Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

[Next Day, Grandma Collins Funeral Ceremony]

[Memorial Park]

After the funeral ceremony, Andrew stood by grandma Collins' grave all by himself, away from the crowd.

After the news of grandma Collins' demise, all the members of the Collins family rushed over for the funeral and memorial service. All their business partners, other friends and family also showed up for the last rite.

They had to skip their initial plan of conducting a small intimate ceremony.

When Rachael saw Andrew standing all by himself, she quickly excused herself and approached him.

"You okay?" She intertwined their hands and looked at him.

"I guess," he sighed as he tightened his hands around hers. "I just feel relieved thinking that at least she is no more in pain."

"Hmm, she is in a better place now." She leaned against his arms. "Her only wish was for you to live a long happy life. You must fulfil her last wish."

"We must fulfil her last wish," he remarked.

After some time, Owen approached them and whispered something in Andrew's ears.

Andrew carefully listened to him before looking at Rachael. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?" When she nodded, he left with Owen.

As soon as they left, Elsa approached Rachael. She was holding a bunch of fresh lilies in her hand.

"Hey, I am going to uncle Federick and aunt Lisa's grave. Do you wanna come?"

"Sure," Rachael readily agreed. If she had known Andrew's parents were buried in the same graveyard, she would have visited them before to offer her respect.

Elsa tugged her arm as she guided her towards the gravestone. But before they could reach there, Owen called Elsa over.

She handed Rachael the flowers. "Just walk straight, it's on the left side. I'll be there soon."

Rachael nodded and kept walking forward.

…..

After walking for a few seconds, she finally spotted the gravestones.

Rachael tightened her grip around the flowers she was holding before walking near the grave.

But to her surprise, there was a man standing near the graves with a similar looking bouquet of white lilies in his hand.

Without saying anything, she placed the flowers in between the two graves.

The man also did the same.

Rachael stood in front of Andrew's parents grave for a while to give her respect.

"They must be wondering who you are," the man chuckled. "It would have been nice if Andrew had accompanied you here."

Rachael looked at the man and smiled. She didn't know who he was but she assumed him to be a member of the Collins family.

Since almost all of them had shown up for the funeral, she couldn't meet everyone but only a few.

"You didn't recognise me, right?" the man smiled.

"I am sorry," she apologised.

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize," he remarked. "There are so many people here today, you must be very stressed. After all, this is the first time you are meeting the members of the Collins family."

Keeping quiet for a while, he added, "This is why I keep saying that you need to meet the Volkov family soon. So that when the time comes, you don't feel stressed."

When she looked at him, he chuckled, "I must warn you, our family is much bigger than this."

"I am sorry but you are—"

"You still did not recognise me—" he smiled. "I am Simeon Volkov, Andrew's grandfather."

"We talked over the phone once, remember?" he added.

"Oh—" Rachael started panicking a little. The presence of Andrew's maternal family in grandma Collins' funeral did make sense but she wasn't prepared to meet them, at least not today, especially in Andrew's absence.

Her eyes started looking around for Andrew as her heart started ramming against her chest.

"What happened? Are you looking for Andrew?" Simeon inquired.

Before she could answer, he added, "Don't worry, he must be around."

"I—I guess," she gave him a weak smile.

The stress and panic in her eyes did not go unnoticed by Simeon. The corner of his lips curled upwards as he sensed a fear in her eyes for him.

"You don't have to be scared of me dear," he chuckled. "I don't bite."

"Please don't get me wrong," she quickly explained herself. "I just didn't expect to bump into you today."

"I know and I don't blame you," he sighed. "I am sure Andrew has asked you to stay away from us."

Without waiting for her reply, he added, "I don't blame him either." He looked at the gravestones and sighed, "He has been through a lot."

"Anyway, let's not talk about sad things anymore," he remarked. "Let grandpa take a closer look at your beautiful face."

He leaned forward and looked at Rachael. "Hmm now I know why my grandson gave up on his family and settled here," he chuckled. "I mean, if the reason is this beautiful, I would have done the same."

"Rach—" Elsa called her out as she walked towards her. She then grabbed Rachael's hand and pulled her towards her.

"What are you doing here?" There was no gentleness or warmth in her eyes as she looked at her grandfather.

"You are seeing her grandfather after so many months and this is how you are going to greet him?" Simeon frowned.

Elsa scoffed but she did not say anything.

"I am here to give my respect to Andrew's late grandmother," he remarked.

"Since when did you start respecting the dead?" Elsa mockingly smirked. The coldness in her voice was very evident.

"You are so feisty, just like you father," Semion chuckled. "I don't blame you, we Volkovs are quite hot headed. It runs in our genes."

Without saying anything, Elsa grabbed Rachael's hand and walked away.

Semion did not stop them, he just stood there watching them with a smile on his face.

"Did he tell you anything?" Elsa inquired after making sure they were nowhere near the man.

"No he didn't—" Rachael shook her head.

When Elsa did not say anything, she inquired, "Elsa, is everything okay?"

…..