Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 30: Invitations and Deceptions (2)

Chapter 30: Invitations and Deceptions (2)

Arec’s POV

I sat across from Sam at our usual spot, a small café tucked away on the quieter side of the city.

The hum of light chatter and clinking silverware filled the space around us, but all I could think about was the stack of wedding invitations sitting on the table between us. Sam reached over to grab one, his eyebrow quirking as he studied the neatly printed card with my name and Ella’s.

"You’re kidding me, right?" he said, leaning back in his chair, staring at the invitation like it might suddenly burst into flames. "Of all the ways this could go, who could’ve thought you’d end up marrying your one-night stand?"

I rolled my eyes, taking a slow sip of my coffee. I knew this was coming the second I invited him here. "It’s not like that, Sam. We’re not actually getting married. It’s a contract marriage."

"Oh, right. Sure," Sam said, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Totally makes sense. You meet a girl, you sleep with her, and then, bam! You two are walking down the aisle in a fake marriage. Sounds like a romantic comedy gone wrong."

I groaned. "Are you done?"

He leaned forward, the teasing grin still plastered on his face. "Not even close. I mean, it’s almost poetic. You, Mr. Perfect Boss, marrying your assistant. Who knew that one drunken night would turn into this?"

I shot him a withering look, but he just waved me off, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. "You sure it’s a contract, man? I don’t know, feels like maybe there’s more to it. Are you sure you don’t have some feelings buried deep down? Maybe a little something for Ella?"

I ignored him, hoping that by doing so, he might move on from this ridiculous line of questioning. But Sam wasn’t one to back down that easily. He never had been.

"Alright, alright," he continued, still grinning. "I just hope you both don’t get hurt over this decision. These things have a way of messing people up, you know?"

I frowned. His teasing tone faded, just for a moment, and his eyes softened with genuine concern. Sam had known me long enough to know when things got serious. And he also knew about my grandmother, the pressure, the expectations. There was no room for error here, no space for emotions or complications.

"I don’t have a choice, Sam," I said, my voice low. "My grandmother gave me an ultimatum. Either I get married, or I lose the CEO position. The moment I secure that title, I’ll set Ella free. She’ll get what she I promised her, and I’ll get what I need. It’s just business."

Sam whistled, his grin fading into a more thoughtful expression. "Poor girl, though," he said, shaking his head. "From an ex that broke her heart to a boss offering a fake marriage. She’s not exactly lucky with guys, is she? Or maybe she just keeps meeting the wrong ones."

I gave him a look like he was out of his mind, but Sam wasn’t done yet.

"Seriously," he continued, leaning forward with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Let’s not forget that said boss also slept with her when she was drunk. Oh, poor, poor Ella." He dramatically wiped at his eyes, pretending to cry. "How will she ever recover from such a cruel fate?"

I couldn’t help it. I smirked, shaking my head. "Are you done now?"

Sam sat back, crossing his arms over his chest with a satisfied smile. "For now."

Without another word, I grabbed one of the invitations from the pile and tossed it across the table. "Make sure you’re there," I said, trying to suppress my own amusement.

Sam caught the invitation and raised his eyebrows. "Wow, you even went so far as to print these? Why not just head to the city hall and sign some papers? Wouldn’t that be less stressful than this whole big production?"

"You think I didn’t consider that?" I sighed. "My grandmother would never believe it. She’d sniff out something wrong in a heartbeat. This has to be convincing, Sam. I can’t afford for her to find out it’s fake."

Sam stared at me for a moment, the teasing grin fading as he realized how serious I was. "Man... you’re really going through with this, aren’t you?"

I nodded. "I have no choice. This is the only way to keep everything under control. And besides, Ella’s getting something out of it too."

Sam studied me for a moment longer, his expression unreadable, before he sighed. "I don’t know, Arec. This whole thing feels... messy. You’re playing with fire, man. What happens if Ella starts expecting more? Or worse, what if you do?"

I scoffed, waving him off. "That’s not going to happen."

"You sure?" Sam leaned in, his tone serious now. "Because this isn’t just some business deal. You’re asking a woman, someone you’ve slept with, by the way, to pretend to be in love with you. That’s... complicated, at best. And if either of you starts catching real feelings..."

"Sam, stop," I said firmly. "It’s not like that. This is purely business. Ella knows that, and I know that. Nothing more."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I’m just saying, don’t be surprised if things get messy."

I could feel the tension building in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. "I’ve got it under control, okay?"

"Sure," Sam said, but there was doubt in his voice. "Just remember that this isn’t just about you. Ella’s in this too. And if things go south..."

"They won’t," I cut him off, feeling my irritation start to rise again. "I won’t let that happen."

Sam studied me for a moment longer, then sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, man. If you say so. Just... be careful, alright?"

I nodded, but didn’t say anything. Instead, I stood up, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on. Let’s get out of here. We’ve got a wedding to plan."

Sam chuckled as he stood, slipping the invitation into his jacket pocket. "A fake wedding," he corrected, his grin returning. "But sure, let’s go. I’ll make sure to bring my best fake smile."

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at my lips.