Is this destiny?

Later that afternoon, Sophia and Felix walked back to the resort from the golf course. It's quite a distance, but the weather was nice and sunny, and the light breeze was just right, and Sophia asked Felix if they can walk. Bridgette and Steve joined them for a walk as well while Jeff, JoAnna, Emma and Charlie took a golf cart back.

Felix noticed that Sophia is leaning on him more with each step.

"Let's call for the golf cart.", Felix gestured in the direction of one of the stations where seating, chilled bottled water and the intercom to the staff are available.

"No, I'm fine.", Sophia refused. "Look. The resort is right there. Can't be more than ten minutes walking, right?"

Felix sighed. "Fine. But let's rest a minute before we continue."

"Are you OK?", Bridgette asked when she observed that Sophia is slightly pale.

"Yes. Yes. I will catch my breath in a minute. Felix is just overreacting, as usually."

Felix looked at Sophia with a frown.

Bridgette laughed. "Let me tell you a secret. Since you got pregnant, most of his attention is on you and the baby, so I get a breather."

Felix was outraged. "What?!"

Bridgette looked at Felix like she is ready to bicker. "Are you going to deny that you are the most overprotective older brother?"

"What is wrong with caring for the women I love?"

Both Sophia and Bridgette melted at Felix's words and hugged him: Sophia from his left, and Bridgette from his right.

Felix snorted and lifted his chin dramatically, like he is offended and does not want to look at two women who are squeezing him affectionately. "What is this? Aren't I overreacting and overprotective? Why are you two doing this to the man who is causing you so much trouble?"

Few seconds later, Felix could not hold his pretense anymore and his arms moved around Sophia and Bridgette, putting them in a three-person hug.

Steve watched the scene in front of him and smiled. These Martin siblings are willful, silly, and they love each other. As a single child he never experienced this bond between siblings.

His family is an old-fashioned one where hierarchy and boundaries are strictly respected. He is lucky that they allowed him to break out of the mold and work for Jeff, but he knows that the Longs agreed for him to do so only in order for Steve to get closer to the Whites (specifically at that time: the future heir, Jeffrey White) and learn about their business as something that can benefit the Long family. A spy maybe.

Steve never had a clear picture of the future ahead of him, what he wants to do with his life. But he knows that he needs to get out of the confinements of the Longs. His cousin, Gabriel is the heir and he will have a future of decision making while taking care of his family and subordinates, similarly how Jeff is doing for the White family. But as a not-heir, Steve's future would be to follow Gabriel's orders, and that is something he does not want.

Steve didn't expect that with JoAnna showing up in Jeff's life so many other changes will occur. A machine-like Jeffrey White, focused on his company, family, duty… suddenly started acting outside of everyone's expectations. Ah, Steve remembers those days when Jeff was pursuing JoAnna. It was a nightmare. Jeff just disappeared, but the work seemed to multiply and in Jeff's absence everyone was asking him what to do! Steve still shudders when he remembers those days. What came out of it was an enamored Jeff and a quirky JoAnna and the next thing Steve knows: with JoAnna arrived a whole new world which included other people he now calls friends. And during that whirlwind of changes, Bridgette walked into his life as well.

Steve used to think that Jeff is like Gabriel. But last few weeks while fending off Marcus' attacks, Steve confirmed that Jeff is nothing like Gabriel. Gabriel is on his own. Sure, Gabriel has Victoria, but she can't help him in managing the Long Industries, while Jeff has many friends, helpers… family and somehow, he is included in that group of people. And that makes Steve proud and… happy. There is a feeling of trust and belonging which he didn't experience before.

Another (pleasant) shock which came from this group of people for Steve is that few days ago Aiden asked him to be his best man. Steve didn't see this coming. Sure, they are getting along great, but a best man? Wow! Of course, Steve accepted even though he didn't understand why Aiden asked him to keep it a secret from others.

"OK. I am calling the golf cart!", Felix's grumpy voice pulled Steve out of his thoughts.

At this point, even Steve could see that Sophia does not look well. "Did you catch a cold or something?"

Bridgette looked at Sophia's pale face with a frown for a second before getting her phone. "I am calling Anna."

…

About half an hour later, in JoAnna's apartment on the sixth floor of the main building of the resort…

JoAnna is doing a checkup on Sophia who is lying on the bed in one of the guest bedrooms.

Felix and Jeff are in the room, observing from the sofa. Bridgette and Steve are in the living room.

JoAnna kept the stethoscope back in her medical suitcase and spoke to Sophia: "I will do more tests when we get home, but at this point it seems that you are exhausted."

"Yes, that must be the case. Since I'm lying here, I'm feeling much better.", Sophia responded.

"Are there no other tests you can do here?", Felix asked with concern apparent in his voice. What did JoAnna do? She checked Sophia's breathing, heart, looked into her eyes with a light and pressed few points on her body… how is that a proper checkup?

"I can draw her blood, but I have nothing to test it with here…" JoAnna thought about the possibilities. "When we go to the Cliffside Villa to train, you are mostly sitting. You should exercise more, get your body back in shape."

"I am exercising.", Sophia said sullenly. She does NOT like to exercise.

"What exercise? Walk? You are young, and you should do some strenuous activity to get your heart rate up and break a good sweat."

Sophia showed a sly smile and glanced at Felix. "Oh, I am involved in strenuous activities… plenty of them."

JoAnna blinked. "Are you? Then… come with me."

Sophia followed JoAnna in the bathroom and wondered, why is JoAnna dragging her whole medical suitcase with her?

"Pee in this.", JoAnna handed a sterile cup to Sophia.

"You don't mean…?"

"No questions. Just do it. This is one test I CAN do from here."

JoAnna kept the testing stick of the pregnancy test on the counter and sat on the edge of the tub while waiting for the result to show.

Sophia stared at that hourglass symbol and asked: "Why are we doing a pregnancy test? I didn't even get my period since I gave birth to Lia!"

"Exactly.", JoAnna responded.

Sophia inhaled sharply when the result was displayed. "How is this possible? ObGyn said that I can't get pregnant if I'm breastfeeding."

JoAnna leaned closer and read 'Pregnant'. JoAnna slowly moved her gaze on Sophia's frozen face.

"Yes. Many women use breastfeeding as a way to avoid pregnancy but…", JoAnna made a dramatic pause. "You need to breastfeed regularly on every four hours or less, otherwise you might start ovulating. And that is NOT 100% foolproof, because some women get pregnant even when following the strict breastfeeding regime. And as you know, ovulation happens before the period." JoAnna sighed seeing that Sophia is staring at the test unblinkingly. "Big sis, did you forget that you got pregnant with Lia while taking the pill because you skipped few? With your crazy work in last few weeks, and you even traveled overnight to the White Mansion twice, leaving Lia with nanny… there is no way that you breastfed her regularly. Even now... I know you have a breast pump, but are you pumping every four hours?"

Sophia didn't respond. She grabbed the test stick and robotically walked to the bedroom.

JoAnna swiftly got up and moved after Sophia with her phone ready to record a video. There is NO WAY she is missing this.

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