Is this destiny?

A bit further away on the dancefloor…

Sarah is dancing with Owen (aka the Uncle).

She looked at Owen and smiled. "Will you tell me why you invited me for a dance, or we need three songs?"

"I know you since the day you were born. I watched you grow up, like a real Uncle. What if I just want to dance with you on your wedding day?"

Sarah stifled a laugh. "OK. We can go with that."

Owen sighed. "Fine. Since our situation changed and we are back to the Lebedev family headquarters, I was hoping to talk to you." He saw that Sarah is observing him curiously and that he has her attention, so he continued: "I want you to know that I will do whatever I can to keep your parents safe. I am not much in terms of fighting, but my strengths are information gathering, and most of the time, knowing the right things can save your life more than a swift fist."

Sarah saw that Owen ended his little speech. "Thank you for telling me this. Is there anyone else who can watch their backs?"

Owen was surprised by Sarah\'s question. "You don\'t think that I am enough?"

"To be honest, your loyalty is not what you are known for."

Owen was stupefied. "What do you mean?"

"Are you going to deny that you are feeding Vasily information on us?"

Owen\'s lips formed a small \'O\' shape and he exhaled a nearly-soundless whistle. How does Sarah know about this? Did Stella tell her? "That… I never gave him anything useful. You should not question my loyalty."

"Are you going to blame me for having difficulty believing that story?"

Owen was offended. His intention was to give Sarah an assurance that he is on their side and that he will do whatever he can to help them out, but it turned out in Sarah questioning his loyalty. And probably his motive as well.

"Believe what you want. However, if you could see what I told him, you would realize that it was all publicly available information, or something that he would find out anyway. Like your sister\'s pregnancies, or that they are getting married, or how they are expanding in terms of finances." Owen paused for a moment and saw that Sarah is not convinced. Without thinking, he added: "I didn\'t tell him about this event, or that your arm surgery was successful, or that Aiden woke up from a coma, or that Aiden is connected to Voronins…" 

Owen observed that Sarah\'s face contorted into a frown. Finally, he got her attention. He smiled smugly. "See? I didn\'t tell him those secrets. Even though by now Vasily probably knows about your arm and that Aiden is awake, and he will find out about the wedding as well. He has his ways... But what do you think Vasily would do if he finds out about Aiden\'s connection to Voronins? Would he use him or dispose of him? The only thing Vasily hates more than traitors and useless people are Voronins."

"Are you threatening me?", Sarah squeezed through her teeth.

Owen didn\'t realize that Sarah is full of murderous intent. But his sense of self-preservation was always low. 

He responded casually: "I would not dare threaten you. I just wanted you to know that I am aware of Aiden\'s potential for a long time and I didn\'t tell Vasily."

"Aiden\'s potential?", Sarah repeated robotically. 

Owen nodded vigorously. "With his skills he has a chance to contend for a position of an Elder in the Voronin family. I find that amazing. The two of you, both with such great outlooks, yet on the opposite sides…"

"Tell me… what is to stop me from ripping you into pieces right now?"

Owen saw Sarah\'s eyes filled with madness and he swallowed hard. "Hey… I am on your side."

Owen\'s eyes widened when he felt the pain in his right hand which is holding onto her left one. What\'s with that grip?

"How did you find out about it?", Sarah asked angrily.

Owen realized that if he is going to pacify Sarah, he needs to tell her the truth. Fast. Before she breaks his hand. Why is the pain level increasing? Sweat beaded his forehead. "About a year ago. You were at the Cabin, practicing. Stella asked me to look into Aiden because he knows Aurora and Astul patterns. I found information about him attending the youth camp…" His voice trailed away. He could not speak anymore, and he didn\'t want to scream either.

Luckily, Sarah eased up her grip.

Owen regretted his blunder. Why did he tell Sarah that he knows about Aiden\'s connection to Voronins? She is Milena\'s daughter. Patience and leniency are not in their vocabulary and they would kill without missing a beat to protect their loved ones. Now that he looks at Sarah, Owen can see that she resembles her mother the most out of the three Hill sisters. 

Owen exhaled with force. "Tell me… what do I need to do to prove my loyalty?"

"Give me everything on Vasily.", Sarah said without missing a beat.

Owen frowned. "What? Do you think that I am suicidal?"

Sarah\'s eyes flashed with crazed excitement. "You are not willing?"

"It\'s not that I am not willing, but you are asking for everything which is impossible. If he catches me, he will eliminate me after a long torture, and no one will find my body."

"Oh, Owen. I can do the same."

Owen wanted to ask Sarah why didn\'t she call him \'Uncle\'? But there are more pressing questions at this moment...

"You would not do it. Right?", Owen asked reluctantly.

"You said it: you know me since the day I was born, and you watched me grow up. Tell me, would I hesitate to eliminate you if you come close to harming my loved ones?"

Owen gazed into Sarah\'s eyes which are burning with murderous intent and he sighed. "I have the feeling that I am talking to Milena."

"Good that you know. You have until end of this song to convince me that you are not a threat."

Owen\'s eyes shifted few times before he said: "Ivan."

"Vasily\'s right hand?"

Owen confirmed. "I have a feeling that he is working against Vasily."

"A feeling?"

"It is more than that. He is not happy that Stella is back, and I believe that he does not want you as the next Grand Elder. You can use him to get inside Vasily\'s ranks."

"Why would he dare to work against Vasily?"

Owen shrugged. "Vasily is not a kind man. There is a chance that Ivan\'s goal is to get back at Vasily without considering his own safety, or he might have a powerful backer." 

Sarah\'s expression showed to Owen that she is not amused.

"You have a feeling, and then you believe, and there is a chance… I need something solid. Not your hunches and guesses.", Sarah warned him.

"Before we came here, Ivan secretly gave me an USB drive. He was extremely cautious for Vasily not to find out about it. Ivan said that it has the information from when you and Aiden were captured. I don\'t know more than that."

Sarah\'s mind blanked for a moment. Information from when she and Aiden were captured? She felt that there is a lack of oxygen. Aiden can\'t find out about it! "Where is the USB?"

"I gave it to Stella, of course."

Sarah raised her hand, wanting to use Eve-vision to locate her mother and she cursed internally when she realized that she is not wearing the lenses.

Without a word, Sarah let go of Owen and dashed upstairs. Last time Sarah saw Stella, she was on the upper terrace.

Owen looked after Sarah and wondered if this means that she trusts him now or not. She didn\'t break him. He glanced at his right hand and pumped a fist few times.

"What\'s with that grip?", he mumbled.

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