Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 116: Suspicious Joanne II

Chapter 116: Suspicious Joanne II

Ella’s POV

The soft chime of the elevator echoed in the quiet space as the doors slid shut, sealing her in. Ella let out a slow breath, leaning back against the cool steel walls. The ride up felt longer than usual, probably because her mind was tangled in Kate’s words.

"My gut tells me that Joanna isn’t just being ’thoughtful.’ She’s planning something. I’m sure of it."

Kate wasn’t the kind of person to jump to conclusions without reason. She was protective, sure, sometimes to a fault, but her instincts? They were rarely off.

Ella glanced down, running a gentle hand over the barely-there curve of her stomach. Joanne’s sudden enthusiasm for a baby shower—before the wedding, no less—did feel oddly specific now that she thought about it. A bridal shower would have made more sense. That’s how these things usually worked. And yet, Joanne had insisted this had to happen now.

The elevator gave a soft ding as it reached the penthouse, and she straightened, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind for now. The doors slid open, revealing the warm glow of the apartment. The scent of something citrusy and clean lingered in the air—Arec must have been tidying up. Soft music played in the background, and her eyes landed on him at the kitchen sink, rinsing the last of the dishes.

He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of her footsteps, and a smile immediately curved his lips. "All set with Kate?"

Ella nodded, stepping forward. As soon as she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. The solid warmth of him was grounding, easing the tension that had been building since her conversation with Kate.

"She’s heading home now," Ella murmured, "but she left me with a lot to think about."

Arec stilled for a moment before setting the plate aside. He turned in her arms so they were face to face, his gaze searching hers with quiet concern. "Is something wrong?"

Ella hesitated. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but at the same time, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling twisting in her gut.

"Not wrong, exactly," she said carefully. "It’s about Joanne."

Arec’s brows pulled together slightly. "Joanne?" His hands rested gently on her hips, grounding her. "What about her?"

Ella sighed. "She stopped by Kate’s a few days ago and brought up this idea of throwing a baby shower for us." She paused, watching his reaction. "But she was very insistent that it had to happen before the wedding."

Arec leaned back slightly, studying her. "Before the wedding?" His expression darkened with curiosity. "That’s... unusual timing."

"Exactly," Ella said, relieved that he caught on so quickly. "Kate thinks it’s suspicious, and honestly, the more I think about it, the more it doesn’t make sense. Why the rush? Why not just plan a bridal shower now and leave the baby shower for later?"

Arec’s gaze grew distant, his mind clearly working through the situation. "Joanne’s always been... driven. She likes to be at the center of things, and she’s not exactly shy about taking control." His fingers traced light circles on her waist, a thoughtful habit of his whenever he was processing something. "Maybe this is her way of trying to be involved. More than she should be."

Ella tilted her head, watching his expression closely. "Do you think she’s doing this to help us, or is there another reason?"

He hesitated. Arec was always careful with his words, especially when it came to people he had a long history with. "Joanne and I... we’ve known each other for a long time," he admitted, his tone measured. "She’s always had this way of making things about her, even when she’s trying to be supportive. I don’t think she’d intentionally sabotage anything, but her priorities might not align with ours."

Ella sighed, resting her forehead against his chest for a brief moment. "That’s what worries me. I don’t want to assume the worst, but I also don’t want to ignore the possibility that she might have her own agenda. Or maybe she really is just trying to solidify our friendship, and I’m overthinking it."

Arec gently lifted her chin so their eyes met. His touch was warm, reassuring. "Ella, you’re one of the smartest and kindest people I know. You’ve always been good to people, even when they don’t always deserve it. If Joanne truly wants to solidify your friendship, that’s great. But if there’s something more to it, you’ll see it for what it is."

Ella frowned slightly, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. "I just don’t want to overreact. Kate’s right about being cautious, but I don’t want to push Joanne away if she’s genuinely trying to be supportive."

Arec brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering lightly on her cheek. "And you don’t have to. This doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision." His voice was steady, calming. "You can let her plan the baby shower if you want, but on your terms. Make it clear that you appreciate it, but the timing and details need to make sense for us, not just her."

Ella’s lips curved slightly, some of the tension in her chest easing. "You make it sound so simple."

"That’s because it is," he said with a playful smirk. "You’re the bride and the mom-to-be. This is about celebrating you, not anyone else’s agenda. And I’m sure Joanne will understand that."

Ella let out a small laugh, though the concern still lingered in the back of her mind. "Knowing Joanne, she’s not going to let it go without trying to convince me it’s the perfect idea."

Arec raised an eyebrow, his playful demeanor shifting just slightly. "Do you want me to talk to her? I can handle this if it’s stressing you out."

Ella immediately shook her head, pressing a hand against his chest. "No, don’t. I can handle her. If I let you step in, it’ll make it seem like I can’t deal with this myself." She sighed, then added with a teasing smile, "Besides, you have this annoying way of making people do what you want without even trying, and that might just add fuel to her fire."

Arec chuckled, resting his hands on her waist. "Fair enough. But if she gives you a hard time, promise you’ll let me know? I don’t want you feeling overwhelmed."

Ella nodded, touched by the protectiveness in his voice. "I promise. I’ll talk to her. I think if I just set some boundaries and let her know how I feel, she’ll back off." A small pause. "Or at least, I hope she will."

Arec studied her for a long moment before tilting her chin up once more, his voice soft. "You’ve got this. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Something in his tone made warmth bloom in her chest, melting some of her lingering worries. She smiled, leaning up to brush a kiss against his cheek. "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Now, no more worrying about Joanne tonight. Let’s get some rest, okay?"