Is this destiny?

Thinking of hitting Greg, JoAnna looked at him and frowned. "You help yourself. I can\'t make myself to hit him when I see him that pitiful."

"Pitiful?" Sarah raised her eyebrows. "Remember what mom said? Think of what he wanted to do... keep you in some forest, locked up, and medicated until you submit to him?"

JoAnna frowned. Conflict in her mind was reflected on her expression.

Sarah was about to say something else to JoAnna, when she heard behind her Jeff rush toward Greg. Jeff lifted Greg by his collar with his left hand and started viciously punching him with his right.

Hearing what Sarah said, Jeff got overwhelmed with rage. \'This man thinks that he can make Anna to submit to him? And wants to use drugs to force her?\' Thinking of this lecherous man force himself on his beloved woman made Jeff burn with fury. Jeff\'s mind went blank and the only thing he could think of was to pulverize this scum of a man, so that he can never approach JoAnna. No matter how many punches he delivered, it was not enough. Jeff got overwhelmed by anger, and he even thought how he should kill Greg, and that only then JoAnna would be safe, if Greg is gone. Jeff didn\'t care what would happen to him, as long as JoAnna is safe, that will be enough for him. In his mind he saw her happy, carefree and playful, and he wanted to protect that at any cost.

Sarah didn\'t remove her gaze from JoAnna who was fixated on Jeff.

Sarah knew that JoAnna could not hurt someone because of herself. Today she got a chance to witness that JoAnna can hurt someone, but only to protect her loved ones. JoAnna is a healer, her instinct is to help people, even if she is the one in danger, she can\'t make herself to hurt others. Only if her loved ones are in danger her healing instinct will be suppressed and she will be able to cause harm to others.

JoAnna walked to Jeff slowly, like she is in a daze, and touched his arm which he used to hold Greg\'s collar. "That\'s enough... You will hurt your hand. Let me check it." Her voice was calm, full of love.

Jeff let go of Greg, and Greg plopped on the floor, whimpering. His face was all bruised up, bloody and it started swelling. JoAnna didn\'t spare him a glance, her attention was focused on Jeff.

JoAnna walked few steps away with Jeff and they sat on the floor. She pulled a pack of wet wipes from her bag and wiped off blood from Jeff\'s right hand. JoAnna sighed in relief when she saw that all blood got cleanly removed, and he had no injuries. She held Jeff\'s right hand to her face, cradling her cheek in his palm and looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you.", She whispered.

Jeff pulled her in his embrace, and they kissed. They were back in their own bubble where no one else can enter, it was a separate dimension for only two of them. Jeff and JoAnna held each other tightly and kissed slowly, gently, they were in no rush. Like they have all the time in the world. Like nothing around them exists, and they can spend their lifetimes consumed in that wet gentle touch of their lips with a little tongue.

Greg was grunting in protest because Jeff and JoAnna were kissing. Greg also whimpered because of the pain he felt. His face was badly swollen, he lost few teeth, and any words he tried to form were unintelligible. Greg moved toward Jeff and JoAnna with intention to reach for JoAnna and pull her away from Jeff, but Aiden stopped him with a kick which made Greg fly backward few feet.

They heard steps approaching. Sarah checked time. \'They are seven seconds late.\' Six men in black suits entered the room and one of them looked at Sarah. She pointed with her chin at Greg. Two men picked up Greg holding him under the armpit and started dragging him out. The man who looked at Sarah nodded lightly, and all men in black suits left without a word. The only sounds that could be heard were Greg\'s grunts and whimpers while being dragged outside.

~Undisclosed location~

Stella got off the phone. "It went well. You will get another one to take care of, Oleg."

"Yes, Milena. I will take care of it, as usual." Man responded.

"How many times I told you to call me Stella? It\'s easy to slip up if you are not careful." Stella scolded him.

Man laughed. "Then you should call me Owen, my dear sister."

"I will keep that in mind, Owen." She corrected herself.

"What did this one do?" Owen smirked.

"He was harassing JoAnna." Stella explained.

Owen shook his head. "Your daughters again... Milena, when will you introduce them to the family business, so I don\'t need to worry anymore?"

Stella frowned. "You should treat them as your nieces... I want them to have a normal life. I want them to have a choice. That is the deal I made. If they want to join, it will be up to them."

Owen laughed. "They can\'t join something they don\'t know exists... "

Stella frowned. "I\'m still working on it. You know that as soon as they find out about all this, they will be exposed."

Owen agreed and added. "I must admit that Sarah is promising. I have high hopes for her, we all do."

"All three of them have my blood, blood of Lebedev family. They are all very intelligent and highly talented in their respective areas." Stella proudly said. "But I can\'t deny that Sarah has an amazing talent. Unfortunately, elders also noticed her potential. That is why I\'m keeping them away from the family, especially Sarah. They want to force her in."

"Every day elders are increasing pressure to get them into the family. I don\'t know how much more you can keep postponing." Owen warned.

"I don\'t need you to remind me. I will postpone it as much as I can. That is why I\'m doing all this." Stella pointed at a stack of papers on the desk. "You know that once you get in, it\'s impossible to get out." Stella gave him a warning look. "And we have a deal, you will help me."

"Yes, yes..." Owen got defensive. "I\'m not a man who will back off on his word."

Stella laughed. "What word? If I don\'t have a firm evidence against you, you would turn your back on me ages ago."

He laughed with her. "You got that right.. No need to pretend."