Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"This family is weird, but I guess you have an idea by now." Kathleen chuckled.

Rachael couldn't help but smile. "They are weird but warm and welcoming."

"That's true." She looked at them and sighed, "They have been through a lot. Both individually and as a family."

"Even Helen?"

Kathleen nodded. "She lost two of her three kids. No matter what the reason was and how it happened, she still lost them."

Contemplating for a while, Rachael asked, "When Semion—" She stopped thinking it was inappropriate to ask.

"When Semion killed his own daughter, why didn't Helen say anything?" When she nodded, Kathleen sighed, "She might not have said anything out loud but she definitely did not let it slide."

"What do you mean?" She didn't understand what Kathleen was trying to imply.

"After Andrew's mother passed away , Helen sent Daniel away immediately," Kathleen explained. "Helen's father had plans of letting one of Helen's sons inherit everything he had. But she had refused it because she didn't want to send her son away but when the incident took place, Helen was terrified for Daniel's safety."

She looked at the group who were still busy bickering. "She always believed that though Semion was a cold hearted person, he would never harm his kids, his own blood. But that turned out to be wrong when he killed his own daughter."

"So she sent Daniel away to keep him safe?"

Kathleen nodded. "Helen knew that her eldest son had already been brainwashed by Semion. There was no way she could bring him back but Daniel was still young. She didn't want to leave his fate in Semion's hand."

Keeping quiet for a while, she added, "You know what Rach, Helen could have easily left. Her family is very influential and would have always kept her safe away from Semion."

She looked at Helen who was arguing with Andrew over something. "And maybe she would have left if not for Elsa, Owen and Andrew. I have always assumed that she stayed back from them."

Rachael pursed her lips and frowned. She had no doubt that Helen loved her grandkids. Even though she failed to express it and her ways of showing that she cared was weird, she still cared for them.

But the things Elsa, Owen and Andrew had gone through while they were living in the mansion in Helen's presence, made Rachael feel very uncomfortable. Did she just stay back and watch Semion bully them? Why didn't she do anything?

"I know what you are thinking." Kathleen looked at her as if she could read her mind. "Trust me, that was the first question that popped up in my head when Daniel told me everything."

"It's weird," Rachael sighed.

"It took me some time to understand this but—" Kathleen looked at her. "Helen might not have openly supported her grandkids but she also did not stop them when she learned about their plan."

Pausing for a while, she added, "From what Daniel told me, after Owen had the encounter with his father where he—" She looked at Rachael. "You know about Owen's father, right?"

Rachael nodded.

Kathleen sighed. "Daniel told me that after everything happened, Owen knelt down in front of Helen. He was not sorry for what he did but he still wanted to apologise to her."

"What did Helen say?"

"Nothing." she chuckled. "She told him to freshen up and come down for dinner."

"That's strange and interesting."

"Nothing about this family is not strange and not interesting."

Just then the four of them decided to stop whatever they were bickering about and part ways.

"Babe, are you ready to go to bed?" Daniel asked as he grabbed Kathleen's hand.

"Are you done with the family discussion?" She raised her brows at him.

"Rach, let's go and get some rest." Andrew also approached his wife.

Before leaving, Daniel reminded Andrew about the meeting which they had scheduled. "Andrew, don't forget about the meeting."

"I will not."

Daniel nodded and left along with Kathleen.

"What meeting?" Rachael asked as they made their way towards their room.

"It's nothing important, just work." He placed his hand on her back. "I will be gone for two hours max, okay?"

"Oh okay." She wanted to ask him what it was but she decided not to. She was sure that it wasn't something related to the company. It wasn't hard for her to guess what it might be related to.

…..

[Genovesse mansion]

"Here is everything to asked for." Kazi handed over the information he had managed to gather about Rachael and her marriage with Andrew.

Without saying anything, Riftan took the file and stepped out of Janet's room. He then slowly closed the door, making sure not to wake her up.

Before he shut the door, Kazi managed to get a peek inside the room. "How is she now?"

"She is fine, the doctor gave her some sedatives, she will wake up in the morning." Riftan walked towards his study with the file in his hand while Kazi followed him behind.

…..

[Study Room]

"I don't understand—" He took a seat right opposite Riftan. "Why are you suddenly being so interested in Andrew's wife?"

When Riftan asked him to gather whatever he could about Rachael, he was quite surprised. Over the years they had worked together, Riftan had asked him to do many crazy things but collecting information about a married woman topped the list.

"Can't I be curious?" Riftan raised his brows.

"You can but being curious about Andrew Volkov's wife is insane." Kazi pinched the space between his brows. "What is in your mind?" He knew something was going on Riftan's mind but like always, he couldn't put a finger on it.

"If you want to kidnap her then—"

"We are not touching her," Riftan interrupted him. "I have already told you this twice, I will not repeat myself again."

Pausing for a while, he sighed, "If not for her, anything could have happened to Janet."

…..