Leon's Pov:
The moment I said it, everything shifted.
"This is Caroline… my sister."
I watched Ava's face closely, waiting for something—confusion, anger, questions—but what I got instead was something quieter. She didn't react immediately. She just stood there, her eyes moving from me to Caroline like she was trying to connect something that didn't make sense in her head.
And I understood why.
I had never mentioned Caroline. Not once. Not even in passing. It wasn't something I thought about, and even when I did, I made sure not to dwell on it. Bringing her up would've meant explaining things I didn't want to explain, and now she was here, standing right in front of Ava like I had been hiding her all along.
Ava blinked once, then straightened slightly.
"Your sister?" she repeated.
Her tone wasn't loud, but it wasn't soft either. It sat somewhere in between, like she was trying to stay calm while her mind was racing.
Caroline stepped forward before I could say anything else.
