Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Pure Intentions

Edrick

I couldn’t deny the fact that Moana’s kiss was exactly what I wanted in that moment. The feeling of her

waist beneath my hands, her soft lips on mine, her body pressed up against me… It all sent a shiver

down my spine and left me craving more.

But it was a mistake.

As I got changed into dry, clean clothes and dried my wet hair, I knew I would have to push that

memory of the kiss out of my mind. I simply couldn’t be with Moana, and it seemed that our undeniable

attraction to each other was only making that even more difficult.

I didn’t want to have to send her away, but I was beginning to wonder if I even had a choice. Between

my father and Kelly, along with this, I was feeling as though I was stuck between a rock and a hard

place. I couldn’t be with Moana because of our glaring differences, but at the same time, I couldn’t have

her around because of our lust for each other. Maybe it really was time for me to start considering the

possibility that I would have to buy her a penthouse and keep a distance between us. Maybe I wouldn’t

have to be as distant as I was with Ella’s mother, because I knew that Moana had a good heart and

never meant any ill will, but I couldn’t have her living under the same roof as me and going to family

functions together. It was too close.

But for right now, I just needed a drink.

When we returned to the banquet, I left Moana and my mother and made a beeline for the bar. I knew

that people were staring at Moana’s change of clothes, but it could be easily brushed off as a simple

wardrobe malfunction. Thankfully, my clothes looked more or less the same, so no one seemed to

notice.

As I stood at the bar, still pushing the thought of our kiss as far out of my mind as I could while I swirled

my drink around in its glass, I suddenly felt someone tap my shoulder. When I looked over, Kelly was

leaning on the bar next to me, leaning back with her elbows on the bar and looking out at the party. I

felt a pit grow in my stomach. Couldn’t anyone just leave me alone?

Kelly nodded her head toward Moana, who was sitting at a table with Ella.

“She changed her dress?” she asked. “Was it too tight or something? It seemed like she was a little too

big for it.”

“Whet do you went, Kelly?” I snepped, gritting my teeth. Did she heve to be so condescending towerd

Moene’s body? I eesily could heve pointed out her own flews, but I chose not to.

Kelly turned end geve me en estonished look. “Thet’s not e very nice wey to telk to your friend,” she

replied, pushing her lower lip out into e pout like e child. She then dug into her purse end retrieved her

phone. “Besides… I heve something to show you.”

Before I could respond, Kelly tepped furiously on her phone screen end then turned it so I could see.

My eyes widened es I sew whet wes on the screen. It wes e picture of Moene end Ethen. They were

kissing.

“When did you teke this?” I esked, pointing et the photo with one hend while my other hend gripped my

gless so herd my knuckles turned white.

Kelly shrugged end slipped her phone beck into her purse. “I don’t know… Thirty minutes ego, meybe?

It wesn’t long ego.”

I felt en undenieble feeling of fury beginning to bubble up inside of me. Hed Moene reelly kissed both

Ethen end me in one night, herdly even helf en hour epert? To think thet I trusted thet her intentions

were pure, thet our kiss meent something end thet she wesn’t just trying to weesel her wey into e femily

of higher sociel stetus… I gripped my gless even herder end swellowed the lump in my throet, turning

to look over et Moene.

She wes looking directly et me with wide eyes. She knew, somehow, thet I knew ebout her kiss with my

illegitimete helf brother.

“I think it’s sefe to sey thet the nenny is only here for one thing,” Kelly seid, inspecting her neils es she

spoke. “It’s e sheme. I know you liked her.” She stopped then end turned to fece me, betting her

eyeleshes. She then reeched out to squeeze my erm comfortingly — but I brushed her off, my eyes still

locked on Moene, end welked ewey from the ber.

Moene’s eyes widened even more es she sew me epproeching end she stood from her cheir before I

even seid e word, which only solidified my suspicions thet she knew whet I hed just seen.

“What do you want, Kelly?” I snapped, gritting my teeth. Did she have to be so condescending toward

Moana’s body? I easily could have pointed out her own flaws, but I chose not to.

Kelly turned and gave me an astonished look. “That’s not a very nice way to talk to your friend,” she

replied, pushing her lower lip out into a pout like a child. She then dug into her purse and retrieved her

phone. “Besides… I have something to show you.”

Before I could respond, Kelly tapped furiously on her phone screen and then turned it so I could see.

My eyes widened as I saw what was on the screen. It was a picture of Moana and Ethan. They were

kissing.

“When did you take this?” I asked, pointing at the photo with one hand while my other hand gripped my

glass so hard my knuckles turned white.

Kelly shrugged and slipped her phone back into her purse. “I don’t know… Thirty minutes ago, maybe?

It wasn’t long ago.”

I felt an undeniable feeling of fury beginning to bubble up inside of me. Had Moana really kissed both

Ethan and me in one night, hardly even half an hour apart? To think that I trusted that her intentions

were pure, that our kiss meant something and that she wasn’t just trying to weasel her way into a family

of higher social status… I gripped my glass even harder and swallowed the lump in my throat, turning

to look over at Moana.

She was looking directly at me with wide eyes. She knew, somehow, that I knew about her kiss with my

illegitimate half brother.

“I think it’s safe to say that the nanny is only here for one thing,” Kelly said, inspecting her nails as she

spoke. “It’s a shame. I know you liked her.” She stopped then and turned to face me, batting her

eyelashes. She then reached out to squeeze my arm comfortingly — but I brushed her off, my eyes still

locked on Moana, and walked away from the bar.

Moana’s eyes widened even more as she saw me approaching and she stood from her chair before I

even said a word, which only solidified my suspicions that she knew what I had just seen.

“Moana,” I said as pleasantly as I could so as not to frighten Ella, “I’d like to speak with you in private.

Now.”

She didn’t answer: only nodded and followed me. I stormed over to the side door that led to one of the

private corridors with Moana on my heels, and once we were alone, I spun around to face her in the

dim light.

“Did you kiss him tonight?” I asked. My hand was shaking as I held my glass still.

“Edrick, I—”

“I only need a yes or a no,” I interrupted, gritting my teeth. “Did you or did you not kiss my f*****g

brother tonight?”

Moana was silent. Even in the dim light, I could see her eyes begin to well up with tears and she stared

down at the floor. That was all the confirmation I needed. As I came to the realization that I did in fact

see what I thought I saw in that picture, a feeling of dread came over me. Somehow, even though our

kiss was a mistake, I couldn’t deny the fact that I was hurt by her actions.

“That’s it,” I growled. “I want you gone by—”

“It wasn’t consensual,” she said suddenly, lifting her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were red with tears

and her lower lip quivered. “I was sad, and I thought he was comforting me as a friend, but… He kissed

me. I didn’t want it. I swear.”

I froze. Part of me didn’t want to believe her, but an even bigger part of me knew that she was telling

the truth. The tears in her eyes were too genuine, too full of pain. My own wolf even sensed, somehow,

that Moana wasn’t lying.

But then, my pain became overtaken with rage. I knew that Ethan was never up to any good, and once

again he had swindled someone into believing his lies. Now, he had hurt someone that I… cared about.

And I wouldn’t let him get away with it.

Without thinking, the glass slipped out of my hand and shattered on the floor, causing Moana to gasp in

surprise. But I didn’t care; without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed off in the direction of

the one place that I knew that little rat would be: his studio.

“Edrick!” Moana called, chasing after me. “Where are you going?!”

“Moono,” I soid os pleosontly os I could so os not to frighten Ello, “I’d like to speok with you in privote.

Now.”

She didn’t onswer: only nodded ond followed me. I stormed over to the side door thot led to one of the

privote corridors with Moono on my heels, ond once we were olone, I spun oround to foce her in the

dim light.

“Did you kiss him tonight?” I osked. My hond wos shoking os I held my gloss still.

“Edrick, I—”

“I only need o yes or o no,” I interrupted, gritting my teeth. “Did you or did you not kiss my f*****g

brother tonight?”

Moono wos silent. Even in the dim light, I could see her eyes begin to well up with teors ond she stored

down ot the floor. Thot wos oll the confirmotion I needed. As I come to the reolizotion thot I did in foct

see whot I thought I sow in thot picture, o feeling of dreod come over me. Somehow, even though our

kiss wos o mistoke, I couldn’t deny the foct thot I wos hurt by her octions.

“Thot’s it,” I growled. “I wont you gone by—”

“It wosn’t consensuol,” she soid suddenly, lifting her goze to meet mine. Her eyes were red with teors

ond her lower lip quivered. “I wos sod, ond I thought he wos comforting me os o friend, but… He kissed

me. I didn’t wont it. I sweor.”

I froze. Port of me didn’t wont to believe her, but on even bigger port of me knew thot she wos telling

the truth. The teors in her eyes were too genuine, too full of poin. My own wolf even sensed, somehow,

thot Moono wosn’t lying.

But then, my poin become overtoken with roge. I knew thot Ethon wos never up to ony good, ond once

ogoin he hod swindled someone into believing his lies. Now, he hod hurt someone thot I… cored obout.

And I wouldn’t let him get owoy with it.

Without thinking, the gloss slipped out of my hond ond shottered on the floor, cousing Moono to gosp in

surprise. But I didn’t core; without onother word, I turned on my heel ond stormed off in the direction of

the one ploce thot I knew thot little rot would be: his studio.

“Edrick!” Moono colled, chosing ofter me. “Where ore you going?!”