Meanwhile Ava took the elevator straight to her floor..
The moment she reached her apartment door she pressed her fingerprint against the scanner before stepping inside.
Then froze.
Her eye twitched immediately.
Because her once half-empty apartment that normally looked like nobody actually lived there anymore had completely transformed.
The living room now looked warm, artistic and ridiculously expensive.
Soft sage-green walls mixed with cream and gold decorations gave the place a cozy luxurious atmosphere.
Large modern paintings leaned against parts of the wall while floating shelves filled with books, candles and tiny decorative sculptures surrounded the room.
A huge curved cream couch sat in the center covered with soft green and beige pillows while a fluffy rug stretched beneath a glass coffee table decorated with flowers and small art pieces.
Warm hidden lights glowed softly around the ceiling making the entire apartment feel comfortable and alive instead of cold and empty.
Plants were literally everywhere.
Small plants. Tall plants. Hanging plants near the windows.
Even the balcony area had been redesigned into a cozy sitting corner with fairy lights and soft chairs facing the glowing Silver Arc District outside.
The apartment looked classy. Cute. Comfortable. Arty.
Actually lived in.
Ava felt a headache instantly.
Then her gaze shifted toward the kitchen.
And nearly blacked out again.
The kitchen now looked like something directly stolen from a celebrity chef competition show.
Massive marble counters stretched across the space while hidden lights glowed beneath sleek dark cabinets.
Expensive high-tech appliances lined the walls perfectly alongside smart cooking systems, touch-screen panels and automatic storage compartments.
The fridge itself looked more expensive than a normal person's yearly salary.
Even the spice shelves were organized aesthetically by color.
The kitchen finally looked like a kitchen someone actually cooked in instead of a decoration showroom.
Standing inside it like he owned the entire apartment
Was Luis.
He only wore silk dark-blue pajamas.
The loose trousers and matching shirt looked ridiculously expensive while still looking soft and comfortable enough to sleep in with white fluffy fur on the wrist and neck of the sleeve.
The slightly open collar exposed part of his lean athletic build while his damp dark-brown wavy hair fell messily over his forehead.
His deep amber eyes reflected the warm kitchen lights almost like glowing stars.
Dangerously pretty eyes.
The type people could stare into and genuinely forget what they were saying.
Combined with his naturally seductive gaze and red full lips
He looked less like someone's younger brother and more like a siren pretending to be human.
Luis meanwhile calmly poured cereal into a bowl like nothing was wrong.
"Hm." He glanced toward Ava lazily. "You've learned bad habits."
Luis clicked his tongue dramatically. "Coming home this late. Tsk tsk tsk.
"
He looked at the clock. "It's almost ten, young lady. Where have you been?"
"Shut it." Ava folded her arms immediately. "Why the hell are you in my house?"
Luis looked deeply offended.
"Because mother dearest drove me and dad out then blocked all our cards," he explained while pouring milk into the cereal. "So naturally I came to my sweet elder sister."
Ava slowly looked around the apartment again.
Then back at him.
"...Don't tell me you used my card for all this."
Luis smiled.
"Then I won't tell you."
Ava cracked her knuckles immediately.
Luis grabbed his cereal bowl and escaped at top speed into the living room before Ava could kill him.
"Bastard get back here!" Ava yelled while chasing after him.
Luis jumped over the couch dramatically. "No. I'm too classy to stay outside."
Then suddenly he paused.
Sniffed the air.
And slowly walked back toward Ava suspiciously.
He leaned closer. Very close.
"You smell like Indian food."
Ava pushed his face away instantly.
Luis looked heartbroken. "Where is mine?"
Ava stared at her younger brother who was taller than her with one year already 6'1 while she was 5'5 and somehow her headache hit her hard.
"You should be grateful I haven't slapped you yet," Ava snapped. "And you're still talking about food? I was enjoying my time with my handsome man before I had to rush back here because of YOU."
Luis immediately dropped dramatically onto the couch while stirring his cereal lazily.
"Did I tell you to rush back?"
Then his eyes slowly lowered toward the oversized sweater Ava wore.
Luis raised his eyebrows.
"...Is that a boy's sweater?"
Ava shrugged.
Luis looked scandalized. "Tsk tsk. Aren't you progressing fast?"
He pointed his spoon at her looking bored. "Be careful. Early pregnancy is real."
"Oh shut up." Ava threw a pillow directly at his face. "Before giving advice look at yourself. You change girlfriends every week. Be careful before you catch an STD."
Luis dodged the pillow easily.
"If I do have a STD I would put my blood in your drink so we can have the disease together to show our love as siblings"
"Go to hell try it and I will cut remove your skin from your flesh and feed you."
"I would still look tasty and beautiful," Luis corrected confidently.
Ava rolled her eyes before walking toward the kitchen for water.
"And don't make this a habit," she warned. "You are not staying in my apartment permanently. Get it?"
Luis followed behind her with the cereal bowl still in hand.
"Oh please." He looked disgusted. "You're acting like I'm thrilled seeing your ugly face every day."
Ava grabbed a glass slowly.
Luis smiled innocently.
"I came here for you."
"Are you trying to make me puke?" Ava asked with visible disgust.
"I wish I was," Luis replied honestly while sitting on the kitchen counter eating cereal comfortably. "But unfortunately I'm serious."
Ava already looked suspicious.
Luis pointed the spoon toward her dramatically. "I came here for you."
A pause.
"Mostly for me too because if I'm suffering then we suffer together as a family."
Ava stared at him blankly. "...Speak English, idiot."
Luis sighed heavily like she was the difficult one here.
"What I'm trying to say is..." He pointed at her seriously again. "You need to attend the Unity Holiday gathering."
"Oh." She waved her hand dismissively before drinking water. "Of course I'm attending. Spend time with mom and dad blah blah family bonding whatever."
Luis slowly shook his head.
"Wrong family."
Silence.
Ava froze.
Then very slowly lowered her glass.
"...No."
Luis smile widened.
"No no no no no."
"Yes yes yes yes yes."
Ava immediately backed away. "Wrong fam. Wrong family means—"
Luis clapped happily. "We're spending the Unity Holiday at Grandpa Quinn's mansion."
Ava looked ready to faint.
Luis continued cheerfully, "With dad's brothers and sisters."
Ava covered her face.
"And their husbands, wives and children."
"Oh my god."
"And Grandma Quinn's siblings are also coming With their children and grandchildren too."
"What the fuck."
Luis looked deeply pleased watching her suffer."And let's not forget Grandpa Quinn's disciples and their families."
Ava pointed at him shakily. "Stop talking."
Luis ignored her completely.
"And Grandma Quinn's late best friend's family got invited too because apparently emotional attachment never dies."
Luis smiled brightly. "They finally managed to convince Grandpa and Grandma Quinn to host a huge family feast."
Luis continued calmly, "Grandma specifically said every family member must attend so everyone can suffer from the drama together."
A pause.
"I mean enjoy precious family moments."
"If anyone runs away," Luis added helpfully, "she personally threatened to drag us back herself."
He pointed between them.
"And by us I mean mom, dad, you and me as we are the one ready to ditch."
Luis looked genuinely touched. "Family love."
Ava slowly crouched down holding her head.
"Hell no."
Luis nodded sympathetically. "Hell yes."
"WHO THE FUCK THOUGHT OF THIS?"
Her voice echoed through the apartment.
Luis continued eating cereal peacefully. "Technically family thanksgiving is supposed to happen next Saturday."
"THEN WHY IS IT TOMORROW?"
"Because everyone knows we wouldn't come willingly." Luis shrugged. "Especially mom."
Ava looked exhausted already.
"So they purposely moved it to Sunday during the worldwide Unity Holiday because attendance is harder to escape."
Ava looked like she wanted to commit murder.
Luis meanwhile looked very pleased with himself.
"I was personally dragged away from my friend's place earlier today."
He pointed proudly at himself. "But because I'm such a loving brother I volunteered to bring my sister too."
Ava immediately took off her slipper and launched it directly at his head.
Luis dodged instantly.
The slipper slammed into the refrigerator .
"AHH FUCK!" Luis yelled while pointing at her with his spoon. "You rabid dog are you insane?!"
Ava cracked her fingers slowly. "You better start running before I beat you unconscious."
Luis instantly grabbed his cereal bowl and sprinted out of the kitchen again.
The peaceful luxury apartment instantly became chaotic again.
"Stand there and watch madness then, you stupid dog!" Ava yelled, throwing her second slipper at him.
Luis burst out laughing and quickly dodged toward the guest room he had already claimed for himself.
"Ahhh! I'm actually going crazy because of this family!" Ava shouted, running both hands through her hair in frustration.
Meanwhile, Matthew returned to the condo building.
He stepped out of the elevator and walked toward his apartment while carrying the teddy bear Ava had won earlier alongside the bags of snacks she bought.
When he reached Ava's door, he quietly placed everything down in front of it before knocking once to get her attention.
Then he turned and entered his own apartment.
The door closed softly behind him.
Matthew rubbed the back of his neck tiredly as he walked toward his room. Opening the cupboard, he took out the supplements he had been taking lately.
Sunday.
The symptoms would finally stop.
The constant irritation, random mood swings, and frustrating physical tension were honestly becoming annoying every time he had to press it down though it was easy it was annoying.
After swallowing the supplement, he poured himself a glass of water and drank it before heading to the bathroom.
Some time later, he stepped out again.
His damp hair dripped water slowly down his neck while a towel rested loosely around his shoulders. He only wore a pair of dark joggers hanging low on his waist.
Right then his phone rang.
Without checking properly, Matthew answered casually
Then paused for a second.
A video call.
His expression returned to normal almost instantly.
"What?" Matthew asked calmly.
On the other side, Ava had also finished bathing.
She wore pink Hello Kitty shorts together with an oversized white knitted sweater slipping slightly off one shoulder, exposing part of her collarbone and the strap of her sports bra.
She was hugging the giant teddy bear she won earlier almost possessively.
And of course—
The teddy was also wearing Matthew's sweater .
The same sweater she had absolutely no intention of returning.
After seeing the snacks and teddy bear outside her door, she decided to try her luck by video calling him.
Unexpectedly
He actually picked up.
The moment the screen connected, Ava froze.
Her entire screen was suddenly filled with a ridiculously unfair view.
Matthew sat on the edge of his bed while drying his damp hair lazily.
Soft warm lighting reflected against the water droplets sliding from his dark hair down to his face... trailing slowly past his jawline, neck, collarbone, then lower beneath the visible lines of his chest before disappearing under the waistband of his joggers.
"Earth to Ava."
Matthew's voice pulled her back instantly.
"What do you want?" he asked.
He calmly placed his phone onto a holder facing him before continuing to dry his hair like he had no idea what kind of visual attack he was causing.
Meanwhile Ava's eyes shamelessly wandered again.
His long lashes.
His lips.
His Adam's apple.
The water sliding down his skin.
Ava swallowed slowly.
She wanted to taste it kiss him fuck Ava thought
She suddenly looked like she wanted to climb through the phone screen itself.
Matthew noticed immediately.
A faint amusement appeared in his eyes.
"You're drooling," he teased softly, his low voice carrying obvious amusement.
"Because you look tasty," Ava replied shamelessly. "So yummy."
Matthew paused.
Then suddenly chuckled under his breath.
Right.
He forgot Ava wasn't normal.
Matthew leaned slightly closer toward the screen, a lazy smile appearing on his face.
"I see you've already put my sweater to good use," he said calmly. "I shouldn't expect it back anytime soon, should I?"
But Ava barely heard him.
Her attention was completely ruined by the fact his face was suddenly so close to the screen.
Damn.
This boy was ridiculously fine.
Smooth skin.
Sharp jawline.
Long lashes.
Perfect lips.
Perfect shape of nose
Not a single flaw anywhere.
Normally people looked awkward during video calls unless they used filters or were naturally photogenic or they are fine.
Matthew unfortunately suffered from both.
He was unfairly photogenic and freaking handsome.
Matthew lightly tapped his fingers against the cupboard beside him, finally snapping Ava out of her staring.
"Are you done looking?" he asked lazily. "Why did you even call me?"
As he spoke, he reached toward the fruit tray resting on top of the cupboard and picked up a grape.
Then slowly bit into it.
His tongue brushed lightly against his lower lip afterward while he leaned back comfortably against the bed.
The movement pulled the muscles along his abdomen tighter beneath the dim lighting, making the lines of his abs even more obvious.
Ava stared.
Damn abs.
"Matthew…" Ava narrowed her eyes slightly. "You have a tattoo?"
Matthew glanced downward casually toward his shoulder and chest area like he almost forgot it existed.
A black serpent tattoo curved from the top of his left shoulder down across his collarbone before disappearing partially beneath his chest.
The snake looked beautifully detailed.
Its body wrapped elegantly across his skin with dark scales fading into thin geometric patterns near the tail, while the snake head rested near his collarbone with its fangs slightly exposed.
Under the soft lighting, the tattoo somehow made him look even more dangerous.
And annoyingly attractive.
Matthew lifted a brow slightly after noticing Ava staring again.
"What?" he asked calmly. "You want to lick it cause you look like you want to ."
Ava didn't say anything.
She slowly licked her lips instead.
Matthew's eyes immediately followed the movement of her tongue before lifting back to her face.
"What?" Matthew asked lazily. "You don't like my tattoo?"
He leaned a little closer toward the screen on purpose, tilting the camera slightly to give her a better view of the black serpent curling across his collarbone and shoulder.
Ava's face turned bright red instantly.
Matthew burst into a low chuckle.
Then paused.
"...Are you having a nosebleed?"
Ava immediately flung her phone away in embarrassment before rolling across her bed dramatically.
"Ahh! Damn it!"
She quickly grabbed tissues beside her bed, cleaned the blood, then snatched her phone again.
The moment the screen reconnected, Matthew was openly laughing now.
"Damn it, Matthew," Ava complained while glaring at him. "You're trying to seduce me."
"Am I?" Matthew asked innocently.
His expression looked completely relaxed despite the obvious amusement in his eyes.
"When exactly did I do that?" he continued calmly. "You're the one staring at my body. I haven't even complained yet and now you're accusing me."
He sighed softly afterward before covering half his face with one hand dramatically while casually eating another grape.
"I suddenly feel wronged now."
Ava stared at him in disbelief.
Damn.
She never realized Matthew could switch personalities this fast.
What a shameless gaslighter.
"You're only acting like this because I can see you but can't touch you," Ava accused immediately after realizing the truth.
Matthew smiled slowly.
"Yes," he admitted without shame. "So what are you going to do about it?"
Then he picked up his phone and lazily laid back against the bed, raising the phone above him while stretching slightly.
The movement made the lines of his abs tighten again beneath the dim lighting.
Ava immediately covered her face.
"Not fair," she muttered dramatically. "So annoying."
Then without hesitation—
Screenshot.
Screenshot.
Screenshot.
Matthew's lips twitched hearing the camera sound repeatedly.
"...Did you just take screenshots of me?" he asked.
Ava looked completely unashamed. "For educational purposes."