REBORN: MEET MY BROTHERS-Chapter 38: MEET THE QUINNS

Sasha’s face turned red with anger. She glared at Ava, but she wasn’t the only one glaring at her. The rest of the Whitlock’s except William did same. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Ava had chosen to defend Maximus’s family over her own.

"Why are you speaking to Sasha that way, Ava?" Jerome asked bitterly, unable to contain his annoyance. "Are you seriously siding with them right now?!"

"Are you even surprised, Jerome?" Noah jeered. "If she can humiliate Mother and Sasha in public, what else can’t she do? Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if she threw us all away without a second thought."

"How can someone be so shameless and stupid at the same time?" Caspian criticized. "Take a good look at the people you’re siding. Do you think they’d do the same for you? Do you think they’d pick you over either of themselves?"

Ava almost laughed at how absurd they sounded. They’d never treated her like family, never once truly cared about her. And now, because they were losing an argument, they wanted her loyalty? The Whitlocks were truly something else.

Still, Ava wasn’t on anyone’s side, both Maximus’s family or her own. Both groups only wanted to use her, to control her life for their own gain. That wasn’t something she would ever allow again.

"I didn’t know you guys considered me family," Ava said mockingly, earning more glares.

Matilda’s eyes blazed with indignation as she stared at Ava. Noah wasn’t wrong, but she was slightly disappointed in Jerome for thinking Ava would behave any different. The girl was never a part of their family. She wasn’t even her daughter by blood. Still, she hated the way Ava disrespected her family.

Deciding to ignore her and put her in her place after she was done with Evelyn, she glared at the woman. "What’s going on is your mother interfering where she doesn’t belong!" she snapped.

"I don’t even know what you’re doing here as well," Sasha said to Maximus. "People like you guys don’t belong here. You should both leave before I ask security to send you both out."

Maximus’s brows furrowed. He turned to Matilda, "Interfering?" Then his eyes moved to Sasha, "Don’t belong here?" He repeated coldly, enough to intimidate all of Ava’s family. "You’re standing in our home, at our event, breathing our air, yet you think you have the right to insult my mother and act like you own the place?"

Sasha’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for water. "Your... Your home?" She stammered. "What are you talking about?" She turned to her family, staring at each one of their shocked faces, to make sure she wasn’t the only one who misheard.

Matilda’s face twisted in disbelief, and her eyes darted to Evelyn for confirmation. When she saw the small smile on Evelyn’s face, she burst into a small laughter. "What is this?! What is this pathetic drama?! What next, you’re going to claim you’re the Quinn’s?!" There was no way she was going to believe they were the Quinns.

Just then, Ethan walked to the scene. "Mr. Quinn. Mrs. Quinn," he greeted, before his eyes fell on Ava and the rest of her family. "Is there a problem?" He asked Maximus whose demeanor had changed after Matilda’s little foreplay.

Matilda’s laughter died in her throat as her eyes darted between Ethan, Maximus, and Evelyn. "Mr. Quinn, Mrs. Quinn," she repeated. She didn’t want to believe it but slowly, realization began to dawn on her.

Sasha’s face ashened. If they were truly the Quinn’s, it means Ava was Maximus’s fiancee, and she’d spoken... "No! You’re lying," Sasha blurted desperately. "This is some sick joke! You can’t seriously be saying that you’re--" her voice trailed off at Maximus’s intense gape. She swallowed nervously instead.

William frowned at the embarrassment his family had caused. He was seventy-five years old, but never, not even once, had he been in a position like this.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself forward, and stood in front of Maximus and Evelyn. "I apologize for the embarrassment, Mr. and Mrs. Quinn," he said with a low voice. "I also apologize for my family’s foolishness. I know this doesn’t make up for the humiliation, but as the head of the family, I take full responsibility."

"No, you shouldn’t," Ava wanted to say, but she held her tongue. She hated that William was the one apologizing when he’d done nothing wrong to warrant the apology.

Maximus was furious, but when his eyes landed on Ava, his anger melted. He tilted his head slightly as he studied his little wife’s face. She was upset, even him could tell this much, and he hated this.

Evelyn didn’t respond to the apology. Instead, she held Ava’s hand softly. "I’ll see you later, my dear," she said with a small smile, before walking away.

Immediately Evelyn walked away, Maximus’s cold eyes fell on Ava.

When Sasha noticed his attention on her, she stepped forward, clasping both her hands to her front to look remorseful. "I am so sorry, Mr. Quinn," she said with a small voice. "Just like my grandfather said, I know my apology can’t make up for the humiliation, but I just want to show you my sincerity."

Maximus didn’t even spare Sasha a glance as he brushed past her, his focus entirely on Ava. His jaw was tight, his frustration clear, but he kept his composure for one reason only -- the woman standing before him. "Ava," he called out softly, "Walk with me."

Ava blinked. "What?"

"Walk with me," he repeated, holding out his hand calmly, yet commanding.

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to Ava -- guests, her family, even his mother --but their stares didn’t bother him. What mattered was Ava. However, Ava hesitated. She just didn’t feel like talking to him, not after her family’s little display.

"I don’t want to," she muttered.

"It’s not up for a debate," he gently cut off her protest. He knew she would decline. He didn’t know how but he could read his little wife’s thoughts.

Ava stared into Maximus’s eyes. Her legs moved before her mind could catch up. She set her glass down, sighing softly, and slipped her hand into his.