Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"Why are you trying to send me away?" Ben scoffed, "Is your new friend coming?"

"Are you talking about Mike?"

"So his name is Mike—" He gulped down the remaining content of the glass. "I didn't know that."

Tina sighed and helplessly shook her head. "See now this is wrong. You don't wanna be with me but you also have a problem when you see me with someone else."

"You can't have it both ways," she added.

When he did not say anything, she scoffed, "And there comes the silent treatment. You have really started getting into my nerves now."

When she tried to get up, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down. "Didn't you wanna stay outside? Where are you running away now?"

"I am running away from you, I don't wanna be anywhere near you." She tried to free her hand from his grasp but he refused to let it go.

"Sit with me for sometime." He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

Tina wanted to retort but when he rested his head on her shoulder and intertwined their hands together, she froze. She didn't expect such an intimate action from him.

"You are a wonderful woman Tina," he remarked. "You deserve to be someone who is as wonderful as you, not someone broken like me."

He kissed the back of her hand. "I know what I am saying doesn't make sense. I know my actions don't match my words but this is for the best."

"I have too many insecurities and I don't wanna burden you with it." He looked at her. "You don't deserve that."

"So if it wasn't me and some other woman, you would have done the same thing?"

When he nodded, she smiled, "I am not special, right? Because if I was, you wouldn't have given up so easily."

"That's not what I—" He stopped midway when Tina pressed her lips against his.

...

[Owen's Room]

Holding Juliana in his arms, Owen entered the room and placed her on the bed.

He was about to leave when she got up.

"I'll take the couch—" She was about to get down from the bed when he stopped her.

"Take the bed for tonight." Before he could walk away, Juliana got up and hugged him from behind.

Owen froze when she tightened her arms around his waist. The tingling sensation in his heart slowly intensified with each passing second.

He placed his hand over hers and closed his eyes to control his overwhelming emotions.

"Juliana—"

"Don't get me wrong," she interrupted him. "I am not trying to seduce you, I just felt like hugging someone for a while."

Keeping quiet for a while, she remarked, "Remember that night you asked me a question—"

When she pulled away, Owen turned towards her.

"You asked me if I think you are a murderer," she added. "I wanted to give you an answer but you didn't let me."

She stepped closer and placed her hand on his chest. "You are not. You are not a murderer and I am not scared of you."

"You are a very good son and the best brother a sister can have." She placed her hand on his cheek. "Your mother would be so proud of you."

She then hugged him again and buried her face on his chest.

Owen sighed and wrapped his arms around her. And just like that night, he felt peace. Whenever she was in his arms, he felt nothing but peace.

It was very weird but at the same time, it felt nice and right.

…..

[Two hours later]

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Andrew inquired when he saw Owen sitting in the dark all by himself.

"Nothing just—" Owen sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"Rachael left her phone in the kitchen." He sat beside him. "Is everything okay?"

When Owen did not say anything, he inquired, "Where is Juliana?"

"I just put her down to sleep." Pinching the space between his brows, Owen frowned, "I really need to stay away from her.

"And why do you feel like that?"

"Because she makes me feel vulnerable, Andrew, she makes me feel weak," he remarked. "And I don't like that feeling."

Keeping quiet for a while, Andrew remarked, "Is being vulnerable with someone that bad? Everyone needs someone they can be open to, with whom you can be yourself without caring about the outcome. Maybe Juliana is that person for you."

Owen slumped on the couch and sighed, "But why her? Why a woman?"

"Can I ask you something?" When Owen looked at him, he inquired, "What exactly happened that night?"

When he did not get an answer, Andrew added, "Well, I know you are not someone who would let your guard down with someone you had just met. So what happened?"

Owen pursed his lips. "It's a long story."

"I have all the time."

...

[Three weeks earlier]

[Highbound bar]

Following his usual schedule, Owen entered the bar and ordered his usual drink. But unlike everyday, he had no intention of hooking up or flirting with any women. He had a rough day and just wanted a drink before going home and resting early.

But little did he know, things wouldn't go as he had planned.

As soon as his drink arrived, a lady dressed in black took the empty seat right next to him and ordered the same drink as him.

Finding it strange and funny, he chuckled as he continued sipping his drink.

"Remember a joke?" The woman looked at him and smiled. "You should share it with me, I could really use a good laugh today."

"Rough day?" he inquired.

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "You can say that." Pausing for a while, she asked, "What about you? Rough day?"

"You can say that."

The woman smiled and gulped down the drink in one go. "Well, can't complain. Life is supposed to be rough, right?"

"I guess." He looked at her as she swirled her finger around the rim of the glass. "Let me make your rough day a little better by buying you a drink."

"That will be very hard to say no to."

He gestured the bartender for a refill before introducing himself. "My name is Owen Volkov."

"Juliana Bella Green."

…..