"Ben, did Alex call you?" asked my father the next day at breakfast.
"No, father," I looked at Sarah, who said the same.
"His parents will join us for lunch," said my mother.
"So what are you guys going to do today?" I asked as I planned to spend the time on the beach with Sarah.
"Well, after they come, we are hoping to visit the nearby marketplace for a change,"
After taking a dip in the shallow waters and taking Sarah for a little swim, we bathed and settled into the open veranda. Luckily the weather was not too hot. I wore my cargo shorts with an open cotton shirt and the laptop scrolling through some work. Sarah sat next to me, with a comfy crop top and a flared skirt. She looked very clam glued to the book.
"hmmm.... are you going to stare until sunset?"
"How did you know I was looking at you?" I asked knowing her answer with a smile.
"Don't I feel you..."
"I know.. So how was your book?"
"It's good but I guess the writer should have been a person who makes plot twists a lot,"
"Then the book must be interesting," I said taking the book from her hand.
"BEN!!!!.."
"Hmm... Patrick Stone," I looked at her.
"Why?"
"His books are really a headache, I never could keep it up," I said returning the book to her.
She just looked at me and went back to her book. I also went back to finish off my work. When I looked at her again I saw her fallen asleep, cuddling her book. I covered her with a light blanket and hugged her tight.
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!"
was all I and Sarah heard that woke us from our nap.
"Wake up you two...." screamed Alex.
"When did you two come back?" I asked just twitching my eyes and looking at Sarah. I saw Sarah admiring the ring.
"Congratulations, guys," I said tightly hugging Sarah behind me while Alex and Meg sat next to us.
"SO when is the big day?" I asked.
"After her training," said Alex.
"In six months," said Meg.
"Just a private event and I am going to do the same as you, keep hidden," said Alex, taking Meg's hand.
"That means you will reveal your wife the same day as I do?" I asked Alex.
"Yes,"
I guess it's a wise choice. As Meg and Sarah are best friends, and Alexa and being well known, I don't want their lives to be made a joke with rumors and false news complicating their simple lives.
When lunchtime came, all our parents joined and we had a quiet family meal. I felt so happy to have everyone together and celebrate little things like this.
The next morning, I went to the office with Sarah as we had finished the Brimstone project as the bidding proposal day is this Friday. Everyone had worked hard as this project will be the biggest one we will take, this year.
The project meeting went on for almost four to five hours straight and we had many things to finalize. The teams arranged and got everything done during that time. So the digital design department can get the necessary presentations created with brochures and other necessities.
Apart from all this chaos, I had Markus monitor any data breach. As we suspected this could happen again. But who could it be? As Penny is away now there must be someone else.
"Ben," said Alex coming into my office room.
"Let's get everyone in the team to have dinner together,"
"Ok.. Can you arrange it?"
"Yes, I will do it. And will you join?"
"I will go and see Sarah and let you know," I said giving some files to him and going to Sarah's office room.
"Excuse me, I am sorry, have I done anything wrong to you?" I heard Sarah say.
"WRONG!! How dare you don't know what you did?" a woman's voice was heard. I quickly asked Alex and Markus to come here. And that woman went on to say so many things that made some of the close workers to Sarah came to see what was happening.
"Do you think you are better than a slut?"
"Is that how you got to be the head designer and who does a sloppy job that you don't even do your own presentations," She - Stacy a person who had worked with us for a few years. But her reputation with her colleagues was not good even though her work was ok. It seems she had been envious of Sarah as she spends a lot of time with me and Ben.
"I am sorry I don't have to tell you my personal reasons to answer you. Mr.Ben and Mr.Alex know about them and they have given me the permission to act accordingly," was all Sarah said.
I saw Alex's fists turn into a ball with frustration. I held him back. The next we heard was a crash and someone was being pushed down to the floor. I heard a bit of a muffled noise that I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I bragged in opening the door to see, Stacy, almost crushing Sarah's wrist with her stiletto heels.
"Stacy what on earth are you doing!!" was all Anthony said pulling her away, while I carried Sarah out of the office and straight to the hospital.
"Ben," Alex called.
"I asked the police to take Stacy away. How is she?"
"She is ok. I am taking her home. About the dinner you accompany others on my behalf," I said looking at her who was with me in the backseat.
"Ok Ben,"
At the dinner get-together,
"Sir, how is Sarah?" asked Anthony.
"She will be alright, not to worry. But did any of you notice any change in Stacy the last few days?"
"Hmm, she had been a bit too nosy about the designs we did for the bidding project,"
"OH, now I remember. Didn't we catch her secretly taking photos of the draft designs but we couldn't get it recorded," said another.
"Can you tell me the day and the time?" Alex asked them, and with the information, Markus got into track with what was happening.