Aiden and Sarah came to the White family vi in time for lunch.


    Shortly after they arrived, the stock market closed, and Jeff exited the study room. He found JoAnna in the garden, chatting with Sarah. Aiden was sitting next to them, ying with his phone.


    "Done?" JoAnna''s face lit up when she saw Jeff.


    "Mhm." He nodded and showed a victorious smile.


    "Am I going to be impressed?" JoAnna looked at Jeff expectantly.


    He confirmed without hesitation and requested his kiss.


    Aiden was not able to see his brother all love-stricken and headed inside. "I''m going to ask them to serve lunch." He was referring to the maids.


    Sarah held back herughter seeing how unreasonable Aiden is. ''Aren''t you even worse than this?'' But she decided not to start an argument and followed behind him. She was hungry also.


    Four of them sat at the table and just before they started eating Aiden noticed absence of his parents. "Where are mom and dad?"


    Jeff''s expression worsened, and JoAnna mysteriously smiled.


    A secondter, they heard nor''s lightughe from the hallway. nor and Oscar entered the dining room and greeted youngsters.


    They started chatting excitedly, and Jeff could not find an opportunity to voice his displeasure with his parents ''retreating to their bedroom'' in the middle of the day. But on the other hand, he was not sure he wants to bring that topic up for discussion.


    Oscar observed that Jeff is in a bad mood. "Did you fail to acquire necessary percentage?"


    "No. That is fine." Jeff didn''t want to look at his father.


    Oscar could tell that Jeff''s mood is off and wanted to confirm the oue. "How much do you have?"


    "When you sign your shares off to me, I will tell you." Jeff responded with a smirk.


    Oscarined internally aboutck of respect from Jeff''s side but didn''t argue with him. "The paperwork will be done by end of day."


    Jeff gave a small nod in response.


    "What is next?" Oscar was curious. He never saw Jeff do something like this and wanted to know what steps Jeff is taking to make sure this ends sessfully.


    "I sent an invitation to directors and remaining shareholders at Cox Industries for a board meeting tomorrow morning. I will go in person."


    Oscar approved this. "I will join you."


    "As you wish." Jeff nced at his father. But only for a moment.


    JoAnna was happy to know that Jeff will not go there alone. Having Oscar''s support will mean a lot. Or maybe not. He is Almighty Jeffrey White, after all.


    nor was listening and didn''t understand much. "What are you two talking about?"


    Oscar didn''t give others time to exin. "Jeffrey owns Cox Industries and two of their partnerpanies now." Pride was heard in his voice.


    "Stacey and Timothy lost their business?" nor was surprised and could not hide her smile while looking at youngsters at the table who pretended not to notice her inquisitive gaze. nor let out a giggle. "After the show that their daughters performedst night, their reputation is ruined. Now they lost their business. They only have each other to hold onto."


    JoAnna could not help herself. "That is also rtive."


    nor noticed that there is something in JoAnna''s words, and her curiosity piqued. "Exin that, please." She eagerly looked at JoAnna.


    JoAnna nced at Sarah. "Do you have photos here handy?"


    Sarah got her phone, and opened folder with images of Sabrina and Timothy. While she handed her phone to nor, Sarah warned her. "I''m not sure if this will spoil you lunch, so look at these at your own discretion."


    nor looked at the phone and her eyes widened. "Oh, my…"


    Oscar could not hold back his curiosity, and he leaned in to see also.


    After few photos, nor spoke. "I can tell this is Timothy, who is the woman? I know that this is NOT his wife…"


    "Sabrina Welsh." Sarah responded, amused with nor''s reaction.


    "Really?" nor looked at the photos carefully. "It seems that is her! I was not able to recognize her without her clothes…" norughed while looking at remaining photos. She nced at each of the youngsters. "What are you doing with these?"


    JoAnna looked at Jeff hoping that he will exin what he arranged for the magazines to publish, but he gestured to her to go ahead and focused back to the te of food in front of him.


    JoAnna didn''t mind. She was happy to talk. "Tomorrow morning magazines will be full of these."


    nor smiled and shook her head. "You kids are really something. Yesterday their reputation, today their business, tomorrow their marriage. Very thorough, if I may notice."


    "And day after tomorrow awsuit." JoAnna added with a smile.


    "Oh?" Both nor and Oscar said in unison and raised their heads to look at JoAnna.


    JoAnna was happy with their reaction. "Now we have recorded confession that Lindsay instigated sabotaging my saddle. She will not get away with it. Sophia is preparing the case as we speak."


    "Very impressive!" nor eximed. "You girls don''t leave any survivors. Just how it should be."


    JoAnna felt pride for herself and for her sisters. It was good to be praised. It felt good to have support of all these people. She could not help but grin.


    In next moment, Jeff tapped her forehead lightly. "Just don''t let it go to your head." He winked and smiled, happy that he got to return her words so quickly.


    JoAnna puffed her cheeks for a moment in protest, and thenughed.


    Everyoneughed. The atmosphere was light, and everyone enjoyed themselves.


    nor wished that these kids visit more often. She was not able to remember when was thest time that the vi was so lively. Ever.


    "Maybe next time when you visit, your sister can also join?" nor suggested. "I didn''t have a chance to meet her."


    Sarah thought that is not unreasonable. "We will mention that to Sophia and I''m sure that she would love to join if her schedule allows."


    "She is engaged to be married next month, and they are expecting a baby in February!" JoAnna could not hold back to add more good news to the already good day.


    "A baby! How nice!" nor eximed and looked at JoAnna and Sarah with a glimmer in her eyes.


    Sarah''s smile faded away, and her expression showed panic. She swiftly pointed at JoAnna without feeling any guilt. "She first, they are already engaged!"


    "Why are you throwing me under the bus right away?" JoAnnained.


    "Would it make you feel better if I waited a minute?" Sarah burst intough.


    And then everyone elseughed. Well, everyone except for Jeff who was looking at JoAnna with aplex expression. He reminded himself that they talked about having children, and that she is not ready. But still, he could not even force augh. Not on that topic. He really wished a family with JoAnna, and he didn''t even think about children until that pregnancy test showed in his bathroom. And now he can''t help it. Jeff feels emptiness in his heart, as if he had a baby and lost it. Now he knows that the pregnancy test was not JoAnna''s, but at that time, for those few hours, he thought that it was hers and that they will be parents. And it made him happy beyond belief. Jeff imagined JoAnna with a big belly, and how he is proudly showing her around. ''This is mine! I did this!'' He imagined how the baby will look like, will it be a boy or a girl... He knows that it was not real, but he can''t help himself. He is grieving for a loss of something that never existed, no matter how unreasonable that sounds.. Because in his mind, for those few hours, it was real.