my desk. You'll see a file inside the drawer. Open it and check if Rachael's passport is there or not."

"Okay boss, give me a minute."

"Go fast." Andrew pinched the space between his brows.

After a minute or two, Yuri said, "Only your passport is there, boss, I don't see madam's passport."

Andrew pursed his lips and frowned. "There is a spy in the mansion, I am sure it's one of the helpers who is working for my grandmother. Find out who it is."

After hanging up the call, he instructed Ben. "Rachael's passport is missing too. I think—"

"They took madam to Russia," Ben completed his sentence.

...

[10 hours later]

[Moscow, Russia]

"This way madam—" Lokus instructed Rachael as soon as they got down from the aircraft.

Rachael wrapped her arms tightly around her as she walked forward. It had been almost twelve hours since she talked to Andrew and it was killing her.

She knew he was panicking and worried about her.

How was she supposed to contact him? Lokus had taken away her phone and hadn't returned it yet. She had no way to communicate with him.

Just then men dressed in black suits approached them.

When she saw them, Rachael assumed it must be more of Helen's men. But she quickly changed her mind when Lokus and the other men who had travelled with them quickly surrounded her to form a human wall.

"Step away," one of the men stated in a very threatening voice.

"You have no business here," Lokus snapped.

"How can I have no business when you have kidnapped my niece-in-law?" Daniel walked towards them through the group of men.

"Master—" Lokus politely bowed down and greeted him.

"Step away—" Daniel instructed him.

"I—"

"I said step away," Daniel squinted his eyes. "Don't make me repeat myself again."

Left with no other choice, Lokus stepped away along with his men.

When Daniel saw Rachael, he pinched the space between his brows and sighed. He then approached her. "Look at you—" He quickly took off his coat and placed it over her shoulder. "You look so cold."

Rachael tightened the coat around her body. She was indeed very cold. The weather was much more chilly than that of their city.

"Don't you have the courtesy to throw something warm on her?" Daniel glares at Lokus. "Do you wanna freeze her to death?"

Lokus lowered his head. "I am sorry—"

He was about to say something else when his phone started ringing.

When Daniel saw the called ID, he gave it to Rachael. "If you don't receive this call, your husband will probably kill himself and everyone around him."

Rachael quickly took the phone from his hand and answered it. "Andrew—"

"Rachael? Are you okay?" Before she could answer, he snapped at her. "How could you be so careless? Why did you go there without telling me? Do you have any idea how stupid and dangerous that was?"

"I—" Rachael sighed. "I know, I am sorry." She had learned her lesson. She would never keep anything away from him, especially things which involved his maternal family.

"I am at the airport, I'll be there soon," he informed her. "Until then, stay with Daniel and don't leave his side, okay?"

"Okay."

"Please, listen to me just this time," he added. "No matter what happens, don't leave his side."

Andrew reminded her again. It would take him another ten hours to be there. Though he knew Helen would not do anything to harm her, he still didn't wanna trust anyone.

Luckily Daniel was in Russia for business. Andrew informed him about the situation and told him to fetch Rachael from the airport and keep her close until he arrives.

"I won't, I promise." The panic and anxiety in his voice was so evident. She felt bad for making him feel like that.

"Babe, stay safe okay?" He sighed. "I love you and I'll be there soon."

"I love you too, come soon." Even though she knew Daniel would take care of her, she would feel much more at peace when Andrew is with her.

After hanging up the call, Rachael gave the phone back to Daniel.

"Come, let's go." Daniel wrapped his arms around Rachael's shoulder and guided her towards his car.

"Master—" Lokus stopped him. "You can't take her."

Daniel raised his brows. "And who are you to stop me?"

"Lokus, maybe you are my mother's most favourite helper but that doesn't mean you have the right to tell me what to do," he smirked. "Don't forget your place."

"But madam—"

"You don't have to worry about that, I know how to handle my mother," Daniel interrupted him. "For now, I am taking my niece-in-law with me. I hope it's not a problem?"

When Lokus did not say anything, Daniel placed his hand on Rachael's back and was about to leave when she stopped her.

"Wait—" When he looked at her, she said, "He has my phone."

Daniel gestured one of his men to take the phone from Lokus.

He then took the phone and gave it to Rachael. "Is that all?"

"He has my passport and bag too."

Daniel sighed and looked at his men. "Just take all the things and come to the car."

"Okay boss—"

….

[Daniel's car]

"Here, drink this." Daniel gave her a cup of hot coffee.

"Thanks—" Rachael quickly grabbed it and took a sip. "I didn't know it would be so chilly here."

"Can't blame you, they didn't give you time to pack." He gestured the driver to start the car.

"Where are we going now?" She inquired.

"Hmm, the plan was for us to check into a hotel and wait for your husband's arrival. But I don't think people, especially my mother, will let both of us stay in peace until then," he sighed. "So I am taking you to see her."

When Rachael frowned, Daniel added, "Don't worry, I will be with you all the time. And we will leave as soon as we can."

When she nodded, he remarked, "You should be so reckless when it comes to things even remotely related to our family. This was your first time so we will let it pass but next time, make sure you don't repeat it, okay? You can always tell Andrew—and if you don't wanna tell him, you can tell me. I will figure something out."

"Thanks," Rachael sighed. "I shouldn't have listened to her. I am sorry for troubling you."

"You don't have to apologise, we are family," he remarked. "And families help each other."

Contemplating for a while, she said, "She told me that Andrew's life is in danger, is it true?"

"Well—" Daniel shrugged.

"So it's true?" She panicked. "Then he shouldn't come here—"

"It doesn't matter if he comes here or not." Pausing for a while, he explained, "Rachael, I am sure by now Andrew has told you what kind of business our family is involved in."

When she nodded, he added, "So our lives have been at stake as soon as we were born. It doesn't really matter if we are here or in any other part of the world. But that also doesn't mean we should just stop living and live our life with fear, right?"

"I understand that as a wife, you are scared and worried for him. And it's completely valid," he remarked. "I mean, Kate and I have been married for six years now but she is still always worried about me. She keeps calling me even when she is busy with work."

"My point is, even though our lives are always at stake, we know how to stay safe. We are always cautious, we take necessary precautions and we never let our guard down. That is how we always keep ourselves safe." Daniel tried his best to explain everything to Rachael to reduce her anxiety.

"But sometimes, things go wrong and we get hurt but that's okay. We have the money so we get the best treatment and get healed in now time."

"Andrew never tells me these things," she sighed.

"Well, that's understandable because I never tell Kate these things either," he chuckled. "Wives are weird, okay? But in a good way. You people always panic as if we are already dead and gone."

…..