Chapter 26

“What?” I pulled away from him on the couch, eyes wide with confusion. “You want me to quit?”

“No, not quit!” Ethan insisted.

“Why would you give me this job then take it away from me?” I asked, standing up off the couch to pace on the carpet in front of him. “This is unfair!”

“Ava,” Ethan sighed as I continued walking in circles in front of him.

I didn’t hear him at first. I only calmed back down when he stood up with me and blocked my path so I couldn’t move anymore. With a pout fixed on my lips, I looked up at him.

“If you would let me finish,” He smiled with a teasing glint. “It has nothing to do with you or your performance. I need you.”

I blinked, the tension in my body rolling off me in waves. My fists, which were previously clenched at my sides, loosened and the muscles in my fingers relaxed. What could Ethan possibly need from me?

Like Tristan said, Ethan was the man who lacked nothing. What could I provide for him?

“I need you to start being more present with me at work events and social gatherings,” He folded his arms over his chest with a beaming grin on his face. His headache was apparently forgotten.

“What could I do?” I asked. I wasn’t exactly skilled in politics or business. I wouldn’t offer anything to his business. Unless he wanted a cake to bribe reporters to only write good things about him.

“I’ve been thinking, and as Luna you need to show that you support me and my causes.” He clarified, I tilted my head to the side.

“But you said you didn’t want me worrying about being a Luna since we’re just going to get divorced.” I started thinking back to the first few days after we got married. Ethan didn’t need my help or support then, what changed?

“Even so, we need to appear like the perfect unit. To show the other alphas that I am not running for chairman on my own. They need to see me as part of a family, a husband. I’m not just a businessman, and you can prove that to them.” He grinned, proud of himself.

I thought about it, even though there wasn’t much of a debate. Ethan was so good to me, and work was proving to be unbearable recently. The least I could do was support him.

I would be the perfect wife if Ethan needed it.

“Okay, I’ll do it.” I nodded with a reassuring smile. Ethan beamed at my acceptance, scooping me up in a bone-crushing bear hug.

I giggled as he spun me around, holding me tightly. I couldn’t help the excitement that blossomed in my chest. Ethan had so much faith in me, he didn’t see me as some common pastry chef. I was an equal in this partnership, a real Luna to his Alpha.

The next morning, I went to work to announce my leave. My coworkers were surprised, but they understood my reasons. They had seen the way people were treating me and my business, I couldn’t continue working until everything died down, and it wouldn’t die down for a while.

I appointed a new supervisor and left shortly after, Ethan needed me home to discuss our new arrangement.

“We have a spot in a talk show tonight,” Ethan told me as I entered his office at home. He had a spread of papers in front of him that he was pouring over. “I sent Tristan out to pick up a dress for you.”

“He didn’t need to do that!” I insisted, feeling a little guilty that Tristan was always being sent to get things for me. He was Ethan’s Beta, his second in command, not a secretary.

Ethan waved my concern away, “He’s happy to do it. It gets home out of doing the actual business he’s supposed to be doing for me.”

I giggled and relented, sitting on the couch in the corner of the room.

“So, what’s the plan for the show? Should I prepare or study?” I asked, practically bouncing in the seat from excitement. I’d seen Ethan do countless talk shows and interviews on television, I was giddy with the thought of being able to stand by his side for once.

“No, don’t worry yourself over it. I’ll handle everything,” He gave me a reassuring smile. I was a little disappointed, but it did make sense that he would be the one who needed to make preparations.

Ethan went back to work, Tristan brought me the dress, and I busied myself trying to style my hair and do my makeup.

Before I knew it, we were in the car on our way to the studio. Ethan held my hand, telling me to let him do the talking once we were up there. I assumed he meant talking about business, so I agreed.

As the show went on, though, it had been ten minutes into our interview and I wasn’t able to get a single word in. Ethan answered every question, reacted to every joke, and the cameras were focused almost solely on him.

I sat beside him in the guest chairs as everyone cheered and laughed for him, as an ornament. I was arm-candy. I might as well have stayed home.

The host of the show ended the segment by saying, “You two are a lovely couple, it was so good talking to both of you. Ethan and Ava Velasco everybody!”

The crowd cheered for us, and silently Ethan and I left.

Many other interviews went the same during the next two weeks. Ethan took over the show, I would be lucky to even get to say hi to the reporter or host. I stood by him, his support and his ‘Luna’, but I was never able to contribute.

I finally had enough during a show aimed towards women. Ethan took the lead there, too.

“So, Ava,” The heavily made up host smiled at me with her perfect teeth, “What were your first thoughts when you met Ethan.”

“I-”

Ethan cut me off.

“She was enraptured by my roguish good-looks.” He looked back at me with a teasing smile, the crowd chuckled along with him. “No, but she told me that she thought I was just some bodyguard! Can you believe that?”

The crowd and host laughed, I tried to smile at them.

“Ava, did you honestly not know who he was?” The host interrogated with a shake of her head and a grin.

I opened my mouth to answer, but Ethan beat me to it.

“You can’t blame her, I hadn’t revealed my face to the public at that point. How else would she know I was the Alpha of the Blue Moon Group.” Ethan shrugged and nudged my shoulder on his own. I laughed disingenuously in response, and started to zone out.

Why was Ethan so overbearing?

On the car ride home, I stayed silent. I was figuring out what I wanted to say to him in the house, how I would express my discomfort with the way I was being treated by him in the spotlight.

It was just so strange, he was so doting and caring in private.

When we got to the house, I cornered him before he could disappear to his office like he had been doing so often.

“Why do you keep doing that?” I demanded, trying to sound angry but it came off more sad.

“What?” He turned to me and cocked his head to the side.

“You won’t let me talk in the shows. I can’t get a single word in before you answer all the questions. Even questions directly aimed at me, like tonight!” I kept my voice under control, but I really wanted to shout.

“Ava, don’t be stupid.” He tried to put a comforting hand on my shoulder but I shrugged him off, only growing more frustrated.

“Ethan, why are you treating me like an ornament? Why am I nothing but decoration in these interviews?” I never fought with Ethan before. I never pulled away from him in an angry manner. Part of me was scared he would be angry with me, another part didn’t care.

“Ava it’s just-”

“Just what?” I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest.

With a sigh, he admitted, “I’m sorry, but I don’t trust you enough.”