Chapter 17: The Guests
Moana

When I woke up the morning after Ella’s birthday, I was shocked to discover that it was already eleven o’clock; three hours past my usual time to wake up in the morning. If it hadn’t been for my phone buzzing on the bedside table, I likely would have slept in for even longer.

As I awoke, squinting against the bright sunlight coming in through the large window, I also discovered something else: Edrick and I were cuddling again.

Feeling my face flush hot, I quickly climbed out of bed, taking care not to wake Edrick, and picked up my phone to see Selina’s name on my screen.

“Selina?” I said quietly, walking away from the bed so as not to wake the still-sleeping Edrick.

“Where on earth are you?” she asked angrily, her voice quivering with rage. “You should’ve been up hours ago, and you haven’t answered even though I’ve been knocking on your door all morning.”

I gulped, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me. “I’m so sorry,” I stammered, trying to come up with an excuse as the housekeeper was still oblivious to my new sleeping arrangement with Edrick, and she certainly wouldn’t understand it if I tried to explain it to her myself. “I-I was taking a shower just now. I’ll be out soon.”

the phone. “Well, hurry up. We have guests who are expecting you, Ella, and Mr. Morgan downstairs in

the phone. It was at this point as well that Edrick sat up in bed, wide awake. Had I been talking so loudly that I woke him up? It always seemed that he fell asleep as soon as

about guests?” Edrick said confusedly as I slid

my head out to make sure

Edrick’s bedroom and scurried off to my room, somehow managing to slip inside without being seen. I washed myself up, still groggy and sore from spending my entire day yesterday at the theme park — with a sunburn across my nose to prove it — and then got dressed in clean clothes. I pulled my hair back into a low bun and, once I was satisfied with my appearance,

the elevator down to the lobby to greet these mystery guests. I hid my bashfulness around Edrick in the silent elevator as best I could and avoided eye contact at all costs, as it seemed that we would wake up cuddling every morning despite our agreement to not get romantically involved, and I didn’t want him to think that I was trying to break the clauses in

of the high rise building, finally opening

Ella called when we saw our guests standing in the lobby. I was taken by surprise as Ella ran away excitedly to

we approached, the two guests came into focus. One was an older woman with silver hair wearing an expensive-looking dress and a large sun hat, while the other was much younger with an equally expensive-looking satin dress and perfectly curled blonde hair that fell down her back, her

bending down to kiss Ella on both cheeks. “Happy belated birthday! Grandma

as Edrick and I approached, eyeing me up and

Kelly, Ella,”

toward the younger woman, who pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead to reveal dark brown eyes that stared at me icily for a split second before looking down at Ella. “Hello, Kelly,” Ella said, sounding much less enthusiastic than

I

polite

said coldly. “I

to kiss her on both cheeks. He then turned toward Kelly, who beamed widely at him, but she glared at me coldly over his shoulder

them to the elevator. We all stood quietly in the elevator as

have the right

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