Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

[Garden]

After dinner, Rachael and Andrew took a walk in the garden before going to their room.

"Andrew—"

"Hmm?"

"Do you and Ben happen to know Joshua beforehand?" The way all three of them had been silently interacting since the moment they met, made her very curious.

Swinging their intertwined hands, he looked at her. "What makes you think we know him?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I just found the way you people were behaving a little strange."

"We don't know him," Andrew answered.

"So you're telling me, this is the first time you have seen him?" When he nodded, she sighed, "Okay so maybe he just felt very intimidated by you."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rested her chin on his chest and looked at him. "He gets very nervous around new people and is also very shy, can you be extra nice to him?"

"Hmmm, now that depends on what I will get in return." He wrapped his arms around her and raised his brows.

She scoffed and slapped his chest. "Is everything a business deal for you?"

"Can't help it," he shrugged. "I am a businessman after all."

"Be nice to him, okay?" When he nodded, she pulled away. "I heard he is planning to stay in the city from now."

"He is not going back to Russia?"

"I guess not."

Keeping quiet for a while, he inquired, "What is he going to do here?"

"I don't know." she shook her head. "He did not tell him." Since everyone was around, she did not get any time to talk to Joshua alone. In fact, she had heard the news of him settling down on the city from George.

"We should invite him over for dinner someday." She looked at him and added, "Not just him, everyone." Their wedding celebration with friends and family was still pending as they couldn't find the perfect time to invite everyone over for a get together.

"Whatever you want honey." He kissed the back of her hand. "We will do as you say."

….

After their short and heartwarming walk, Rachael went upstairs while Andrew went to the kitchen to grab some water for them.

When he entered the kitchen, he saw someone sitting on the kitchen counter near the refrigerator, shoving the leftover pie in his mouth.

"Do the Petrov's starve you?" Andrew threw a question at him as he walked towards the refrigerator.

When he heard his voice, Joshua choked and started vigorously coughing out the crumbs from his mouth.

Leaning the slab next to him, Andrew chuckled, "Life is really unpredictable isn't it?"

"Water….." He mumbled in between his coughs.

Taking off the cap of the bottle he was holding, he gave it to him.

Joshua took the bottle from him and took a few sips until he felt better. "I thought I would die—" His voice was still hoarse from all the choking and coughing.

Andrew did not say anything, he just stood there staring at him with the corner of his lips curled upwards.

"You can't tell anybody." Joshua was on the verge of crying. He was under so much stress after meeting Andrew and Ben that he had started stress eating and couldn't sleep even though he was very tired.

"And what makes you think that I won't?" Andrew raised his brows. "I am a Volkov and you work for Petrov's, why should I help you hide your little secret?"

Joshua wanted to say something but he swallowed his words. He didn't wanna say anything that would trigger his brother-in-law and get into trouble. He didn't want his identity from Russia to get exposed in front of his family.

Joshua Griffin worked for the Petrov family, the rivals of the Volkov's. Not only did he work under them, he was Igor Petrov's right hand man. Not only was he Igor's most trusted man, he was also directly involved in all the under-table activities of the Petrov family.

Though Joshua's family background was very clean and normal, his identity in Russia wasn't simple. He was one of the most skilled snipers of the Petrov clan and was popularly referred to as 'Snoopy'.

Since the Volkov and Petrovs were constantly at war, there had been many instances when Andrew and Joshua had met each other but those meetings weren't pleasant or harmonious ones. In fact, there were times when Igor Petrov had assigned Joshua to kill Andrew and Owen.

"A relief worker huh?" Andrew threw his head back and laughed. "You have no idea how tempted I am to tell everyone what kind of 'RELIEF' work you do."

"Hey, I had to say something," Joshua frowned. "It's not like you tell everyone who you really are. Unless you haven't told Rachael who you really are."

"And who really am I?" He slightly tilted his head and looked at him, waiting for his answer.

"Y-You are Andrew Volkov—"

"The person standing in front of you is Andrew Collins," Andrew interrupted him. "Your cousin married Andrew Collins, not Andrew Volkov."

"What's the difference?" he scoffed. "Collins or Volkov, you are the same person."

Keeping quiet for a while, Joshua inquired, "Does Rachael even know that you have an Andrew Volkov side as well?" When Andrew did not say anything, he sneered, "What if I go and tell her?"

He had expected Andrew to panic or at least a tiny change in his composer but he remained as calm as ever. There wasn't even a tiny crease on his forehead.

"Go ahead, tell her everything you wanna say," Andrew smiled. "But amidst everything, don't forget to mention that you have tried to kill her husband multiple times. In fact, your last attempt was a fews ago when I was in Russia and she was impatiently waiting for my return."

When Joshua stood rooted on the ground, he smirked, "What happened now? Why aren't you going?"

"You are in a difficult spot right now," Andrew added. "It won't take me even a minute to expose you to your family so you better behave."

….

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