Chapter 53


    Chapter 53: Charity G


    Moana I didn’t see Edrick the next day, or the day after that, for that matter. When he was not at work,


    he mostly stayed in his bedroom or in his study, and only spoke in brief words to me in passing. I


    couldn’t help but wonder if he had some idea that I went out with his brother for dinner, although


    admittedly, I also didn’t hear from Ethan at all either.


    As the days ticked on and Selina’s deadline came closer, I still hadn’t made a decision over whether to


    keep the baby or not. I appreciated the housekeeper’s kind generosity, but I could tell that her patience


    was starting to wear thin. If I didn’t make a decision soon, I was almost certain that she would say


    something to Edrick; the housekeeper no doubt realized immediately from my insinuations that the


    baby belonged to Edrick, and she was too loyal to the Morgan family not to say anything to him about


    it.


    I couldn’t help but wonder about something else, too: if I decided to keep the baby, would it also be a


    good idea to finally tell Edrick that I had started showing signs of having my own wolf? Would he be


    more likely to ept the baby as his own if he knew that it wasn’t actually a hybrid? But then again,


    would that also cause more disappointment for him down the line if the child wound up being wolfless?


    Mina still hadn’t shown any signs of fully emerging any time soon, so there was no telling as to whether


    I was always going to be considered a human in everyone’s eyes.


    Despite all of these questions floating around in my head, however, I still had a job to do. I spent the


    next few days tending to E as much as I could, and continued to take the nausea pills that the doctor


    prescribed me so that I could perform my job duties. If I did decide to keep this baby, I would have to


    know for certain that I would have enough job stability to at least be able to save up a bit of money in


    case Edrick decided to fire me if he found out. I couldn’t be going around taking any more personal


    time off, upsetting Edrick, or shirking my job responsibilities due to nausea.


    One day, it was particrly rainy outside. I was sitting on the living room floor with E and putting


    together a puzzle with her when I suddenly heard the elevator doors open, and looked over my


    shoulder to see Edrick hanging his raincoat and umbre on the hook by the door.


    He saw me looking and frowned briefly, his eyes darting away as though he didn’t even want to look at


    me, before he came to stand in front of E and myself.


    “What are you doing?” he asked, his question directed at E instead of me, which I was getting used


    to at this point.


    “A puzzle,” E replied thoughtfully as she dug through the pile of pieces to find the next piece of the


    giraffe that we were working on. “It’s an… African… Saforee.”


    “African Safari,” I corrected her.


    “Looks interesting,” Edrick said. It was strange of him to be socializing with both of us together


    considering how aloof he had beentely, but I figured that he was ramping up to something — and I


    realized that my assumptions were correct only a few momentster.


    “Moana, I’d like to talk to you,” he said, turning toward his study. I nodded and climbed to my feet,


    watching as he stormed off without another word. At that moment, I was certain that I was going to be


    scolded for something, and I could feel my heart quicken its pace. Had Selina mentioned the


    pregnancy to him after all?


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    “I’ll be right back,” I said to the thoroughly distracted E, ruffling her hair before following Edrick and


    closing the study door behind me.


    “What is it?” I asked.


    “I’m holding a charity g tomorrow night,” Edrick replied. “I expect you to be there.”


    I furrowed my brow, taken aback by the Alpha billionaire’s sudden mention of charity. “A charity g?” I


    asked. “What for?”


    “Contrary to popr belief, I do keep my promises,” he said. “It’s for the orphanage.”


    Now, I was even more taken aback. I thought back to myst conversation with Sophia, who told me


    that Edrick had been updating her on the process, but I never thought that he would go so far as to


    host a charity g for the orphanage’s sake.


    Once my shock had faded enough for me to speak, I finally said, “That’s… That’s really nice of you.


    Thank you.”


    Edrick shrugged. “It looks good for thepany.”


    I didn’t believe him. I knew that there was a tiny bit of the Alpha CEO deep down that secretly wanted


    to help people, but I didn’t say that.


    “Anyway,” he continued, “be ready by six o’clock.”


    I nodded and excused myself before turning to the door to leave, but just as I ced my hand on the


    doorknob, Edrick called after me onest time.


    “Oh, and by the way,” he said, “my brother won’t be there. So there’s no need for you to show off.”


    I froze, my grip tightening on the doorknob. Had Edrick realized that I went on a date with Ethan after


    all?


    “Show off?” I said, turning around to face him and feeling my hand curl up into a fist at my side. “What’s


    that supposed to mean?”


    Edrick scoffed. “I saw how you were dressed the other night. You looked far too beautiful that night for


    someone who was just going out for a simple dinner with a friend.”


    I felt my face get red as Edrick called me beautiful, and judging from the surprised look that shed


    across his visage, I could tell that even he was a bit surprised by his own choice of words. “Anyway,” he


    continued, turning around to face the window as well as to likely hide his own embarrassment, “dress


    well tonight, of course, but don’t dress too well. And remember: many of the people in attendance are


    going to be wealthy werewolf socialites, so I expect you to behave ordingly.”


    “And… As for E?” I asked, choosing to ignore the fact that he had essentially just told me that I


    couldn’t be trusted to act appropriately in front of wealthy werewolves.


    Edrick turned around to face me once more. “She’ll being, too,” he said.


    I c****d my head. “I thought you have to keep her from the public eye–”


    “Yes,” Edrick said, waving me away with his hand, “but the g will only have trusted friends and family


    in attendance, as well as only a few trusted reporters. I’m not worried, so long as you keep her


    upied.”


    I nodded. “Is that all?”


    Edrick nodded as well. “Yes. You can go now.”


    Without another word, I turned and left the room. I still felt strange around Edrick after ourst


    interaction, when he essentially told me that my social ss was too lowly for him to treat me with


    respect — but, at the very least, he hadn’t mentioned the pregnancy. I was relieved to know that Selina


    had indeed kept her promise to keep my secret, although I wasn’t sure for how much longer.