Is this destiny?

Jeff stared at Felix\'s phone and inhaled sharply. "You have access to Eve?!!", words came out of him louder than he expected. 

Jeff was unable to hide his shock. How come Felix has it and he… doesn\'t? Is this a punishment because since he met Sarah, he is asking her to give him Eve? Part of him felt like crying.

"Yes." Felix\'s simple response hit Jeff where it hurts the most: his pride as a person who gets what he wants.

"How come you have access?!!", Jeff\'s voice was rising. He was already upset, and this came as an additional blow.

Felix panicked internally. He can\'t say that he has access to Eve because Sarah set up Eve in their house as a wedding present… and he knows that until tomorrow, he needs to hide the fact that Jeff\'s house has Eve as well. Felix took a deep breath while his mind raced, trying to find a believable explanation.

"It\'s just some limited access. Eve is using my equipment… this is the feed from the camera I created. It\'s for verifying that equipment works properly.", Felix responded matter-of-factly, and he relaxed when he saw that Jeff bought the story.

Two of them placed their heads together and watched on Felix\'s phone how Aiden walked towards Madison… there was a distance of several steps between them… Madison rushed toward Aiden and he stopped her advance by extending his arm… they spoke a bit and then she came close to him… and when Aiden leaned toward Madison, Jeff appeared at the door.

Camera is from a different angle, so Jeff could see that Aiden\'s expression is not friendly when Felix zoomed in. All this made Jeff relax. It didn\'t seem that Aiden is flirting with that woman.

"Do you know who she is?", Felix asked.

Jeff shrugged indicating that he doesn\'t. Aiden called her Madison, but that does not mean anything to Jeff.

"I don\'t have a headset handy, so we can\'t listen to audio…", Felix mumbled. Listening on the speaker is a no-go considering that they are at the party.

"No need." Jeff was grateful that Felix was able to show him this. "I misunderstood. From my angle I only saw the woman looking at Aiden suggestively and that they were close while he spoke to her."

Felix agreed with Jeff and added: "That does not change the fact that if instead of you, Sarah walked out… she would see them in such a position from that angle. And she would misunderstand just how you did."

Jeff was happy for Felix\'s words of comfort. "Let\'s hope that Sarah does not find out about this… and that my stupid brother does not allow anything like this to happen again."

Jeff took now refilled glass of Bulleit bourbon from the counter and downed it.

Jeff thanked Felix and patted his shoulder before heading to join JoAnna. Now that he relaxed a bit, he can go to her. And he can see that she is chatting with Jasper.

…

Sarah entered the event hall and was desperately looking around, unable to spot Aiden.

Just as she was about to check his location on the phone, she saw him enter through the main entry door. He doesn\'t look well, and she doesn\'t feel well either.

Stella\'s words that the Lebedevs will hurt her loved ones echoed in Sarah\'s head. She knows that her sisters will not be hurt because Lebedevs want them to join the family, just how they want Sarah to join… but Aiden is different. He is in danger. Sarah needs Aiden, her loved one, close to her. Only he can make her feel at ease.

When Aiden got inside, his eyes were drawn toward Sarah. He can see that she is anxious. Maybe more than him. The lone thought on his mind at that moment was that he needs to feel her close. Only she can calm him down and make all his dark thoughts disappear. Because she is his light.

Sarah and Aiden walked toward each other slowly, at first. They increased their pace up to the point of running into each other\'s arms.

Two of them had different reasons, but the same outcome: they need each other. Only like that everything is OK.

They held each other tightly, in silence… and their worlds were at peace.

Sarah was happy that because of her high heels she is almost as tall as he is, and she can feel his heart thumping against her chest. And she knows that he is alive, both of them are… and she can inhale his woody-flowery scent which even after all this time puts her in a daze. And there is no place better for her than his firm and gentle embrace which makes her feel safe.

Aiden was holding onto Sarah like a drowning victim trapped in rapids who got a hold of a rock… afraid that if he lets go, the currents will sweep him away and he will be unable to find her again. The feeling of Sarah\'s body pressing onto his made all Aiden\'s bad thoughts disappear and he wondered why he ever assumed that he is reverting to his old self. There is no way he is going back… Because with Sarah by his side, he climbed out of his personal hell and got a taste of heaven, and he will never go back.

After some time, Sarah spoke: "I will not let anyone break us apart. I will fight for us and for what we have with everything I\'ve got."

Sarah\'s words shook Aiden up. How does she know what is on his mind?

Aiden tightened his hug on her and responded: "I will not let you fight alone. I will be right next to you, always. You are my strength and I will be yours."

Sarah looked up at him, and her eyes sparkled from all the love she feels for him. "How do you know what to say to calm down my insecurities?"

He smiled with a smile which reached his eyes. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

Sarah was overwhelmed with emotions. "I swear… You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

Aiden tilted his head slightly and their noses touched. "And you, my love… are my everything."

"Sweet talker…", she managed to mumble before his lips landed on hers.

The kiss was slow and soothing. Providing them with necessary assurance that they are here for each other… and that everything will be OK.

A sound of a person clearing throat reached them.

"Go away, Anna!", Sarah grumbled without turning to face the interrupter.

There was a gasp of surprise before JoAnna\'s voice was heard: "How do you know it\'s me?"

Sarah stifled a laugh and turned to face her sister. "No one else is rude enough to interrupt two people who are kissing."

JoAnna grimaced. "You two are worse than teenagers. Can\'t you wait for after the event? Do you even realize that there are other people present?"

"Why would we care about other people?", Aiden responded with a question and added while looking at Sarah lovingly: "My whole world is right here."

Sarah melted in his embrace, unable to look away from him.

JoAnna rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes… everyone knows you are madly in love. But can you leave physical expression of your love for a bit later? It\'s time for the cake. Everyone is seated at the tables, except for you."

"…and you.", Sarah glanced at JoAnna before turning her attention back to Aiden. "Cake?"

He responded with a small nod, and they went to take their seats while holding hands.

"Hey! You are ignoring me again!", JoAnna huffed while walking after them.