Stefan and Sarah entered the mall happily hand in hand, drowned in each other like a cute couple, and Valerie's eyes widened in shock at seeing the scene.
Valerie definitely couldn't imagine after seeing Sarah's anger that Stefan had convinced her, let alone seeing Sarah smiling happily, holding Stefan's hand.
'It's so complicated, everything. Don't know why I am feeling there must have been something serious with Sarah because I have always noticed Stefan is taking extra care of Sarah and even though they are in a forced marriage Stefan is always trying to make her happy. If it is true, then I pity Sarah, poor girl, she is such a good woman with a good heart."
Valerie was lost in her thoughts when Stefan and Sarah walked towards her, but she didn't react.
"Valerie, where are you lost?" Stefan asked Valerie, but when she didn't respond, he waved his hand in front of her eyes.
Valerie came back to her senses and embarrassedly looked at Stefan and Sarah.
"What's wrong Valerie, is everything alright?" Stefan asked with slight concern for her. Till now she is in Walter's palace, she is his responsibility because he forced her to stay.
"No, nothing wrong, everything is alright."
Valerie fumbled with her words. How could she say that she was thinking about Sarah's health issue when she doesn't know what it is?
"Great, then let's go shopping."
Sarah couldn't wait to get into the store and start picking dresses for herself.
Valerie nodded her head, and the trio went towards the ladies' shop.
When Valerie moved towards the western outfit section, Sarah walked in the opposite direction.
"Where is Sarah going?" Valerie was about to call Sarah but didn't want to disturb the other customers, and that's why asked Stefan.
"I don't know what's stored on her shopping list. Valerie, you continue your shopping, let me see Sarah. After an hour we will see you at the billing counter, alright?"
Valerie felt a little hurt in her heart, she not only wanted to shop with Stefan but also buy clothes for her as per Stefan's choice. Still, she smiled and nodded.
'Sarah is Stefan's wife, his biggest responsibility, even though they are in a forced marriage. It's obvious he will follow her until she is with him.'
Valerie composed her heart and diverted her mind towards her shopping.
After an hour, as decided by Stefan, Valerie was waiting for Stefan and Sarah near the billing counter, but none of them showed up and she was getting bored.
She waited for some more time for them, and when they still didn't show up, Valerie moved towards the direction where Stefan had gone behind Sarah an hour ago. She saw the couple talking peacefully.
"Sarah, how much more will you shop for, it's quite late, let's go back home? You can't take so much stress in a day, did you hear me?"
"Stefu, I am a bit uncomfortable nowadays because of winter, so I want to buy some warmer daily wears, a little different from my kind of stuff. Please let me buy my stuff peacefully." Sarah said in an irritated tone, and her voice was coarse.
After that Stefan said nothing and kept on helping her.
Valerie watched everything from far and went back to the billing counter to wait for them silently, but thoughts of Sarah and her illness again engulfed her mind.
Sarah was looking tired just after shopping for an hour. God knows what problem she has, I hope it's not any fatal illness, and lord Jesus, please get her well soon, she is a pleasant woman."
Just then Stefan and Sarah came after completing their shopping and smiled apologetically, seeing Valerie and she too smiled.
"I am sorry Valerie; I took so much time in completing my shopping and you had to wait for us for long. You must have been getting bore." Sarah apologized warmly.
"Sarah, you are so polite, but it's really ok. Stefan, can I borrow some money from you, I will withdraw from the bank and give it back to you later, as I have lost all my cards."
Valerie was embarrassed in asking for the money, but it's Christmas time and the banks are closed, so she can't contact her bank. She was left with no option, that's why she has to ask for a loan from Stefan.
Sarah held Valerie's hand and said with a gentle smile. "Come on, Valerie, don't be so formal with us. You are Stefan's friend and now mine as well, so don't think too much for asking for anything, did you get it?"
Valerie smiled, being grateful to Sarah and slamming herself in mind.
'Sarah is so nice to me and taking me as her friend and I am thinking how if she and Stefan are in a forced marriage I should try to take Stefan back from her. How could I be so mean to a wonderful spirit like Sarah?
A part of Valerie's mind was bashing her for thinking wrong for Sarah, but a part of her heart was saying, nothing is wrong with it.
"How could this be wrong, if they are into a forced marriage, it's better to get separated rather than getting stuck with an unwanted relationship? Hold on, they are not looking like they don't want to be with each other, they are so good to each other with a loving bond.'
'How could it be love when it's a forced marriage? Stefan is fulfilling his duties for Sarah. What's more, Sarah is not even well, perhaps she is suffering from some chronic disease and doesn't know what will be........'
'No, I shouldn't think negatively for her, perhaps she will get well soon. Hmm, perhaps, but her disease and the destination of their relationship have nothing to do with my thoughts, it all depends on destiny.
"Even though I shouldn't think bad for her, then what should I do? Oh, lord Jesus, it's so confusing, everything around me.'
The more Valerie thought about Stefan and Sarah, the more she was getting crazy.
She is oblivious of the truth, that Stefan and Sarah are deeply in love with each other, and Stefan's care for Sarah and health was not because Sarah is suffering from any illness but also she is pregnant.
Neither anybody in the family had told her that Sarah is pregnant, nor did she ask anybody about Sarah's illness.
"Valerie, where are you lost?" Stefan once again waved his hand in front of Valerie's eyes, zooming her out of her thoughts.
"Stefan, were you saying something?"
Stefan noticed Valerie's lost appearance but said nothing to her. He just handed her shopping bags to her and took Sarah's shopping bags in his hand.
"Valerie, we have paid the bill, shall we go, or do you have anything else to do?"
"It's nothing....." Valerie said while taking the shopping bags from Stefan.
"Let's go then....." Sarah said.
Everyone walked forward when Valerie's gaze fell on more than a dozen of enormous shopping bags in Stefan's hand and Sarah was nagging with him to give some of them, but Stefan was denying it.