Chapter 13: Birthday Outing
Moana

Despite everything that happened that day, Edrick still requested that I spend the night with him. I made sure to put more distance between us this time, hoping that we wouldn’t wake up in each other’s arms again in the morning.

When I woke up, my cardigan was still on and Edrick’s side of the bed was empty. I heard the shower running in the bathroom, so I let out a sigh of relief and took it as my chance to get up and leave the room before I would have to talk to him. Not only was it still awkward to look him in the eye with our new arrangement, but I was admittedly still a little upset with him for yelling at me publicly the day before.

I quickly got up and made the bed, opening the curtains out of habit to let some sunlight into the room before I put my slippers on and headed out.

“Moana?” Ella’s little voice said, the second I walked out of the room. It made me jump a bit. I wasn’t expecting her to be standing right outside the door.

“Good morning, Miss Ella,” I said, managing a smile. “Are you feeling better today?”

Ella nodded, but her eyebrows were scrunched together and her eyes were narrowed suspiciously. “What were you doing in my daddy’s room again?”

“I, um…” I stammered, realizing that I couldn’t use the crepes for breakfast excuse two days in a row.

“Good morning, Princess!” Edrick said from behind me, brushing past me to scoop Ella up off the floor. Her look of concern and confusion quickly turned into a wide grin.

“Daddy!” Ella exclaimed, giggling as Edrick blew a raspberry on her cheek. “Where are you taking me for my birthday?”

relief to know that Ella seemed to have completely forgotten about seeing me coming out of her father’s room; I had also forgotten that today was her birthday. It had been mentioned in the packet of

Edrick said, carrying Ella toward the dining room for breakfast, his muscles bulging through his white button-down shirt and his

and she began to pout. “On

“But Moana will do something fun with you today. And I’ll be home later to have dinner and give you

“And cake?” Ella asked.

“And cake,” Edrick replied.

spend her birthday with her, so I tried to come

a game?” I asked, to which the little girl shook her head and folded her

I offered her was met with indignant refusal. I knew she just wanted to spend the day with Edrick, and nothing would really make up

entire time and didn’t let go of her hand for one second, which was understandable. I knew that Selina still didn’t trust me, but when

hat on to protect her face. “And the bodyguard will be watching at all times. Don’t

Ella’s training to visit the orphanage when I should’ve been keeping an eye on her, but I wanted to prove to everyone — and myself — that I wouldn’t

on the elevator with Ella, and I was relieved to see her face disappear as the metal

to the theme park?” I asked Ella as we watched the floors on the elevator slowly tick

wiggle adorably. “Nope,” she replied, sticking her foot out to admire her brand new matching blue sandals — she clearly liked the color blue,

imagining what it would be like to be a little girl who wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. Even growing up in the orphanage, Sophia took

“How come?” I asked.

as soon as the elevator doors opened. “He says that

I asked, stifling a

building and climbed into the back of the town car where our driver waited for us, and the bodyguard shut the door

us to the theme park and bought our tickets,

broiling hot outside in the summer sun, so hot that I had resorted to fanning myself with a pamphlet

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