Is this destiny?

Four people looked at Sarah who is standing and facing her parents with an open palm, resolutely demanding the USB which Ivan gave them.

"Why?" Edward\'s expression showed that she is not willing to give it up. Well, he has copies but the fact that Sarah wants it means that he should not have it (and that includes the information on it). At the same time, Edward knows that with Eve\'s help, Sarah can easily locate Edward\'s backups.

"It needs to be destroyed. Did you see what is on it?", Sarah said icily.

Stella\'s and Edward\'s silence answered Sarah\'s question.

"Forget what you saw there, destroy it and don\'t talk about it.", Sarah said sternly.

Edward didn\'t agree with this. "We want to confirm if the information is accurate or not."

Sarah shook her head. "What if it\'s true, and what if it\'s not? How will that change anything?"

"It will tell us if Ivan gave us real information or he planted something fake.", Stella responded.

"What difference it will make?", Sarah persisted. "The fact that Ivan gave you the information means that he wants to use you. Do you think that he wants an alliance? To make friends? Since when Lebedevs make friends?"

Stella knows that what Sarah said makes sense, but… "You want us to ignore it?"

"Yes and no. Ignore the information because it does not matter. But know the fact that Ivan thinks that he can use you. The data on that drive will not give you answers to what Ivan is trying to accomplish." There was a tinge of mockery in Sarah\'s voice.

Edward didn\'t like Sarah\'s tone. "What do you mean?"

Sarah tilted her head. "Ivan is a pawn, used by King to run his errands. Ivan\'s motives are absolutely irrelevant. We can get rid of him anytime. Right?" Sarah paused and when Stella nodded in confirmation Sarah continued: "The real danger is King. And regardless if the information on that USB is true or not, and regardless of what it is, you will not make a move against him because you… can\'t… win."

Stella gritted her teeth but she didn\'t say anything because Sarah is right.

"Am I right?", Sarah asked Stella with glee in her voice. "Going against him is giving up on your life. That is why you are negotiating. Because of this fact I am telling you to drop looking into this information, you will only waste time and no matter what you find out, it will not change a single thing."

Edward didn\'t like Sarah\'s words or her attitude, but he can\'t deny that she is stating the facts but… "You are not curious what is on it?"

"And you are curious?"

Edward didn\'t deny it. "We saw the files in there, and we want to know if it\'s true."

Sarah pressed her lips into a line. Well no matter what her parents saw, it can\'t be undone. And she does not care what they know. She only wants Aiden not to find out details about their baby. 

Sarah glanced at JoAnna before saying to her parents: "You can ask us. There is no need for you to waste time investigating. If it\'s related to medical information, Anna knows best. She examined me and Aiden when we arrived, and she treated us after that. The only thing that is unknown is what they gave to Aiden to put him in the coma."

Edward and Stella exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

"Your arm…", Stella started. "What did you do to it?"

Sarah gave permission to JoAnna to talk openly about it. JoAnna explained that all the bones in Sarah\'s left arm, elbow down, are replaced with a custom metal which Felix created. And because Sarah\'s skin was getting damaged easily when she was hitting and crushing, they injected her with a special serum which makes her skin more resilient without changing its appearance or texture.

"So, what is the effect of all those procedures?", Stella asked Sarah.

Sarah waved her left arm around to demonstrate its mobility, speed and she deformed a metallic sculpture on the coffee table like it\'s made out of paper.

"It\'s faster and stronger.", Sarah said while putting down what used to be a metallic sailboat. "I am still working on controlling the speed and strength when I\'m in public in order to hide its true abilities."

Stella was impressed.

After few more questions, Edward went to the one which bothered them the most: "Is it true… about the baby?"

"Baby?", Jeff could not hold himself back. Since Sarah arrived, he was only listening, but this is too much to ignore.

JoAnna tugged his arm and indicated him to be quiet.

JoAnna wanted to answer Edward\'s question, but Sarah raised her hand, signaling that she will. 

"I was pregnant and when the thing was over… I was not."

"How much do you know about the details?", Stella asked reluctantly.

Sarah shook her head. "I don\'t want to know. Does it matter? It\'s gone. Knowing more will not help anyone and I really hope that you don\'t bring it up. Ever again."

"Does Aiden know?", Edward asked Sarah.

"He knows that it\'s gone and believes that it was a miscarriage. I want to keep it that way."

A heavy silence blanketed the room, suffocating everyone inside and the feeling was like gravity increased several folds.

"Are we done?", Sarah asked.

Stella and Edward nodded. 

Sarah looked at Stella, Edward and Jeff while speaking: "Now that we cleared this up, I expect that you will not talk about this with anyone. Especially not with Aiden. The guilt is already eating him up because he was unable to protect me, and that he was gone for three months. Don\'t add to it."

Stella walked to Sarah and hugged her. "I am sorry, my baby."

"It is not your fault. And I am over it.", Sarah took a step away and smiled. "Look at me. I am married to the best guy in the world and surrounded with friends and family and I am happy. That is all that counts. Don\'t allow things from the past which can\'t be changed to spoil the beauty of the present and future."

Stella smiled back. She likes Sarah\'s attitude.

Sarah glanced at Edward. "You will delete all copies. Right?"

Edward agreed.

"Thanks, dad." Sarah smiled and then she remembered… "Mom, what will you do with Owen? He knows too much. He knows that Aiden is related to Voronins."

Stella sighed. "Honey… I trust him."

"You do? Well… I don\'t. And you should not either. He told me how you asked him to look into Aiden, and that Ivan gave you that USB drive."

Stella smiled. "And didn\'t all work out well?"

Sarah eyed Stella suspiciously. "Are you saying that he disclosed that information on purpose, to get us to talk about it? I\'m not buying it."

Stella lifted her arms, defensively. "I see that I can\'t change your opinion. But he is by my side for thirty years and he never did anything to harm me."

"So far…", Sarah added with a warning in her voice. "He is weak."

"Dear… there are very few strong ones. You have people you trust, and I have mine.", Stella said while giving a meaningful look to Sarah.

Sarah nodded in understanding. "OK. I will not touch him. But I expect you to keep an eye on him."

"Always.", Stella confirmed and urged Sarah: "Go to Aiden, I\'m sure he is missing you."

Sarah left the room with a smile on her face and a feeling of relief. Crisis is averted… this time. 

Sarah paused in the hallway at the thought that if Ivan gave this information to Stella, that means the data exists somewhere, and the only way to prevent Aiden from finding out is to destroy all the copies. Will this require infiltrating the base of the Lebedev family? Sarah smirked. Part of her is excited at this thought: going in the middle of the hornet\'s nest, messing with them, and leaving without anyone noticing their presence. She wonders what King\'s expression would be when he finds out. Will he see that as a payback for him watching Hill sisters from the dark?

Sarah told herself to leave those thoughts for later. Now she needs to join her husband and soon they will start their honeymoon. Yes. Those are the reasons to be happy about, because the present and the future are looking great.

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