From viewer's perspective, Sarah's presentation went great. Slides were showing on the big screen behind her with animations included, she spoke clearly and fluently, her body language was good, she was not stiff, and she smiled.
From Sarah's perspective, everything was a blur. She praised herself internally for practicing until her body memorized everything. She spoke, moved and even smiled automatically without an involvement from her brain which practically refused to work because it was overloaded with stress.
"You did great!", Aiden exclaimed when she walked off the stage, leaving behind thrunderous claps and cheers.
"Is it over?" Her weak question made Aiden laugh.
Sarah was happy that Aiden is by her side and holding her hand, because by the time her brain resumed its function she was already in the VIP lounge, being hugged by JoAnna and Sophia who congratulated her on a job well done.
"Don't suffocate her…", Aiden reminded JoAnna and Sophia while prying Sarah out of their hugs.
"Are you OK?" Aiden visually inspected Sarah and gently patted non-existent dust from her shoulders before holding her hand and leading her toward the sofa. "Come and sit. Let me get you something to drink."
JoAnna raised an eyebrow and inched closer to Sophia.
"Why is he acting like she is made out of glass?", JoAnna asked while her eyes didn't leave Aiden.
Sophia was happy that she is not the only one who noticed special treatment Aiden is giving to Sarah. "You should have seen him last night. He didn't let her do anything and was insisting that she rests. Aiden was super-spoiling her the whole evening."
"Reeeeaaaally?" JoAnna stretched her question while narrowing her eyes at Sarah.
"Do you think something is going on?", Sophia saw that JoAnna's brain is firing up with ideas.
"Well…", JoAnna knowingly looked at Sophia. "We both noticed that he is acting differently. Pampering her… Why would a man suddenly start to pamper his woman?"
Sophia widened her eyes. "You don't think that she is…" Sophia glanced at her belly which is protruding proudly in her fifth (almost sixth) month of pregnancy.
"Hmm…", JoAnna mused. "I don't know if she is, but he is definitely suspecting it."
"You are right." Sophia observed. "Sarah is awkward about it. Not shy, but awkward. My guess is that she still didn't confirm. Or maybe she knows that she is not pregnant but does not how to tell him."
JoAnna agreed with this. She remembered how difficult it was for her to break Jeff's happy bubble when he thought that she is pregnant because Sophia's test was left in their bathroom. It was very uncomfortable.
Sarah glanced at her sisters who scrutinized her and smiled while wondering what is on their minds. Ah, she is clueless that JoAnna and Sophia are figuring out the situation between her and Aiden. Her sisters read her (and Aiden) so well.
Sarah got a text message. Edward and Stella congratulated her on an excellent presentation and told her that they are proud of her. She smiled. They watched her over livestream.
Everyone in the VIP room congratulated her but getting a praise from her parents meant a lot at that moment. This is their first time acknowledging her work at White corp.
When Sarah told them about her job at White corp., Stella didn't show much of an opinion, but Edward was not happy that she is not working at Orion Enterprise. Sarah knows that her father planned for her to work there after school. This congratulations is Edward's approval of her work, and she sees it like he forgave her for not joining his team.
Without the burden of the presentation, Sarah relaxed and even her appetite returned.
Aiden was happy to go and get food for her. He returned with two full trays and placed them on the table in front of Sarah: hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, onion rings, popcorn, steamed corn, candied pretzels, nachos…
Sarah looked at Aiden questionably. She loves this type of food, but… for someone who is against all junk food, he got plenty of it.
Aiden leaned closer and spoke softly to her: "Enjoy while you can. As soon as you confirm… I will not allow you to feed this high calorie food with zero nutritional value to my child."
Sarah was not sure how to respond to this. Does this mean that if she is pregnant she needs to say goodbye to all this yumminess in front of her? Sarah decided to think about it later. She grabbed a hot dog and crammed a handful of French fries in her mouth.
"Wow! All this food just for you?", JoAnna said loudly, making Sarah slightly uncomfortable.
"No, no…" Sarah swallowed with difficulty and waved her hands clumsily. "This is for everyone to share."
"Well, don't mind if I do!", Jeff took an onion ring, dipped it in the barbecue sauce and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Thank you!", Jeff smugly told Aiden who frowned at his shameless brother.
"Silly… you made a sauce mess… let me clean you up.", JoAnna got on her toes and licked the sauce from the edge of Jeff's lips.
Everyone tried to avoid Jeff's and JoAnna's public display of affection and swarmed around the food.
Felix and Steve went to get a second round of food and returned with two trays each.
Aiden reluctantly allowed Sarah to drink soda, but he said no to beer. That only confirmed JoAnna's and Sophia's suspicion: Aiden treats Sarah like she is pregnant!
But why are they not telling anyone? That is a mystery they decided to discuss again.
"Is it possible that she didn't confirm?", Sophia guessed.
JoAnna shrugged. "You can buy the test everywhere and it takes just a minute. I don't know about you, but if my period is one day late, I'm doing the test right away."
"Yeah, but that is you… and this is Sarah." Sophia sighed. "She is known to postpone things with hope that she does not need to face anything unpleasant."
"Why would this be unpleasant? Don't tell me that she does not want to keep the child?"
Sophia frowned. "Maybe she suspects that something is wrong with the pregnancy."
"Ah, this is killing me! We are going in circles." JoAnna exhaled in defeat. "I will go and ask her."
"Relax.", Sophia advised JoAnna. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Let's give her few days to figure out things."
JoAnna puffed her cheeks in frustration. "Fine! But if by Monday she does not say anything, I'm asking!"
"What are you two whispering?", Jeff asked as he squeezed in to sit next to JoAnna.
"Nothing, nothing…", JoAnna waved her hand. "Just sisters' talk."
As much as Sophia and her have their ideas, they are still ideas. If they tell Jeff, he will definitely talk to Aiden and if Elanor hears… well, everyone knows that she is super-itchy for any news about grandchildren. And if Sarah is not pregnant, she will be put in an uncomfortable situation.
---
If you are not reading this at 'W e b n o v e l . c o m', then the content you're reading is stolen! Please support the author by reading this novel from the original source.