REBORN: MEET MY BROTHERS-Chapter 30: MALL DISASTER

Ava frowned after listening to Sasha’s outburst. She was angry, but she also felt bad for them. They had no idea about the woman who sat in front of them, yet they were already calling her a thief and other names.

She sighed exasperatedly as she stole a quick look at Evelyn. Evelyn was no longer smiling, but now had a serious expression. Ava couldn’t deny that Evelyn’s new expression somehow terrified her. All she’d seen the woman do was smile since she met her. Seeing this new look, she didn’t want to imagine what Evelyn could do to them for defamation of character.

"Shut up, Sasha!" Ava growled. "I’ve told you to go check yourself in a psychiatric hospital. Going around making up things will only get you into trouble."

Sasha’s jaw dropped and she turned to her mother. "Can you hear this, mother?! Can you see Ava’s attitude?!" Sasha complained. "She looks like she’s possessed." Sasha turned to Evelyn angrily. "And it’s all her fault."

Without saying anymore, Matilda started walking toward them. Since Ava came into their family, all she’d done is embarrass her. Her stupid daughter didn’t care about anybody’s words, except William, but she was glad William wasn’t here. She was going to make Ava listen.

Just as she was about to reach Ava, Violet stopped her from getting closer. She stepped in between Ava and Matilda. "Mrs. Whitlock, I’m going to have to ask you to step back. This is a private section of the boutique, and you’re disrupting our clients."

Matilda’s face twisted in outrage. "Disrupting? Have you forgotten who I am, Violet?" she spat. "This child is making a mockery of my family, and you expect me to stand here and do nothing?!"

"I understand your frustration, Mrs. Whitlock, but you’ll need to lower your voice. We don’t tolerate such behavior in House of Vyetta."

Matilda looked like she might combust on the spot, but before she could unleash another tirade, Evelyn finally spoke. Her voice was calm, but it silenced the room instantly. "Let’s clear a few things up--"

"Oh, shut up!" Sasha interrupted, crossing her hand on her chest. "Who do you think you are to speak to my mother or me? We have no business with a glorified shopaholic who can’t even afford the items you’re picking. Do you hear me?!" She eyed the necklace in Evelyn’s hand. "I wonder what you’ve stolen to pay for that."

Matilda smiled as she listened to her daughter. Sasha had never disappointed her, not once, even now. She was a meek angel when expected, and a dragon when needed, especially when it was time to put stupid people in their places. "For a lady who’s quite old..."

Old? The surprise on Ava’s face could not be missed. She turned to Evelyn who stared at them nonchalantly.

"...don’t you have even an atom of shame?! You shouldn’t involve yourself with our family dispute if you know what’s best for you. The only reason we’re having this conversation right now and you happen to be involved is because of that stupid thing beside you who for weird reasons bears my family’s name. Do you hear me?!"

Evelyn couldn’t believe her ears. She stared speechlessly at Matilda and Sasha, but then her lips curved into a smile. Ava wanted to speak, but Evelyn placed a hand on her thigh, stopping her.

She didn’t rate people like Matilda and Sasha, and she found it insulting to her status to banter words with them. "If you’re done embarrassing yourselves, I suggest you leave before I call security." She turned to Violet nonchalantly. "Violet?"

Violet nodded immediately. "I’m sorry, Mrs. Whitlock, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave immediately. You’re disturbing our client, and we cannot tolerate that."

The color drained from Sasha’s face, and even Matilda froze. "What did you say?!" Matilda barked.

Instead of repeating herself, Violet gestured to the door. "This way, please."

Matilda turned red. No one had ever treated her this way. She was a Whitlock for crying out loud. Have these people forgotten because of Ava and the stupid woman she was with? She looked at Ava angrily for a while before she angrily walked out of the room, wanting to save even a bit of her face.

Sasha was hesitant, but she eventually followed Matilda out of the room.

Immediately they left the room, Evelyn turned to Ava. "Are you alright, darling?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Ava exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing. "I’m fine," Ava said, feeling guilty. Matilda and Sasha basically insulted Evelyn, but all she asked immediately they left is if she was fine. "I am so sorry, Evelyn."

Evelyn’s brow furrowed. "For what, my dear?" Her question threw Ava off balance.

"For everything that just happened." Ava’s voice was small.

Evelyn frowned. Picking up Ava’s hand, "If you ever apologize for fools, I’ll get mad at you. Do you hear me?" She asked.

Ava didn’t know when she smiled. Her heart swelled. Evelyn and Maximus were very much alike. She couldn’t comprehend why they were both so nice to her, but it felt nice in a way.

.

Matilda and Sasha walked out of the mall angrily. As they entered their car, Sasha scoffed. "I can’t believe Ava did that to us, mother. She conspired with that woman to have us thrown out. No one has ever embarrassed us like that. Father must hear this."

Matilda didn’t utter a word. Her calmness disturbed Sasha so badly that she had to ask, "Are you okay, mother?"

Matilda smiled. "I’m fine, honey."

Sasha became surprised. She knows everything about her mother since she’d spent twenty years with her. The woman has a bad temper. How can she be fine after everything Ava had done? Was she planning on letting Ava off the hook? No! She was going to allow it.

"How can you be fine after everything Ava did to us, mother?" Sasha crossed her hand on her chest. "Don’t tell me you’re planning on letting her go?"

Matilda turned to Sasha angrily. "Why would I do that? After the humiliation, I’m disappointed that you really think I will let her off the hook so easily? She has to be taught a lesson for humiliating her mother in public," Matilda said sored.

Sasha smiled. "Don’t forget how she disowned us in public too, mother," she added. "I don’t know what that woman is doing to Ava, mother, but I’m really worried. With eveything we saw today, and the way she has Ava wrapped around her fingers, Ava may even poison us if she’s asked to."

Matilda suddenly frowned at Sasha’s words. "Shouldn’t we kick her out of the house before any of these happens?" Sasha asked innocently.

Matilda was furious, but Sasha’s suggestion wasn’t an option. Whether or not she was the wife of Gaulin, William still held more power in the house, and the stupid old man had taken a liking to Ava. Even if she were to convince Gaulin to kick Ava out, William will never accept it. She was only going to make the old man despise her, something she couldn’t afford to do.

"That’s not an option, Sasha. We can’t send Ava out of the house," she said dryly, and Sasha’s face dropped. This had been her plan from the moment she saw Ava inside the store. She wanted her gone from their house, gone from their lives. Why was this so hard to achieve?

After a pause, "But we can teach her some manners," Matilda finally said.

.

Evelyn gave Ava a ride back to the Whitlock’s mansion after spending the afternoon with her. As she watched Ava step down from the car, a little sadness settled in her chest.

There was something special about her daughter-in-law. She had only met Ava today, but she felt like she’d known her her whole life, and she didn’t want to be separated from her. "Are you sure you don’t need help inside?" She asked for the third time. "Those bags look really heavy," she complained, hating that Ava has to carry all the bags inside herself.

Ava smiled. "I can manage, Evelyn. You bought so much for me already. I can’t ask for more," she said politely.

"But you aren’t asking..." When Ava gave her a smile she knew too well, she stopped pushing. Evelyn knew about her persistent personality. Her blunt son, Maximus made no effort to tell her about it.

In as much as she always wanted to be involved in her family’s lives and always assist them, she knew she could only do so much. If she didn’t want to push Ava away, she had to control herself.

"Okay," she finally agreed. Reluctantly, she said her farewell unenthusiastically.

Ava also did same before Evelyn’s car drove off. She watched as the car disappeared with a smile. She had to admit, today was fun, despite Matilda’s and Sasha’s little outburst at the mall.

As she thought about Matilda and Sasha, she frowned. She could already feel it in her guts that they wouldn’t let anything that happened at the mall go.

She exhaled sharply as she walked into her mansion. The unusual calmness inside the house deepened her frown. As she walked into the living room, she saw Matilda and Sasha sitting there. Ignoring them, she was about to take the stairs upstairs when she heard Matilda’s voice behind her.

"Where do you think you’re going, you shameless little peasant?!"