Chapter 28
On other occasions, Ethan was there to help me get an advance on paychecks when my student loan and grandma’s medical bills became roo much of a burden all at one time and when Soren’s allowance dried up. He accompanied me to the finance department and helped me explain why I needed the advance of the money.
With Ethan, there is no judgment. There is no constant overthinking about where I stand with him. He makes me feel safe, makes me feel very
comfortable.
I do not have to hide who I am with him. I do not have to pretend to be someone else. I do not have to play as a doll that he can dress however he wants nor do I have to deal with the haunting thought that I am just a stand in until someone he deems worthy comes back into his life. “Okay,” I breathe out. I bring my eyes back to his and place a small smile on my face. “I’ll go with you to the engagement party, Ethan.” Ethan’s face immediately lights up. His once worried expression disappears, the creases and wrinkles in his face now disappearing. He claps his hands together, the sound shocking my body back to life, jolting awake.
“Really? Thank you so much, Celia!” Ethan’s voice is filled with nothing but joy and happiness.
The smile on my face grows, his infectious positive energy rubbing off on me. I laugh and take a step back, watching as he pulls out a medium sized envelope from his back pocket. I widen my eyes and look at the paper, noticing fancy cursive lettering and red wax seal that once held the envelop together.
Like the good doctor he is, Ethan pulls a pen from his shirt pocket and places the envelope against the door of the dressing room. I lean in my shoulder pressing into his.
“What are you doing?” I quietly ask. Ethan glances over at me, his hand flicking with ease across the cream colored paper.
“I am adding you as my plus once for the royal engagement party. It’s protocol A formality, really. Whenever there is a noble event, everyone must say if they are coming and who their plus one is if they decide to bring one,” Ethan calmly explains to me.
I nod to myself, looking away for a brief moment. I step away and give him his space, gnawing at the inside of my cheek.
I should have known this, right? After all, I was Soren’s substitute lovers. He didn’t bring me to any noble or royal events, though, nor was I ever invited to any of them due to my wolf–less status.
It makes the stinging feeling from earlier come back to my eyes. This invitation is just a reminder that Soren has never seen me as his equal He has only ever seen me as a hired lover, someone who temporarily filled in the empty spot Blanca left behind.
I blink away my forming tears just as Ethan turns around. I match the smile on his face and make sure my eyes squint with it, hiding the rest of the welled tears so he doesn’t become suspicious that something is wrong. He takes a step forward and places a hand on my shoulder.
“Thank you for agreeing to come with me. I…I really appreciate it, Celia. Let me buy the dress for you, yes? It’s the least I can do,” Ethan reaches inside the dressing room and pulls out the dress I once wore.
I weakly nod, a silent agreement, and follow him to the store’s counter where Lily stands. She winks at me and links her arm with mine, already whispering about how beautiful I’m going to look at the engagement party.
