Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 44: The Public’s Reaction

Chapter 44: The Public’s Reaction

Ella’s POV:

The moment Arec ended the live stream, I felt like I’d been holding my breath for hours. My chest was tight, and my palms were clammy.

I rubbed them against my thighs, trying to steady my breathing, but I could already feel the weight of what we’d just done pressing down on me. The silence that followed was suffocating. It was just Arec and me, alone in his office now, the tension thick between us.

"Do you think it worked?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Arec didn’t answer right away. His jaw clenched as he stared at his phone, waiting for the inevitable flood of notifications, comments, and opinions that would come pouring in.

The live video had been necessary, we both knew that. Klaus had thrown the first punch, and we had no choice but to hit back with the truth.

But the truth wasn’t always enough. People loved their scandals, and I had no idea if the truth would matter to them.

"I don’t know," Arec finally said, glancing at me. "But we did everything we could."

I nodded, though the knot in my stomach didn’t loosen. We had laid everything bare in that video, my past with Klaus, the lies he’d told, the proof that I wasn’t some gold-digging villain. I’d shown them the texts, the dates, the financial records. I’d practically bared my soul to millions of people.

But had it been enough?

I watched as Arec tapped open his social media feed, his expression unreadable as he scrolled. After a moment, he handed me the phone.

"See for yourself," he said quietly.

I took a deep breath and looked down at the screen. My heart raced as I saw the messages start to pile in, faster than I could even read them.

At first, it was a blur of words, some supportive, some angry, others confused. But the more I scrolled, the more patterns began to emerge.

"I owe Ella an apology. I was so quick to judge, but after watching her speak, I see how real she was. She didn’t deserve any of this."

"I can’t believe I ever believed Klaus’s lies. Ella showed the receipts, and honestly, Klaus looks pathetic now."

"Watching Ella be so honest about her past was powerful. She’s a strong woman, and I’m rooting for her and Arec."

"It’s clear now that Klaus is just bitter. The way he tried to twist the story to make her look bad, it’s disgusting."

My chest tightened as I read those comments. The warmth of relief began to spread through me, but it was quickly tempered by the other side of the coin. Because not everyone was on my side.

"Don’t be fooled by her tears. That was all an act, and Arec fell for it."

"Yeah, sure, she showed some old texts. That doesn’t mean she’s not a gold digger. She’s just covering her tracks."

"I feel sorry for Arec. He’s clearly blinded by her manipulations. He needs to wake up before it’s too late."

"Don’t let her fool you. Ella’s just pretending to be the victim, but she’s the real snake here."

Those words felt like tiny cuts, each one stinging just a little bit more than the last. I knew not everyone would believe me, but seeing it in writing, seeing people still doubt me even after everything I’d shown them, hurt more than I expected.

"Hey," Arec’s voice cut through my thoughts. "Don’t let them get to you."

I looked up at him, forcing a weak smile. "I’m trying, but it’s hard. I mean, they still think I’m some kind of villain."

"People are going to believe what they want to believe," he said, his tone firm but gentle. "The important thing is that we’ve done what we can to set the record straight."

I nodded, but the knot in my stomach didn’t go away. I kept scrolling, moving past the comments from people who were either on my side or against me. Then I started seeing a third group, Arec’s supporters. People who were focused not on me, but on him and the choices he was making.

"I’m standing by Arec no matter what. He’s a smart guy, and if he believes in Ella, then I believe in her too."

"Arec has always had good judgment, and he wouldn’t stand by someone unless he knew the truth. I trust him."

"I love Arec, but I hope he reconsiders this marriage. Ella’s past is too messy, and I don’t want to see him hurt."

"Arec needs to take a step back and think about what he’s doing. He’s putting his reputation on the line for someone with a lot of baggage."

My heart sank as I read those comments. They weren’t attacking me directly, but the implication was clear.

Some of Arec’s own supporters didn’t think I was worth the risk. They believed I was going to drag him down, that I wasn’t good enough for him. If only they knew the whole truth, this shit is not even real.

I handed the phone back to Arec, unable to read any more. "People are divided," I said quietly. "Some believe me, some don’t. And some think I’m going to ruin you."

Arec’s eyes softened as he reached out, taking my hand. "Ella, none of that matters. What matters is that we know the truth. I’m not worried about public opinion."

I appreciated his words, but I knew it wasn’t that simple. Public opinion did matter, especially when it came to Arec’s family and his company. Klaus’s lies had done damage, and no matter how much Arec believed in me, I couldn’t control how others saw us.

The comments, the doubt, it all weighed heavily on me.

Just then, Arec’s phone buzzed again. His grandmother’s name flashed on the screen, and I saw his jaw tighten.

"She’s not going to let this go, is she?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "She’s probably been watching the whole thing. And she’s definitely going to have something to say about it."

I nodded, bracing myself for whatever came next. His grandmother had always been a looming presence in our fake elationship, disapproving of me from the start. She wanted Arec to marry someone "worthy" of the Weston name, someone like Joanne

I knew this scandal was just more fuel for her fire.

"You should talk to her," I said softly. "It’s better to face it now than later."

Arec gave me a tired smile. "I’ll handle her. Don’t worry."

But I was worried. No matter how much Arec believed in me, his grandmother’s influence was undeniable. She could make things difficult for Arec, and I knew she was going to use this scandal to push him to the wall.

As Arec stepped out of the room to call his grandmother, I stayed behind, staring at the screen once more.

The comments kept coming in, a whirlwind of opinions, accusations, and support. Some people were still asking questions about Klaus’s motives, questioning why he had gone to such lengths to paint me as the villain.

"Klaus is clearly just bitter. Why would he make a video like that unless he wanted to ruin her?"

"If Klaus really cared about the truth, he wouldn’t have gone about it this way. He’s just trying to get attention."

"It’s obvious Klaus was trying to destroy her because she moved on. Men like him are not to be trusted... Shame on him! "

Those comments gave me a small glimmer of hope. People were starting to see through Klaus’s lies, starting to understand that he was motivated by jealousy and spite. Maybe, just maybe, the tide was beginning to turn.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. This wasn’t over yet. The public’s reaction was still unfolding, and we were going to have to ride out the storm, no matter how long it lasted.

Arec returned a few minutes later, his face set in a hard line. "She’s not happy," he said, his voice clipped.

"I figured," I replied. "What did she say?"

"She thinks this is all a disaster," he said, pacing the room. "She wants me to reconsider everything, including the marriage. She’s convinced that this scandal will ruin the family’s reputation."

Yes I thought as much. "And what did you tell her?"

"I told her that I’m not going to abandon you because of some lies from an ex. But she’s not going to stop. She’s going to keep pushing."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me. This wasn’t just about the public anymore. It was about his family, his legacy. And I was right in the middle of it all.

I wish I could just pull out from it all.

"We’ll get through this," Arec said, coming over to me. "Together."

I nodded, though doubt still gnawed at the edges of my mind.