Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 25: The Decision

Chapter 25: The Decision

Ella’s POV:

I stared at the ceiling, my mind a tangled web of thoughts and emotions. The night had been long and restless, a relentless battle between logic and fear, practicality and pride.

Arec’s proposal had upended my world, and now, as the dawn crept through the curtains, I was no closer to a decision than I had been hours before. But I couldn’t keep running in circles. I needed to face this head-on, to take control of the situation before it spiraled any further out of my grasp.

I pulled myself out of bed, every muscle in my body protesting from the lack of sleep. There was no time for weakness, though. I had made a decision, or at least I had decided to make a decision.

Today, I was going to meet with Arec and get some answers. If I was going to consider this, this contract marriage, then I needed to know exactly what I was getting into. No more surprises.

As I dressed, my thoughts kept circling back to the previous day, to the look in Arec’s eyes when he had tried to explain his situation. He wasn’t the cold, calculating businessman I had iimagined

There was something more there, something that made him human in a way I hadn’t seen before. Vulnerability. Desperation, even. But that didn’t change the fact that what he was asking of me was monumental, and I couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud my judgment.

When I arrived at the office, I found Arec already waiting for me. He stood as I entered, his expression a mix of anxiety and determination. It was clear he had been thinking about this just as much as I had.

"Ella," he said, his voice steady but with an edge of uncertainty, "thank you for coming."

I nodded, taking a seat across from him. "I couldn’t ignore this, Arec. We need to talk."

"Yes, we do." He sat back down, his gaze locked onto mine. "I know this isn’t easy for you, and I don’t want to pressure you into anything. But I also need you to understand that this isn’t just a whim for me. There’s a lot at stake."

"Then let’s talk about what’s really at stake," I replied, folding my hands on the table in front of me. "You’ve told me about your grandmother’s ultimatum, about the expectations placed on you. But what about me, Arec? What does this mean for my life? What do you expect from me?"

He sighed, leaning forward slightly. "I don’t expect anything from you that you’re not willing to give. This would be a partnership, Ella, more like a business arrangement. You would have complete control over your own life, and I would never ask you to do anything that would compromise your values or your autonomy."

I tilted my head, considering his words. "But we’d have to live together, act like a married couple, even if it’s just for appearances. That’s not nothing, Arec. That’s my life, my privacy, my... everything."

"I know," he said quietly. "And that’s why I want to make sure we’re on the same page. We can set boundaries, establish clear terms for how this will work. If there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, we’ll address it. I don’t want you to feel trapped or manipulated."

His sincerity was disarming, and I found myself softening, just a little. But there were still too many unanswered questions. "What about after? When this is all over, and we go our separate ways? How do we untangle our lives from each other’s?"

"We’ll make that part of the agreement," Arec said without hesitation. "A clear end date, with a plan for how to transition back to our separate lives. You’ll have financial security, of course, and any resources you need to move forward. I don’t want to leave you in a worse position than when we started."

Financial security. The words hung in the air between us, a tempting offer that I couldn’t entirely ignore. But it wasn’t enough to sway me. Not yet.

"And what about your family?" I asked, my voice steady. "What happens when they find out that this marriage is a sham? Because they will find out, Arec. People aren’t stupid."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration flickering in his eyes. "That’s a risk I’m willing to take. My family... they’ve been controlling my life for too long. This is my way of taking back some of that control. And if it backfires, then so be it. At least I’ll have tried to do things on my terms."

His words resonated with me more than I wanted to admit. I had spent so much of my life trying to avoid conflict, trying to keep things smooth and uncomplicated. But maybe Arec had a point. Maybe it was time to take a risk, to step into the unknown and see where it led.

But that didn’t mean I was going to dive in without protection.

"I have conditions," I said, my tone firm. "If we’re going to do this, then I need to know that I’m not just going to be another casualty of your family’s games."

Arec nodded, his expression serious. "Name them."

"First," I began, "I want full control over my own finances. No joint accounts, no shared assets. I keep my independence."

"Agreed," Arec said immediately. "You’ll have your own accounts, your own money. Anything we share will be strictly for appearances."

"Second," I continued, "I want a clear end date. No extensions, no dragging this out longer than necessary. We agree on a timeframe, and we stick to it."

"Agreed," he said again. "One year. After that, we go our separate ways."

I hesitated for a moment, then added, "And I want a clause that allows me to end this early if I feel that my safety or well-being is at risk."

Arec’s eyes softened, and he leaned forward, his voice gentle. "Ella, I would never put you in danger. But if it makes you feel safer, then yes, we’ll include that clause."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my decision settle on my shoulders. There was no going back from this. If I agreed, my life would be irrevocably changed, for better or worse. But I couldn’t deny that Arec had made a compelling case. He wasn’t just trying to save his own skin; he was offering me a chance to take control of my life in a way I hadn’t considered before.

"Okay," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll do it."

Arec’s relief was visible, but there was still a tension in his eyes, a lingering uncertainty that mirrored my own. "Thank you, Ella. I promise, I’ll do everything I can to make this as painless as possible."

I nodded, but my mind was already racing ahead, imagining the challenges that lay before us. This wasn’t going to be easy. It wasn’t going to be simple. But at least now, I felt like I had some control over the situation, like I wasn’t just being swept along by forces beyond my understanding.

"We’ll need to draw up a contract," I said, trying to focus on the practicalities. "Something legally binding, so there are no misunderstandings later on."

"Of course," Arec agreed. "I’ll have my lawyer work on it, and you can have yours review it before we sign anything."

I appreciated that he wasn’t pushing me to just trust him blindly. This was business, after all, and I needed to protect myself. But even as I tried to think of this as just another transaction, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was different, that there was more at stake here than just money or reputation.

"Are you sure about this, Arec?" I asked, surprising myself with the question. "I mean, really sure? Because once we do this, there’s no going back."

He met my gaze, his expression resolute. "I’m sure, Ella. This is the right move, for both of us."

I nodded, trying to convince myself that I believed him. "Alright then. Let’s do this."

As we shook hands to seal the deal, I couldn’t ignore the unease that settled in the pit of my stomach. This was it. The decision had been made.