REBORN: MEET MY BROTHERS-Chapter 40: SHE FELL FOR IT AGAIN

Out of too much embarrassment, Ava returned to the party, leaving Maximus. She sighed softly as she walked into the party. Now, she’d decided to stay away from him for a completely different reason. First, it was a misunderstanding, and now an embarrassment.

By the time she returned, her family members had scattered. While her brothers and father were busy socializing with business moguls, Sasha and Matilda were nowhere to be found. She was thankful when she found William speaking to some guests at the far end of the room.

Ava decided to join her grandfather and keep him company. She was already halfway through when a couple of gentlemen blocked her path. Staring at their familiar faces, she smiled politely.

"Hello, lovely lady," Liam complimented with a smile.

Ava’s smile widened. "Liam," She called out excitedly. Her eyes darted to the other two. "Jordan, Dustin... You’re here too." Her heart lightened at the sight of the Moore brothers.

"Of course," Jordan replied with a sly grin. "What kind of friends would we be if we missed the chance to see you looking this stunning?"

Liam chuckled. "Stunning is an understatement. You’ve always been beautiful, Ava, but tonight? You’re the reason every man in this room is looking over their shoulder."

Dustin gave a small smile and nodded. "It’s good to see you, Ava."

Ava laughed softly, shaking her head. "It’s good to see you all as well. Thanks for the compliments.

Liam shrugged. "They’re deserved, little sister--" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Ava shot him a questioning look, making the three brothers exchange glances. "Little sister?" She mused as a small smile graced her face.

"Yes," Liam pushed. "I see you as one."

Ava looked startled as she stared into his sincere eyes, but slowly, her surprise faded and got replaced with something she couldn’t place. She’d never been called little sister before and it sounded foreign in her ears. A part of her that longed to be addressed like that was excited, and another that remembered her past life felt sad.

She forced a smile. "That’s... convenient."

"Congratulations on your engagement, Ava," Jordan said. "I should’ve said this back at your school, but, well, I don’t handle surprises well, especially when it involves the Maximus Quinn."

At the mention of Maximus’s name, Ava’s chest tightened. Her thoughts flickered to the balcony and her heart fluttered involuntarily, but she quickly pushed the thoughts aside.

"Congratulations, Ava," Dustin added sincerely.

Liam grinned, leaning slightly closer. "Yeah, congrats. I mean, it’s not every day our Ava ends up engaged to the most talked-about man in the city."

Ava gave a soft smile. "Thank you," she said quietly, not trusting herself to say much more.

Before she could gather her thoughts, the brothers each pulled out small, neatly wrapped boxes and handed them to her. Ava’s mouth opened slightly in shock. She hadn’t expected anything from them.

"You didn’t think we’d come empty-handed, did you?" Liam teased.

Jordan chuckled. "Consider these early wedding gifts. Or maybe just a bribe to keep us on the guest list."

Dustin smiled faintly. "You deserve it, Ava."

Ava stared at the gifts, feeling a lump form in her throat. The gesture caught her off guard, especially from the Moore brothers. "I... I don’t know what to say," she admitted, her voice almost a whisper.

"’Thank you’ works," Liam said with a wink.

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Thank you," she said again, her voice more steady this time.

"Just promise us one thing," Jordan said seriously.

Ava tilted her head, curious. "What’s that?"

"Don’t let Maximus scare us off when we come to visit," he said through his grin.

When Ava remembered what happened at her school, she rolled her eyes, even if she couldn’t hide her smile. "I’ll think about it."

They all laughed.

.

.

When Sasha and Matilda returned to the party, Ava was already with William. As the duo joined them, Ava’s soulless eyes fell on them. Their presence were all it took to ruin her good mood. Regardless, she tried to completely ignore them, gulping down the last remnants of the champagne in her hand.

She was about to signal for another drink, but before she could even lower her glass, a waiter appeared beside her, holding out a fresh one on a silver tray.

"For you, Miss," he said with a polite smile.

Ava returned the gesture with a faint smile of her own, taking the glass from him. "Thank you," she murmured, watching him walk away before taking a careful sip.

As Ava took a sip of the drink, Sasha, standing close to Matilda, watched her. The sight of Ava gulping down the drink brought satisfaction to her face. For someone like Ava who had been acting smart lately, Sasha hadn’t expected her plan to work so easily. She exchanged a knowing glance with Matilda.

Minutes passed, and nothing happened. Ava even started talking to William again. But then Ava began to feel... off. At first, it was just a light buzz on her head. She blinked and took another sip, hoping the drink would steady her. Instead, the dizziness grew stronger.

Her hand instinctively reached out to the table to steady herself. William noticed and held her hand. "Ava, are you alright?" He asked concerned.

Ava looked up at him. Her vision already started to blur and the room also started spinning lightly. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. "I... I’m fine, grandfather," she whispered shakily.

Through her hazy vision, Ava looked at Sasha who stood opposite her. Her soft laughter which faded into a smirk was what attracted Ava’s eyes. The smirk on her face told Ava all she needed to know -- Sasha had done something to her.

She didn’t know how but the familiar feeling was something she knew too well. She’d been drugged. Again. She’d fallen into their trap again in her new life.