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.”

“Well, hurry up. We have guests who are expecting

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

hear something about guests?” Edrick said confusedly as I slid my feet into my slippers

quickly opening the door and poking my head out

that no one was around, I quickly ran out of 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

us in the foyer. We took 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

of the high rise building, finally opening with a ding at the

I was taken by surprise as Ella ran away

while the other was much younger with an equally expensive-looking satin dress and perfectly curled blonde hair that fell down her back, her eyes covered by

on both cheeks. “Happy

as Edrick

Kelly, Ella,”

said, sounding much less enthusiastic than she did when she greeted her grandmother. Kelly bent down and kissed Ella on both cheeks, who stiffened at the young woman’s touch and stepped

two women continued to eye me, so I decided to end the awkward

polite bow of

the au pair,” Verona said coldly. “I didn’t expect

forward to kiss her on both cheeks. He then turned toward Kelly, who beamed widely at him, but she glared at

the elevator. We all stood quietly in the elevator as it slowly carried

you have the right qualifications to

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