We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Cedar’s POV

Emma’s enthusiasm caught me completely off guard. This was only

our second meeting, and her bubbly friendliness felt overwhelming. I

wasn’t used to this kind of warmth.

Growing up in the Wright household, I’d never really had friends. The

girls my age were all Selena’s friends, and they’d follow her lead in

mocking and belittling me at every opportunity. I honestly had no

idea how to interact with someone like Emma–someone who seemed

genuinely interested in spending time with me.

I poured myself a glass of water and sat down across from her. “So,

what brings you by? I don’t have much work scheduled for today.”

Emma finally got to the point. “My friend’s birthday is coming up, and

it’s going to be a big deal apparently. I’ve been racking my brain

trying to figure out what to get him, and I just couldn’t come up with

anything suitable. I thought you might have some ideas.”

I couldn’t help the slight twitch at the corner of my mouth. Wasn’t

this the kind of thing you’d ask your close friends about? Did Emma,

Chicago’s beloved socialite, not have any close friends? That seemed

impossible.

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Chapter 183

“I was planning to keep it simple at first,” Emma continued, resting her chin on her hand. “But my brother’s preparing something really meaningful, so I can’t slack off.”

A thought clicked in my mind. “Is it his thirty–first birthday?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “How did you know? Oh right, you work at Sterling Design Group–of course you’d know your boss’s birthday.”

So it was Ridley she was talking about. I should have guessed.

“Are you and Ridley close?” I asked carefully.

“It’s my brother Ethan who’s close with Ridley,” Emma explained. “The Sterling and Pierce families go way back. My brother and Ridley went to school together and then studied abroad at the same university.

They’re practically inseparable. I was always tagging along after my brother, so Ridley and I became friends too. For his birthday, I

absolutely need to find the perfect gift.”

I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Despite knowing Ridley’s birthday was approaching, I hadn’t even considered getting him a gift.

Yesterday I’d helped the children with their gift ideas, and now I was helping Emma… but what about me? Should I get him something? Our relationship had evolved beyond the typical employer–employee

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dynamic, though I couldn’t quite define what it was now.

Were we friends? Not exactly. Friends were equals, and I always felt

like I was looking up at Ridley from several rungs below on the

ladder.

Oh well, I was overthinking it. I could just pick up something small as

a token gesture…

“Cedar? Hello? Are you daydreaming?” Emma nudged me, pulling me

back to reality. “Since you’ve worked at Sterling Design for a while,

have you heard any office gossip about what Ridley likes?”

I shook my head. “People at the company don’t really gossip about

the executives. And honestly, someone like Ridley probably has

everything money can buy already.”

“That’s exactly the problem! He has everything, which makes this so

difficult.” Emma sighed. “What about organizing a birthday

celebration for him? Would that work?”

I considered this carefully. “I’ve heard that Ridley doesn’t really like

big birthday parties. I don’t think that would work.”

“I get that. I wouldn’t want my parents throwing me a party either,”

Emma admitted. “All those business associates and people trying to

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curry favor with the Pierce family… it’s exhausting. After my

eighteenth, I stopped having birthday parties altogether.”

An idea sparked in my mind. “If Ridley doesn’t want a big celebration,

maybe his close friends could organize a small gathering? Just ten or

so people who actually matter to him?”

Emma’s eyes lit up. “That’s brilliant! I need to talk to Ethan about this right away. He loves planning these things. I’ll call you once we’ve figured out the details. Ridley’s birthday is this Saturday, so we need

to move quickly!”

She rushed out as suddenly as she’d arrived, leaving me slightly dazed

by the whirlwind of her presence.

I hadn’t even settled back into my work when my phone rang. It was

Emma again.

“Cedar! Ethan loved the idea. We need to start planning right away. Could you put together a concept while I handle the arrangements?

We only have until Saturday!”

I inwardly sighed. I’d only meant to offer a suggestion, not become the party planner. And I certainly hadn’t intended to join Ridley’s

birthday celebration–I wasn’t part of that social circle.

Chapter 183

But Emma had already mentally drafted me into her committee,

calling repeatedly for my input. I could only grit my teeth and help.

On Friday afternoon, I took time off work and headed to the Sterling

mansion.

The children and I had agreed to bake Ridley a birthday cake together.

At midnight, they planned to present their gifts and wish their father

happy birthday.

My own gift–a silk tie I’d carefully selected–sat in a small box in my

After researching appropriate gifts for successful businessmen,

I’d decided a tie was perfect: neither too personal nor too impersonal.

purse.

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