Chapter 136: Ava sets a new goal in life.

After revealing that the engagement matter also included Ren, Noah froze, since that made the explanation for Ava a little more complicated.

’Great.’

Ava moved a little closer.

"What does Ren have to do with it?"

Noah sighed, since he knew he couldn’t hide any more things from Ava, so he decided to say it.

"Ren is also included in the engagement."

A momentary silence appeared in the room and Ava blinked, not believing what she had heard.

"You’re going to marry both of them?"

"Supposedly."

"Aria and Ren?"

"Yes."

Ava brought a hand to her forehead.

"This is worse than I thought."

"Believe me, I know."

They remained in silence and Noah thought that was all, but then Ava spoke.

"There’s something else."

Noah looked at her.

"What?"

She took several seconds to answer.

"I didn’t come only because of the engagement."

Noah waited and Ava pressed her lips together before saying anything.

"I can’t keep pretending that everything is fine anymore."

Noah frowned.

"Ava...?"

"Let me finish."

Her tone was low and serious, so Noah nodded, and Ava took a breath.

"It bothers me when you go out without telling me who with."

Noah stayed quiet.

"It bothers me when a girl gets too close to you."

She continued.

"It bothers me when you hide your phone."

Noah remembered many previous scenes.

"It bothers me about Yume."

Noah opened his eyes slightly.

"It bothers me about Ren."

Ava kept going.

"They all bother me."

Noah felt the conversation was taking a worrying direction.

"Ava, wait..."

"And when I heard that you were engaged..."

She clenched her hands.

"I felt like I couldn’t take it."

Noah said nothing and Ava lifted her eyes.

"I’m in love with you."

The room fell completely silent and Noah took several seconds to react.

"Ava, we..."

"I already know."

She looked away.

"I know what you’re going to say."

"Then..."

"No."

Ava interrupted him.

"I don’t want to hear it yet."

Noah closed his mouth and Ava continued.

"I’ve spent a long time trying to convince myself that I’m only worried because you’re my brother."

Her voice was still low.

"Then I thought I was just jealous because you started spending less time with me."

Noah listened to her.

"But no."

Ava shook her head.

"I like you."

Noah breathed slowly.

"Ava, we’re family."

"We’re stepsiblings."

"We’re still family."

She looked at him with frustration.

"To you."

"To our mothers too."

"I don’t care what they think."

"I do."

Ava frowned.

"More than what I feel for you?"

Noah took a while to answer.

"It’s not a matter of choosing between you."

"To me it is."

"Ava, I..."

She stood up from the bed and started walking around the room.

"Then explain to me why Aria can show up with money, documents, contacts and decide that she’s going to marry you."

"It wasn’t exactly..."

"And Ren can be included because their families reached an agreement?"

Noah stayed silent and Ava pointed at him.

"But I can’t even tell you that I love you."

"You can say it."

Noah spoke calmly.

"And I’d rather you told me than keep holding it in."

Ava went still.

"But I can’t give you the answer you want."

She closed her eyes and Noah continued.

"And I don’t want to lie to you either."

Ava opened her eyes again.

"Then don’t marry Aria."

Noah blinked.

"What?"

"Leave her."

"It’s not that simple."

"Yes it is."

"No, it really isn’t..."

Ava came closer again.

"I’ll raise money."

Noah frowned.

"For what?"

"So we can leave."

Noah looked at her without understanding, to which Ava kept talking.

"We can save up."

"But what...?"

"When we have enough, we leave Star City."

"Ava."

"We look for another place."

"Stop."

"You won’t have to marry Aria."

Noah brought a hand to his face.

"Ava, I’m not going to run away from home."

"Why?"

"Because that’s crazy."

"Marrying because of a contract isn’t?"

"That contract is crazy too."

"Then come with me."

Noah shook his head.

"No."

Ava stayed quiet.

"I’m not going to abandon our mothers."

"We can talk to them later."

"No."

"Then I’ll wait."

Noah looked at her and Ava was completely serious.

"I’m going to save up."

"Ava, wait."

"And I’m going to find a way to annul that engagement."

"You don’t have to do that."

"Yes, I do."

"No, seriously, don’t do it."

She leaned toward him.

"I said I am going to do it."

Noah sighed.

"Aria has lawyers."

"I can get one."

"She has contacts."

"I’ll get contacts."

"Her family has a ton of money."

"Then I’ll make money."

Noah looked at her for several seconds.

"Are you listening to yourself?"

"Perfectly."

"Doesn’t seem like it."

Ava crossed her arms.

"Then you have two options."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Two?"

"First."

She raised a finger.

"You handle the engagement."

Another finger.

"Second, I handle it."

Noah felt a bad premonition.

"What does you handling it mean?"

Ava smiled with the same calm smile she had shown when Sarah revealed the engagement.

"You don’t need to know."

"I don’t like that answer."

"It wasn’t meant for you to like it."

"Ava."

"Good night."

She walked toward the door and Noah partially stood up.

"Wait."

Ava stopped, so Noah hesitated.

"Are we okay?"

She remained with her back to him.

"No."

Noah lowered his gaze and Ava continued.

"But at least now you know why."

She opened the door slowly and, before leaving, turned her head.

"And Noah."

"Yes?"

"If another girl shows up with a contract..."

She smiled.

"...let me know before you sign anything."

"I didn’t sign anything."

"Better."

She closed the door.

Noah remained sitting on the bed, looked toward the door and then toward the ceiling.

’Yume, Luna, Iris, Aria, Ren and now Ava.’

All of them had confessed that they were in love with him and had decided to start some plan to stop his marriage.

Noah let himself fall back onto the pillow.

"Perfect."

He closed his eyes thinking about all the problems he had up until then and now a sister was included who had just announced that she was willing to face the Celestia family for him.

Noah covered his face with both hands.

’One more problem.’

And, after the expression Ava had shown before leaving, Noah was quite sure that that problem had no intention of disappearing on its own.