Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

When she did not say anything, he leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "I didn't want to hurt you but—" He pursed his lips. "I did what I felt was right."

Rachael frowned and quickly retrieved her hand back. She was clearly unhappy because of the sudden physical touch. She didn't like it.

"Rach—"

When Oliver tried to grab her hand again, she stopped him. "Don't—please maintain a distance between us. No matter what relationship we shared back then, don't forget that I am a married woman now."

"I am sorry—" he apologised and quickly retrieved his hand back. He didn't expect her to reject his advances so bluntly. There was a time when she used to find different cute ways to make him hold her hand, she loved it. But now things had changed. The indifference in her attitude made his heart pinched.

Though he knew things weren't the same as before, a part of his heart was expecting her to be the same, the same old Rachael who was once deeply in love with him

Keeping quiet for a while, he added, "I just want you to know though the method I chose was wrong, my intention was never to hurt you."

Rachael couldn't help but sneer at the lame explanation he was trying to buy her with. "What are saying Oliver? If you were in my place, you would realize how lame and dumb you sound."

"During the time we were together, did I ever make you feel inferior?" she questioned him.

When he did not say anything, she added, "I always stood by your side, supporting you, loving you. I fought with my entire family for our relationship, for you and what did you give me in return?"

Reminiscing about the pain and suffering she had been through, Rachael's eyes teared up. Though the wounds in her heart were old and healed, the scars it had left behind were still present.

"Rachael—"

Cutting him off, she said, "And after so many months you came back just to tell me that whatever you did was for us? For me?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down. "You know what, nothing of this matters anymore." There was a time when she was desperately looking for answers, looking for him but now it didn't matter. He didn't matter.

When Rachael got up to leave, Oliver quickly got up and grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Don't go—"

"Let go—" she frowned and tried to jerk his hand away.

"Rachael, please. Can we start over?" Before she could say anything, he added, "I don't care if you are married, I really don't. I just want to be with you. I want you back, Rach."

Tears started streaming down his cheeks. "You have no idea how much I regret leaving you, please come back to me." He was desperate and was even ready to beg her if that is what it took to win her back.

Back then when they were in a relationship, he didn't understand the value of their relationship and the importance of her in his life. He understood it only after he lost her.

In the span of one year, he tried to date other women but he always ended up comparing them to Rachael. In front of her, everyone was inferior. The love and care she showered at him was genuine. He didn't know he was so used to it until it was too late.

"Oliver, I am married," she stated. "And even if I was not, I wouldn't have considered getting back to you. I closed our chapter a long time back."

"I don't know what idea you got when I agreed to meet you but it's not what you think. I agreed to meet you because I thought that the relationship we shared deserved a proper ending. So please don't get any wrong ideas."

"But I still love you Rach—" He tightened his grip around her wrist. "I tried to get over you but I just can't, it's way too difficult."

"But I don't Oli, I don't love you anymore," She stated with no hesitation. "You will always be an important part of my past but nothing more than that."

Rachael knew she had stopped feeling for him a long time back but she was unsure. She was always worried that the old feelings which she had buried deep in her heart would jump back the minute she saw him again.

But now when he was standing right in front of him, she felt nothing. This made her realize that she was really over him. The feelings she harbored for him were long gone.

This made her feel so relieved and relaxed. The tiny sliver of fear and anxiety that always lingered in her heart dissipated.

Oliver pursed his lips as her words stabbed his heart.

"Is it because of him?" he inquired.

Understanding what he meant, she smiled and firmly stated, "Yes, it's because of him."

Pausing for a while, she said, "Back then when I met you, I used to think relationships are all about two people being in love and sacrificing everything for each other. But after I met Andrew, my whole perception about relationships changed. He made me understand that being in a relationship needs an equal amount of love and respect. It's not always about sacrificing but going through everything hand in hand and never leaving each other's side no matter how difficult the situation is."

Her eyes teared up at the thought of the man who meant the world to her. The man who was willing to give her everything and all the happiness in the world. The man who treasured her and always made her feel loved not just by words but also his actions.

The genuine smile which she had on her face while talking about Andrew made Oliver feel very sour. There was a time when she used to smile at him in the same way but now that was gone. He had lost it.

"D-Do you love him?" he asked with a heavy heart. He knew the answer would break him but he wanted to know.

"I do, I love him," she immediately answered without any hesitation. She had already fallen for Andrew to the point of no return. She loved each and every thing about him. She loved the way he smiled at her, she loved the way he pampered and doted on her. There was nothing she didn't love about him.

Rachael was already very firm and clear about her feelings for Andrew but there was something holding her back. But now when she was standing in front of Oliver, the man she was once deeply in love with, she realized how he meant nothing to her and Andrew meant everything.

Her world now revolved around him and only him. He was her everything, her strength and her weakness. She couldn't wait to go home and tell him this. She wanted to hug him, kiss him, cuddle in his embrace and tell him how much she loved him.

After getting a firm response from her, Oliver slowly retracted his hand back which was still holding her.

"Well then, I guess there is nothing left to say." He smiled bitterly as he tried to hide the sourness that was surging in his heart. "I just wish you immense happiness Rach and I want you to always remember that I am your greatest well wisher."

"I wish the same for you, I hope you'll always remain happy and live a long peaceful life," she smiled.

…..

[Outside]

Impatiently shaking her leg, Emma kept frowning as she kept glancing at the entrance of the cafe. "What is taking so long?"

"Relax, she will come out soon," George calmly said.

"How can you be so calm?" she looked at him and frowned. Wasn't he the one who was the most unwilling to come?

Without waiting for his reply, she opened the car door. "Screw it, I am going inside."

"Emma wait—" George quickly followed her.

As soon as they got out of the car, Rachael stepped out of the cafe.

When George saw her tear stained face, he panicked and quickly approached her. "Hey, what happened?"

As soon as Rachael saw him, the overwhelming emotions she was trying so hard to conceal broke down. She hugged him tightly and buried her head on his chest.

"Rach—" he hugged her back and frowned. "Did he do something?" He was all ready to go inside and punch the shit of the guy.

"No—" She said in between her sobs.

"Then what happened?"

"Take me home, I wanna see Andrew." She hadn't seen him for the entire day, she missed him alot. She wanted to see him as soon as possible.

"Okay." He pulled her away. "I'll take you home, but stop crying first." He gently wiped her tears.

…..

[Not Too Far Away From The Cafe]

Leaning against his car, Andrew was looking at his wife from a distance with a blank expression on his face.

He had left the club and arrived at the cafe the very minute she told him about it. But he didn't approach her. He just stood there, watching her enter and leave the cafe.

Ben, who had accompanied his boss, couldn't understand what was going on. But he did not dare to ask Andrew. He just stood inside the car trying very hard to analyse the situation.

When Andrew entered the car, he contemplated for a while before asking him. "Boss, will you not accompany madam?" When he did not get an answer, he said, "Then should I drop you home?"

Keeping quiet for a while, Andrew answered, "No need, drive back to the club."

…..