Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 102: Uneasy Alliances

Chapter 102: Uneasy Alliances

Joanne’s POV:

The faint scent of lavender hung in Kate’s living room, but even its calming aroma couldn’t soften the tension crackling in the air. I perched on the edge of her pristine white couch, legs crossed, my fingers idly tracing the hem of my skirt as I waited for her to reappear from the kitchen.

Her house was immaculate as always, minimalist, cold, and devoid of warmth. Much like its owner.

Kate re-entered the room, balancing two steaming mugs of tea, and placed one in front of me with a sharp clink that made my smile falter.

"Thanks," I murmured, taking the cup with both hands. I didn’t bother drinking it. Her hospitality was as fake as her ability to hold a polite conversation with me.

"So," she said, settling into the armchair opposite me. Her arms crossed as she leaned back, the picture of contained annoyance. "What’s the urgent matter this time, Joanne?"

I let out a soft laugh, careful to keep my tone light, disarming. "Urgent? No, nothing of the sort. I just wanted to run a few more ideas by you for Ella’s baby shower."

Her brow arched skeptically. "Didn’t we already decide on most of that? Or is this another attempt to rearrange everything to suit your... vision?"

I swallowed the sharp retort sitting on my tongue, forcing my smile to widen instead. "I’m not rearranging anything. I just think we should seriously consider moving the date up. Before the wedding."

Kate’s hand stilled mid-reach for her tea. Her sharp gaze locked onto mine, unblinking, like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.

"Before the wedding?" she repeated, her tone laced with incredulity.

"Yes," I pressed, leaning forward slightly. "Think about it. Ella’s schedule will only get busier as the wedding approaches.

Afterward, she and Arec will be off on their honeymoon for weeks. And by the time they get back, she’ll be too far along to truly enjoy the celebration."

Kate set her tea down on the table with deliberate care, the slight clink of porcelain betraying her growing irritation.

"Too far along?" she repeated, her voice sharper now.

"Joanne, it’s a baby shower, not a marathon. The whole point is to celebrate when the pregnancy is advanced enough that it’s real, not when she’s barely showing."

I straightened my spine, my voice taking on a conciliatory tone. "I understand that tradition says later is better, but..."

"Exactly," she snapped, cutting me off.

"Tradition. Where have you ever seen a baby shower held before the pregnancy even looks real? People will think we’re rushing, that we’re desperate to tick it off a checklist."

My smile tightened. "This isn’t about appearances, Kate. It’s about convenience for Ella."

Her laughter was sharp, humorless. "Convenience for Ella, or for you?"

The accusation caught me off guard, but I quickly masked my surprise. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Kate leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees, her gaze piercing. "Why are you pushing this so hard? What’ are you actually planning, Joanne? What are you trying to accomplish by rushing this?"

My breath hitched, but I kept my expression neutral, refusing to let her see that her words had landed. "My actual plan?" I repeated, my voice feigning confusion. "Kate, this is about Ella. You’re the one making it sound like some sort of conspiracy."

"Is it?" she shot back, her tone icy. "You’ve been hovering over my place since you come up with the B-shower of a thing.

Showing up unannounced, inserting yourself into every aspect of my life. And now you’re insisting on breaking tradition to throw this party early? It’s suspicious, Joanne. Even for you."

I felt the heat rising in my cheeks, a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "I’m trying to help. That’s all this is," I said firmly, my voice clipped. "Ella deserves something special, and I’m doing everything I can to make that happen."

Kate’s eyes narrowed, doubt simmering in her gaze. "Is that really all this is about? Because if it’s not, you need to say it now."

"Of course, that’s all it is!" I snapped, my voice cracking slightly. "Why would you even suggest otherwise?"

For a long moment, she simply stared at me, as if trying to peel back the layers of my words and expose whatever she thought I was hiding. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, and I forced myself to hold her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest.

Finally, she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms again. "Fine," she said coolly. "We’re not moving the date. The shower will happen three months after the wedding, just like we agreed. Ella will be further along, and it’ll mean more to her that way."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she raised a hand to cut me off.

"This isn’t up for debate, Joanne," she said sharply. "And if you keep pushing, I’ll start wondering why you’re so desperate to get your way."

Her words felt like a slap, and I clenched my jaw to keep from snapping back. Instead, I forced a brittle smile onto my face and nodded.

"Fine," I said softly, rising from the couch. "Three months after the wedding it is."

Kate didn’t bother to reply. She simply watched me with that same calculating gaze as I gathered my things and headed for the door.

---

Later that evening, I paced my room, the plush carpet muffling the sound of my steps. Kate was proving to be tougher than I’d anticipated, her stubbornness threatening to unravel everything I’d so meticulously planned.

She’s beginning to be a thorn in my side, she wasn’t just an annoyance, she was a genuine obstacle.

I paused by the window, staring out at the darkening sky, frustration simmering beneath the surface.

The baby shower had to happen before the wedding. It wasn’t just about the celebration itself; it was about timing, control, and seizing the right moment to handle Ella.

After the wedding, things would be different, Ella would be cocooned in her honeymoon bliss, surrounded by Arec, and it might be harder to deal with her the way I want.

But Kate, with her sharp tongue and laser-focused suspicions, was ruining everything.

"Joanne! Dinner’s ready!" Grant’s voice boomed up the stairs, cutting through my thoughts like a blade.

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. Of course, my family would choose now to interrupt me. It had been so much quieter before they came back .

My mind raced as I tried to cling to my unraveling thoughts, but the moment was gone, replaced by the irritation of having to play happy daughter and sister for the evening.

"Joanne!" Grant yelled again.

"Alright, I heard you!" I called back, exasperated. Couldn’t he come upstairs like a normal person instead of trying to bring the whole house down with his voice?