Juliet In Distress : F4 THAILAND

Eight.

3rd Person POV -

Chapter 8: Awkward Encounters

Ren's last day in London had arrived, and as he packed his bags, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and sadness. He had enjoyed his time in the city with Jia, and their connection had grown stronger with each passing day. But there was also a sense of unease nagging at the back of his mind.

That evening, Jia had invited him for dinner at her place, and Ren had eagerly accepted. He looked forward to spending more time with her before his flight back to Thailand. The aroma of Jia's home-cooked meal greeted him as he entered her cozy apartment, filling the air with an enticing fragrance.

Jia was waiting for him with a warm smile, dressed in a casual yet chic outfit. She introduced Ren to her elder brother, Jayden, who welcomed him with a friendly handshake. Then came the moment that would change everything.

"And this is Mira," Jia said, her voice filled with affection as she gestured toward a stunning woman standing beside her. "She's my sister-in-law and Jayden's wife."

Ren's heart dropped as he looked into Mira's eyes, his past rushing back to him like a tidal wave. Mira, on the other hand, felt her heart stop as she met Ren's gaze. Memories of their shared history flooded her mind, and she found herself at a loss for words.

The room fell silent, tension hanging in the air like a heavy cloud. Ren's mind raced, and he couldn't bear to be in the same room with Mira, his first love and the source of so much heartache. He excused himself abruptly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I...I need to go. I'm sorry."

Jia watched in bewilderment as Ren hastily left her apartment, her heart shattering into a million pieces. She had no idea about Ren and Mira's past, and she couldn't understand why Ren had reacted so strongly to her sister-in-law. Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned to Jayden and Mira, who wore pained expressions of their own.

"Jia," Jayden began gently, "there's something you need to know about Ren and Mira's history."

Jia listened in shock as Jayden and Mira explained the painful past between Ren and her sister-in-law. The rejection, the heartbreak, and Mira's move to France had left scars on both of them. It was a story Jia had never heard before, and it left her feeling devastated.

Mira's voice trembled as she added, "Jia, I had no idea that Ren was the guy you were getting close to. I would have told you sooner if I'd known."

Jia felt a whirlwind of emotions – confusion, anger, and profound sadness. She had grown fond of Ren and couldn't understand why he had reacted so strongly to Mira's presence. But now, it all made sense.

As Jia sat in her living room, contemplating the events of the evening, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken. She had wanted to get closer to Ren, to explore the connection they shared, but now, it seemed like he had been running from his past the entire time. She had no idea if she would ever see him again, and the uncertainty of their relationship weighed heavily on her heart.

______
A

week later -

Back in Thailand, Ren's days were marked by a heavy sense of regret and longing. He had returned from London, leaving behind a piece of his heart that he was unsure would ever mend. The awkward encounter with Mira had left him shaken, and he couldn't help but replay the moment in his mind.

However, what weighed on Ren's heart even more was the silence from Jia. She had tried to reach out to him after that fateful dinner, sending messages and making calls, but Ren couldn't bring himself to respond. He felt torn between the past and the future, unable to confront the emotions that had resurfaced with Mira's presence.

Weeks turned into months, and still, Ren kept his distance, allowing his guilt and confusion to keep him from Jia. He missed her deeply, and the ache of their unspoken connection weighed on him every day. He would often stare at his phone, contemplating whether he should finally respond to her messages, but fear of the past held him back.

Meanwhile, in London, Jia had struggled to make sense of Ren's sudden disappearance from her life. She had been left in the dark, unsure of what had gone wrong between them. Her heart ached with each unanswered message and call, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had done something to drive him away.

Jia's attempts to reach out to Ren had gone unanswered for too long, and the uncertainty had taken a toll on her. She confided in her brother, Jayden, and sister-in-law, Mira, about her feelings of confusion and heartbreak. They provided her with a shoulder to lean on, and Mira shared the guilt she felt for not revealing her past with Ren earlier.

One evening, as Jia sat in her apartment in London, gazing out at the city lights, she made a difficult decision. She picked up her phone and sent one final message to Ren, pouring her heart out about how much she missed him and how confused she felt. She needed closure, and if he couldn't give her that, she would have to find a way to move forward.

The message was heartfelt and genuine, a plea for understanding and honesty. Jia hit send and waited, her heart pounding in her chest as she hoped for a response that would bring clarity to their tangled emotions.

But as days turned into weeks, the silence from Ren remained unbroken. Jia's heartache deepened, and she realized that she couldn't wait any longer for answers that might never come. With a heavy heart, she began the process of healing and moving forward, determined to find her own path in a world where love and uncertainty often collided.

As for Ren, the weight of his actions and the silence he had maintained gnawed at him day by day. He knew he needed to confront his past and communicate with Jia, but the fear of rejection and the scars of his history held him back. Little did he know that life had a way of bringing people back together when the time was right, and their paths would cross again when they least expected it, leading to a new chapter in their story.

______