Arriving at the counter, Ari was surprised to find only two bags waiting for him.

  With the amount of outfit changes he had to endure, he was certain that there would be at least ten bags worth of clothing and shoes.

  Noticing the look of confusion on his face, Maya smiled.

  “The rest is stored in here.”

  She fshed a beautiful silver bracelet.

  It took a moment for Ari to comprehend what she meant.

  ‘Right, its one of those.’

  A storage device crafted into jewellery.

  Ari nodded. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Do you want one?”

  ‘Might as well. It will help disguise my inventory.’

  “I can’t ask you to do that, you’ve already done so much for me.”

  “Don’t be silly, this is nothing.”

  “...If you insist.”

  Maya nodded. “Let’s go.”

  When he reached for the bags, a sudden thought struck.

  “Hey, Maya?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why didn’t you store all the bags in your bracelet?”

  “Leaving the store empty-handed would feel strange, right? So, I left the bare minimum to complete our first shopping experience together.”

  “Right...”

  Ari gnced to his left and winked at Casey and Emma.

  When Maya noticed the flushed expressions on their faces, she pulled him by the arm.

  “Come, stop flirting with the staff.”

  As the sun dipped below the horizon, Maya and Ari passed a rge mechanical gate and continued driving on a winding path up a steep hill, eventually pulling into the driveway of a sleek, double-story house overlooking the city.

  Maya’s home had not been depicted in the webcomic, at least up to where Ari st read.

  He had certain expectations given her status, and they were not betrayed.

  Maya’s home was indeed massive. It had a very modern look, with clean lines and a stylish exterior design.

  All the lights were on, causing his pulse to race with excitement.

  ‘They must be home.’

  The pair exited the vehicle and walked towards the front door, passing numerous rge windows, allowing Ari glimpses into the beautifully decorated and spacious living room.

  Maya stood with her back against the door and smiled.

  “Welcome to my home,” she said, pushing it open.

  A hint of perfume entered his nose as he crossed the threshold, a pleasant and inviting scent to welcome him to his new home.

  The foyer was rge and elegant, with a grand staircase and shimmering chandelier as the centre point.

  “Would you like a quick tour of the lower floor?” Maya asked over her shoulder.

  Naturally, Ari couldn’t wait to explore such an incredible home, but he kept his composure and responded as naturally as he could.

  “Yes, that would be nice.”

  Maya led him to a massive open-pn kitchen, with what appeared to be state-of-the-art appliances and built-in refrigerators and freezers that looked like regur cabinets on the outside.

  Their tour continued with Maya taking him to all the incredible amenities on the first floor, and finally, they ended up in the living room.

  From the glimpses Ari had through the windows, he had a certain expectation; however, he completely misjudged its sheer scale and incredible design.

  The overall feeling he got from Maya’s home was that of refined luxury and elegance, with a hint of modesty.

  It was clear that an exorbitant amount of money was spent on designing and decorating the house; however, it was not excessively extravagant.

  It suited Maya’s personality well.

  For Ari, living in an amazing pce like this would take some getting used to.

  Maya leaned against one of the rge windows that offered an amazing view of the city lights below.

  Her pose was casual, but seeing her gorgeous figure against the stunning backdrop made Ari pause and truly appreciate his circumstances.

  “What are your thoughts on the house so far?”

  He looked around the room. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Your personality really comes through in the decoration and design.”

  Maya fshed an amused smile. “My personality? What would you know about that?”

  Ari smirked. “I know enough.”

  “But to be honest, it will take some time to get used to this…lifestyle.”

  She smiled. “I understand. Take all the time you need to feel comfortable,” she said. “But remember, Ari, this is your home now, too.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

  “My daughters should be upstairs,” Maya said, then giggled.

  “It’s strange that the three of you have never met before, isn’t it?” she asked. “Not due to a ck of trying, though, Chloe and my pns always fell through for some reason.”

  ‘I have to make my first impression count then.’

  Ari did his best to hide his grin.

  “Yeah, it’s a real shame.”

  “But now that I’m here, I would love to finally meet them.”

  Maya grinned mischievously. “They’ve heard about you, just so you know.”

  He raised his brow. “That I’m handsome, charming, and irresistible?”

  Maya shook her head. “That you’re a pyboy and a womaniser.”

  Ari clutched his chest. “Ouch. Tell me how you really feel.”

  Maya giggled.

  “I haven’t told them that you’ll be living here yet, so this should be interesting.”

  Maya took out her device and started typing, her mischievous face illuminated by the glowing screen.

  “They’ll be here soon. why don’t you have a seat?”

  “Alright. By the way, how old are your daughters again?”

  “Lana is the same age as you, and Marissa is twenty one.”

  ‘Second and fourth year...So we’re in a period just before the start of the story. Good to know.’

  With the shock of meeting Maya, and everything that’s happened so far, Ari did not have the leeway to think about his arrival in retion to the story.

  But now that he had confirmation, he could rex and organise his thoughts.

  Ari sat with his back to the staircase, observing the city lights through the window as the sky turned to dusk.

  ‘This really is an amazing view.’

  The sound of footsteps broke him away from his thoughts.

  He refrained from turning his head, opting to observe Maya’s amused face instead.

  “Are you wearing makeup just to greet our guest?”

  “No, I had this on before,” a soft, melodic voice replied.

  “She applied it in a hurry before coming downstairs,” a silvery voice said with a teasing tone.

  “Marissa!”

  Maya giggled. “Ari, meet my daughters, Lana and Marissa.”

  Ari rose from the couch and turned to his right.

  ‘Damn. Seeing them in real life is something else.’

  “Good evening, dies.”

  He unintentionally added extra bass to his voice.

  A pair of ruby and amber-coloured eyes widened.

  Their resembnce to Maya was unmistakable, yet each possessed a unique and breath-taking beauty.

  Marissa had shoulder-length brunette hair and shared Maya’s amber-coloured eyes. She wore a grey crop top that barely covered her belly button, with a pair of ripped blue jeans.

  Her ruby-eyed sister Lana had raven-coloured hair that cascaded down her back just like her mother’s. She wore a blue T-shirt with a pair of bck leggings.

  Like mother, like daughters, their curvaceous bodies stretched the fabric to its limit.

  Their flustered expressions were too adorable; Ari couldn’t help but grin, which only deepened the blush on their cheeks.

  He extended his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Marissa.”

  “…Y-Yes, it is a pleasure. Welcome to our home,” she replied, grasping his hand.

  He looked at Lana and smiled. “That makeup looks great on you, not that you need it.”

  He extended his hand to her. “I appreciate the effort to welcome me, Lana.”

  The shade on her cheeks was quite significant now. “…T-Thank you. And welcome to our home,” she grasped his hand.

  Ari nodded and smiled. “Yes, I feel very welcomed, thank you.”

  Maya cpped her hands. “Now that introductions are over, why don’t all of you take a seat and become better acquainted while I prepare dinner?”

  “I can help.” Marissa offered.

  “No, it’s fine. Thank you, dear,” Maya said. “Since Ari will be living with us, it would be better to break the ice before dinner is served.”

  “Pardon?” The sisters said in unison.

  “I’ve decided that it would be better for Ari to live here while he acclimates to the city.”

  “…That makes sense, but…” Marissa said.

  “But isn’t he?” Lana asked.

  Both gnced at Ari as they spoke.

  He gnced at Maya, who fshed a mischievous grin.

  “Your reputation precedes you.”

  “Ah, you weren’t kidding before.”

  Ari looked into Marissa’s eyes, then shifted his gaze to Lana.

  He sighed. “My aunt tends to exaggerate.”

  “So, you didn’t sleep with her colleagues?” Marissa asked with a raised brow.

  “You didn’t have a string of lovers at the local academy, despite not attending?” Lana asked, folding her arms beneath her well-endowed chest.

  Their questions triggered memories that weren’t exactly his, but it felt as though he lived through them.

  The experience felt surreal, and seeing himself do those things was quite amusing.

  He struggled to maintain a straight face.

  Ari understood, however, that his actions made him look like a horny dirt bag that couldn’t keep it in his pants.

  Even with his handsome face, anything he said to counter them would be negatively received.

  However, that did not mean that he couldn’t have a little fun.

  ‘It’s fine to bend the truth a little, right?’