The morning light filtered through the vast windows of the mansion, casting long streaks of gold across the sleek marble floors.

    It was early — earlier than Ethan usually woke up after such a long day, but something about the stillness of the house pulled him from sleep before the others.

    With a quiet yawn, he ran a hand through his hair and threw on a shirt before heading downstairs.

    As he stepped into the kitchen, he was met with the sight of Zack rummaging through the fridge, his upper body halfway inside as he searched for something.

    Ethan leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching in silent amusement as Zack finally emerged, victorious, with a can of Coke in hand.

    Without hesitation, Zack cracked it open, poured the fizzy liquid into a glass, and downed the whole thing in one go.

    Only after he finished did he realize Ethan was watching him.

    Zack let out a nervous chuckle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "What? It''s refreshing."

    Ethan shook his head. "It''s way too early for that."

    "You sound like my mother," Zack muttered, tossing the empty glass in the sink. "Besides, I needed something cold after all the screaming last night. I swear, your sisters have the energy of a thousand suns. I''m too old for that."

    Ethan snorted. "You''re twenty-two."

    "And feeling fifty." Zack stretched exaggeratedly before slumping into a chair.

    "Man, I should''ve never let Julie convince me to play all those games. I think she nearly cracked my spine with that pillow."

    Ethan smirked but didn''t comment. Instead, he moved past Zack and toward the kitchen counter, rolling up his sleeves.

    "Might as well get breakfast started before they wake up."

    Zack groaned but stood up anyway. "Fine, but I''m making the eggs. You always overcook them."

    Ethan gave him a look. "I do not."

    "I don''t want to find out,"

    Ethan huffed but didn''t argue further. Instead, they fell into a natural rhythm — Zack handling the eggs while Ethan worked on the toast and coffee.

    The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen, mixing with the light sizzle of eggs on the pan.

    Zack, for all his complaining, was actually good at cooking when he wanted to be.

    "Think Vanessa''s up?" Zack asked as he flipped the eggs.

    She raised an eyebrow at the sight of everyone already seated. "Wow, you guys wake up early."

    Zack smirked. "Some of us had to recover from your pillow war yesterday."

    Vanessa chuckled as she slid into a chair, stealing a piece of toast from Ethan''s plate before he could react.

    "You mean my perfect victory?"

    "Sure, let''s go with that."

    Ethan simply shook his head, letting their banter play out as he took another sip of coffee.

    Claire was still eating quietly, while Julie practically vibrated with excitement at having Vanessa at the table.

    "So," Vanessa said, leaning on her elbow. "What''s the plan for today?"

    Zack shrugged. "That depends. You sticking around?"

    She tilted her head, considering it. "I don''t know. What''s in it for me?"

    Julie clapped her hands. "I have cars! We can race them!"

    Vanessa stretched as she got up from her seat, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the lingering comfort of a slow morning.

    "Well," she said, brushing a few crumbs off her shirt. "As much as I''d love to stick around and destroy Julie in a race — "

    Julie gasped. "Hey! I could totally win!"

    Vanessa smirked. "I guess we''ll never know. I gotta head out."

    Ethan leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "Race?"

    "Yeah." She grabbed her jacket off the back of a chair. "Got an invite for one in another city. Pretty high-stakes. Figured I''d check it out."

    Ethan wasn''t surprised. Vanessa wasn''t the type to turn down a challenge, especially when it involved racing. It was in her blood, woven into the very way she carried herself — fast, unrelenting, always moving forward and he had to admit it made her tough.

    Zack whistled. "Another one already? Didn''t you just humble half the street racers sometime ago ?"

    Vanessa shrugged, flashing that signature smirk of hers. "The thrill never stops, Zack."

    Julie pouted. "I wanted to hang out more."

    Vanessa ruffled the younger girl''s hair. "Don''t worry, squirt. I''ll swing by another time. We''ll have a proper rematch then."