Is this destiny?

Sarah looked at Aiden's concerned expression. She understood that she needs to prove to him that she is not just a defenseless girl. Sarah was never a victim, and she will not allow herself to become one now. "Did you think that I'm just passively waiting for her to make her move? I know that she is following us... I don't think that she knows we are living together, but she knows that we are in a relationship. She followed you around even before I came into the picture... but you didn't notice, did you? I know that she planned to mess up scripts in order to get me into trouble, I just didn't know when she will act, but this today was within my expectations. If she is a normal person, she would just confront me, but she didn't. She decided to go behind my back and jeopardize even her own career and throw away last three years of her life... that tells me that she is capable of anything." Sarah's phone buzzed with a notification. She checked it... "I have a meeting... coffee with Bridgette."

Aiden could not believe that Sarah is going for a coffee at this time. He grabbed her wrist without intention to let her go. "Cancel it."

Sarah smiled and patted his hand which was holding her. "Don't worry so much." She kissed him on the lips. "I'm probably safer here than anywhere else right now."

Sarah stepped back and looked at him seriously. "I'm going to meet my friend for a coffee now. Later, we will have the meeting with Jeff, as planned. After that I will continue working on this report. When we finish our tasks for the day, we will go home, just as any other normal day. Later tonight, at home, we will discuss Evalina and what to do about her. I will tell you what I know, and you will tell me everything, and I mean EVERYTHING you know. And WE will figure this out together. If I find that you are hiding anything from me, I will shut you out and handle Evalina by myself, do you understand?"

Aiden looked at Sarah for few seconds with a blank expression, then nodded. He reluctantly let go of her wrist.

Sarah smiled and went back into his hug. "You need to understand that your baby girl is not a baby. I can stand up for myself... and for you."

He hugged her tightly, and whispered, "Baby..." Aiden felt his chest fill with warmth. His baby girl... she will stand up for him.

Sarah didn't realize that she, right now, gave herself a nickname… and she still didn't pick a nickname for him!

...

Sarah met with Bridgette for a coffee. Bridgette was happy that Sarah found time to meet with her.

"I wanted to ask you something... " Bridgette pulled her phone and opened an email. "This about Evalina being banned... does it have something to do with you?"

"You also got an email?"

"All full-time employees got one." Bridgette explained. "But it does not have any details why she is banned. As soon as I saw her name, I remembered you. So... does it have something to do with you?"

Sarah gave a small nod. "Yes. She crossed the line and is paying the price."

Bridgette laughed, and said in a quiet voice, "I never heard that when someone touches your man, they lose a job."

"I see you are trying to provoke me to tell you more...", Sarah realized that Bridgette is trying to find out more information. By saying something that is obviously not true she hopes that Sarah will explain what actually happened in order to prove that Bridgette's statement is false.

Bridgette pouted like a child. "It's not working?"

Sarah laughed. "No. It's not working. This is how much I can tell you: she was not able to separate work and private life. That email is a consequence of her messing up at work. As for private life, she is after my man, and does not care if she hurts me in the process. I will make sure she gets what she deserves..." Sarah saw that Bridgette was about to ask more, so she interrupted her, "It's probably better if you don't know more."

Bridgette closed her mouth and nodded. Then she remembered something, "Ah! I got something to give you! " Bridgette rummaged through her purse and pulled out a business card. "Look, I made new ones. I want you to have one."

Sarah looked at it and it was a white card decorated with delicate light blue flowers. In dark ink it said: "White corp. ~~~ Localization Lead ~~~ Bridgette Martin", with her contact details.

"You are a lead now?", Sarah asked.

"Yes, yes. The management saw my potential and all the sacrifice I put in my work. I got promoted!" Bridgette proudly lifted her chin.

Sarah laughed, "What sacrifice? You are here barely few weeks... how could they observe any sacrifice?"

Bridgette lowered her voice, "I admit I did not do much, but it's more than what others do. In my team all are lazy bums, it is not difficult to stand out. I have no regrets!"

Sarah laughed, "You should not regret if they noticed your work and you got rewarded for it. Congratulations on your promotion! Next time when I come, we should go for lunch... you need to treat me for the promotion."

"I'm paying for this coffee. What lunch?", Bridgette teased. She does not mind treating Sarah for a meal... actually, she would like to have a lunch with her.

"Just a coffee? That is a small treat. I want a five-course meal!", Sarah teased.

"OK. Deal. And when you become a lead, it's your turn to treat me"

"Oh...", Sarah thought for a second, 'Am I not a lead already? With a team of four, soon to be five?'

Bridgette was very observant and noticed that Sarah is thinking something. "What? Don't tell me you are a lead already?"

"No, no... nothing like that". Sarah laughed awkwardly. 'When I hire last person for my team, then I will tell her.'

Two friends chatted and laughed.. Sarah was happy to observe that every time she interacts with Bridgette, their friendship advances further.