The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0427

I wanted to say no with every fiber of my being. But when I look at Elva, I noticed she was watching me with doe eyes, taking in my every expression Did she actually want to call Bridget Auntie? Was she simply reading my negative energy, and that was what had been making her uncomfortable?

I tried to remember Elva’s face as she had interacted with Bridget and Nicholas. She had been having fun. Was it genuine? It could have been.

Maybe I was the stick in the mud here. My distrust of Bridget was

hindering my daughter and dictating the people she could grow closer to.

Bridget had given me no real reasons to distrust her. A handful of

confusing things mixed with more feelings than facts. Maybe I was simply being jealous.

If Elva likes Bridget, and Bridget has shown only kindness to Elva, maybe I was the asshole here.

Nicholas began to walk closer. He was in earshot now.

He trusted Bridget with his life with Elva’s life. Since I trusted him, that should make her trustworthy by proxy.

At the end of the day, this was just a title. A nickname. It wasn’t christening Bridget as Elva’s actual aunt. It wasn’t even saying they had to spend all that much more time together.

Again, I looked down to Elva. “Elva, you should do whatever you are comfortable with, okay? If you want to call Bridget Auntie, it’s up to you.”

I loved my daughter with an undying ferocity, but even I did not know the innermost workings of her heart. If she liked Bridget enough to want her to be Auntie, I wouldn’t stand in the way of that. Though I would be watching

hawk–like from a near distance.

1/5

protective. Especially with all the dangers we’ve faced, and with all the dangers still out there, haunting us

continued to watch me long after I’d finished speaking. I worked hard to keep my face a blank slate, so as

asked, voice like cotton candy.” Wouldn’t you like

shifted her gaze to Bridget instead. Then

want to think about it,”

us. I nearly laughed. Susie did, though she hid it behind her hand. She wasn’t really a part of the conversation, so she easily

celebrity, she was likely used to being admired and adored. Who knew the last time someone had actually turned down one of her requests?

Elva was, entranced by Bridget but not so much that she would throw away her entire character. I loved this little girl with the entirety of my heart, but every day I was surprised when there seemed to somehow, impossibly, be even more love

my nerves at once. Was she trying to manipulate

placing my hand on Elva’s shoulder, tugged her a little closer to me to

her decision,” I

215

her,

said. “And she said she needs time to think about it.

of different expressions, like she couldn’t quite decide which to land on.

was no denying that. But maybe she lost herself somewhere on the way. Did she even recognize

eventually landed on her usual bright smile, just in time for

going on?” he asked, likely

in the skirts of

Auntie,”

filling in that key detail that Bridget

to anyone, Bridget, except her mother. If she’s not comfortable

wattage of Bridget’s smile dimmed for a moment, but she quickly cranked it right back up to how high it was before. Higher even, somehow. “Of course, you are right, Nicholas,” she said. “I suppose I did get carried away there.” She

nodded but didn’t

room. “Oh, I see Nathan waving for me. producer’s work is never

official or not, the term seemed to fit. Bridget had more or less taken over the entire