Second Chance at Love (Unedited)

The Denial

Gia's Pov

"That girl is... you Gia"

I heard Richard say. I got stiff. I didn't knew how to respond. I dreaded this day will be coming and it's here ... I am facing it now.

How do I explain to him, that its not possible. We can't be together.

"Richard..I...I.. don't know what to say...I am happy, I helped you to get back to life ...but...I can't offer anything more than friendship" I said.

He started laughing, I looked at him puzzled. Is this some prank.

"I knew, you would say that...but my only question is, do you feel anything for me?" He asked looking into my eyes.

"I am too broken...I can't give you love and trust you deserve. I gave my everything thing in my past relationship, my marriage. but it was never enough..see what I got in return. I can't allow myself to go through that again. I...I may not survive. My life is just not mine now, what my family feels matters the most.

"My question is still the same, Gia. Forgot past and future. Do you feel for me at present?" he asked calmly.

"Why don't you understand, I have too many responsibilities. My priority is my kids."

"We can share that..." He says, but I cut him off.

"You say that now, but there would be time, when you will feel it as a burden.."

"You think I will chicken out! Leave you? You think of me so low? You think I will be like Viktor..." He asks getting angry.

"Don't get him in between. He is part of my life. He is father of my kids." I say as if defending Viktor.

"So you...still...love him?" He asks in broken voice.

"No"

"And me?"

"No, I like you as a friend. Nothing more." It may not be true, I liked him but still I was not ready for the relationship.
He didn't say anything for a while, just kept looking at me.

"Ok, lets go". He paid the bill, got up and started walking towards the exit.

Not a single word was said after that. He was silent during the whole drive. I was not able to read his expression. If he was hurt, he didn't let it show. It was good in a way. We cleared things between us. He dropped me home, said goodnight and went away.

Gia's Pov

Next day, I woke up with a headache. Yesterday's events playing in my mind again and again. I had hardly slept. A part of me really wanted to accept the relation between Richard and me, dreaming about the future we could have together...STOP. STOP. STOP.
I need to stop those thoughts creeping in my mind. What I did was right. It was the only right thing. I don't want to mess his life. He has already been through a lot. Once Viktor comes to know about all this, he will create a ruckus out of it. So what I did was the only way.

Time will heal everything, he will forget about me eventually. Hopefully.

I went in bathroom for quick shower. Facing Richard at work after yesterday will be awkward. We were good, not like best buddies but good friends, now even that was ruined. Why he had to do this. All this frustrated me.

When I went down, to make breakfast, today will be just toast and eggs. I was in no mood ot cooking. I heard dad talking to someone, I went outside to check who it was early in the morning.

I was shocked, when I saw him. I thought he won't even look at me, but here he was smiling and talking with dad. He saw me and gave me the most amazing smile. I was so confused.

"Richard!"

"Hey, beautiful" he said sitting on dining table.

Did he say 'beautiful'??? To me???

"What.. what are doing here" I asked.

"What's for breakfast?"

"What?" Why is he asking about breakfast

"What's for breakfast" he asked again, but I had heard him earlier.

"Toast and eggs, but why are you here."

"To spend time with my family, Toast and eggs??? Hmm. Make something better for dinner please."

"You are coming for dinner too? Why."

"As I said, to spend time with my family"

"Ur family?."

"Yup, where are kids? Hey Alex, Ana come down for breakfast."

After that they started having breakfast. He came for dinner too. I purposely made dinner very simple, just fried chicken rice. He looked at me and I smirked at him. He shook his head laughing and started eating.

He came everday after that, for breakfast and for dinner. He helped kids with studies, took them to movies, played with them and they went for picnics too, though I was never invited. He also helped me with household chores. He would spent time with dad and they used to have long discussion, god knows about what. He was doing all the duties of a father and man of the house, which Viktor had failed.

We hardly talked, just how much was required at home and even at work. I don't know what point he had to prove by doing all of this. I never had heart to tell him to stop coming, unknowingly I was waiting for him everyday, made food as per his likings. I was getting dependent on him. Kids were getting dependent on him, they loved being around Richard.