Is this destiny?

There was a period of silence, Sophia, Felix and Stella were busy in their own thought.

Felix felt the silence pressing on him, making him aware of guilt he feels for keeping from Sophia that the 'small robot' is his invention. Felix looked at Sophia and glanced at Stella nervously. "There is one more thing..."

Sophia looked at Felix curiously waiting for him to speak.

Felix told himself that he has to say this and continued, "The device you call 'small robot' is actually MX31. It is one of my designs that I didn't finish."

"What are you saying?", Sophia was not sure she heard him right. Stella squinted her eyes and listened without making a sound.

Felix was facing Sophia, while explaining, hoping that she will listen until the end, and not hate him after he is done. "Two years ago, I designed it. I hit a bottleneck with movement mechanisms, and then other things took priority, so I never completed it. I never sold the design or produced it. I don't know how it ended up inside your sister."

"Are you sure it's your design?" Sophia had difficulty believing what he said. It's not that she does not believe that Felix is capable of designing such a device… but him designing it two years ago, and then they end up dating, and now his two-year-old design ends up inside her sister? How crazy of a story is that?

"I'm absolutely positive. I remember every design I created, and this is one of them." Felix was reassuring her that he is confident.

Sophia thought for some time before asking, "And you are saying that someone stole it?"

"There is no other explanation... I was thinking to ask Sarah and Aiden to help me in figuring out who took it."

"Why didn't you say this right away?" Sophia could guess that he feared that she will dislike him because his design contributed to her sister getting hurt, but she needed to hear that from him.

This was the part Felix was uneasy about. "I was fearing... that you will not believe me... or that you will believe me and blame me for Sarah getting hurt."

Sophia nodded in understanding and patted his shoulder. "I'm sure that Sarah and Aiden will be willing to help you out. We all want to get to the bottom of this." Sophia was glad that he told her even though it might incriminate him. He had a choice not to say anything, but still decided to tell her. At that moment, he gained her trust a little bit more.

JoAnna came to the cafeteria and joined them.

"Where did you disappear?", Sophia asked JoAnna.

JoAnna yawned. "I slept off in the resting room for staff."

Stella looked at JoAnna and remembered how Dr. Light looked at her. She does not like when she does not know what is going on with her daughters, and that look he gave to JoAnna didn't sit well with Stella. "What is going on between you and your mentor?"

JoAnna was immediately startled fully awake, and muttered, "Nothing".

"Don't lie to your mother... tell me. I saw how he looked at you. And that was not nothing."

Seeing that she has no choice, JoAnna told them how Dr. Light asked her to repay the favor of him doing the surgery on Sarah with a dinner.

"How outrageous!", Sophia exclaimed. "You should put him into his place. Scumbag!" Sophia looked at JoAnna who looked timid. "Don't tell me that you are actually considering having dinner with him? Do you think he will stop with that? You need to retaliate."

"How can I retaliate?", JoAnna helplessly asked. "It's my word against his. And he has more experience, more connections, more power. I'm insignificant. I can only hope that he will stop."

Sophia frowned. "Are you really so naive to think that he will stop once he has his grasp on you? It will only get worse." Sophia rummaged through her purse for a minute before handing out a recording pen to JoAnna. "Take this. Keep it with you always. Whenever you meet him, start recording. In that way it will not be your word against his, but you will have a proof that he is blackmailing you. Do you understand why this is important?"

JoAnna was startled when she heard her sister say the word 'blackmail'. Suddenly the situation seemed more serious than what she thought it was. JoAnna was embarrassed to look at Sophia. How come she didn't think of this? She put all her hopes that he will stop, and she didn't think of creating any insurance for herself.

Sophia looked at JoAnna sternly. "Look at me." JoAnna looked up, and Sophia continued. "If you can get him to talk more and admit what he is doing, that is even better. Don't go to any secluded places where he can get a chance to hurt you. The moment you get some evidence, make a copy. Send it to me. We will prepare a case and sue him... "

Sophia saw that JoAnna's face turned into one of surprise. Sophia gave JoAnna reassuring smile. "Did you forget that your sister is a lawyer? We will take him down. I will not let him bully my sister. What mentor, what famous surgeon? None of that matters... we will crush him. If he tries something unsightly before you get the evidence, retaliate. Don't let him have his way. No matter what you do, I will help you out of it. Do you understand?"

All eyes were on Sophia. JoAnna was grateful, Stella proud to see Sophia step up like that, and Felix was full of admiration.

Sophia looked at them and smiled. "Why are all of you looking at me like that? Eat, and let's go back to be there for Sarah." Sophia turned to JoAnna. "Right now, Sarah needs you. When she gets better, she will help you dig out dirt on that scumbag. If there is anything, Sarah will find it. Rely on your sisters, we are all capable, and none of us can be bullied. Do you get it?"

JoAnna hugged Sophia. "Thank you...." JoAnna felt a relief that she is not alone, happy that she has her sisters to rely on.