Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 49: Arec’s Support

Chapter 49: Arec’s Support

Ella’s POV:

I sat at my desk, staring at the Elevator Arec and Joanne had just walked in. What just happened? The cold, venomous way Joanne had spoken to me left me shaken. I always knew she wasn’t fond of me, but this? This was something else.

"I don’t know what you did to manipulate Arec..."

Her words echoed in my mind, twisting and turning until I could barely focus on the work in front of me. Did she really think I was manipulating him? That I somehow tricked Arec into this? It was absurd, but the bitterness in her voice felt so real, so personal.

I sighed, trying to brush it off. Maybe she’s just being protective of Arec, I reasoned. She’s known him for a long time; maybe she feels like I’m taking him away from her. But something about the way she looked at me, the contempt in her eyes... I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it.

Before I could dwell too much longer, Arec came back into the office. His presence always brought a wave of calm, a kind of reassurance that everything was going to be okay, even when it didn’t feel that way.

"Hey," he said, leaning against my desk with a smile. "You ready? We’re going to check out the wedding cake designs."

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Oh, right," I said, quickly closing my laptop and standing up. "I’m ready."

The ride to the caterer was quiet, though Arec seemed his usual self, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as we drove. I, on the other hand, couldn’t stop replaying Joanne’s words in my head. I wanted to bring it up, to ask Arec if she’d said anything about me, but I hesitated. What if he didn’t take it well? What if he thought I was overreacting?

Instead, I stared out the window, watching the city pass by, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest.

When we arrived at the caterer’s, I noticed it immediately. The stares. People looking at me just a second too long, their eyes flickering between me and Arec, some whispering as we walked by. One woman even pointed, and I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. They must have seen the video, the one Klaus released, trying to destroy me.

I knew this would happen. I knew some people would choose to believe him. It didn’t matter that the video was all lies, that it painted a completely false narrative. People love a good scandal, and Klaus gave them one. But knowing didn’t make it hurt any less.

Arec must have noticed, because he moved closer to me, subtly shielding me from the stares. His hand rested on my lower back, and he glared at anyone who dared to look for too long. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to me. I glanced up at him, grateful for his quiet support.

The cake shop was bright and welcoming, with rows of beautiful cakes displayed behind the counter. A young woman, the cake maker, greeted us with a warm smile.

"Welcome! You must be Arec and Ella?" she said, shaking our hands. "I’m Claire. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you both!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious, and for a moment, I almost forgot about the stares. She led us to a table where samples of different cakes were laid out, each one more beautiful than the last.

"So," Claire began, "we’ve got a few options for your wedding cake. Based on your preferences, I’ve prepared some designs and flavors for you to try. Let’s start with this one."

She pointed to a stunning three-tier cake decorated with delicate sugar flowers. "This one is a classic vanilla cake with raspberry filling and a white chocolate ganache. It’s elegant and timeless."

Arec and I exchanged a glance, and I could tell he was just as eager as I was to dive in. We both took a bite, and the flavor exploded in my mouth. The sweetness of the raspberry paired perfectly with the smooth white chocolate.

"Wow," I said, my eyes wide. "This is incredible."

Arec nodded in agreement. "It’s perfect. But what else do you have?"

Claire smiled and presented the next option, a chocolate and hazelnut cake with caramel buttercream. Arec’s face lit up as soon as he tasted it.

"This one," he said immediately, leaning back in his chair. "This is the one."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "You’ve already decided?"

"Hey, when you know, you know," he replied, grinning.

We spent the next half-hour trying different cakes, laughing and debating which one was the best. For a while, it felt like everything was normal, like it was just the two of us planning our wedding, untouched by all the drama swirling around us.

After we finally settled on a design, we thanked Claire and headed back to the car. As soon as we stepped outside, though, the stares resumed. I could feel the weight of them, like a thousand eyes were on me, judging me, believing Klaus’s lies. I kept my head down, focusing on the ground as we walked.

Arec opened the car door for me, and once we were inside, he glanced over at me, noticing my discomfort.

"Hey," he said softly, reaching for my hand. "Don’t let them get to you. You didn’t do anything wrong."

I nodded, grateful for his words, but it didn’t change the knot of anxiety that had settled in my stomach. "I know," I whispered. "But it’s hard. People believe what they want to believe."

Arec’s jaw tightened, and he sighed, turning to face me. "Look, people are always going to talk. They’re always going to have their opinions. But at the end of the day, they don’t matter. What matters is that we know the truth. I know the truth, Ella."

I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He meant every word, and for the first time in days, I felt a little lighter.

"I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here to help out" I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Arec smiled, squeezing my hand again. "Well, good thing you won’t have to find out."

We both laughed, the tension between us easing. He had this way of making me feel like everything would be okay, even when it felt like the world was closing in on me. I leaned back in my seat, watching the city blur past as we drove to a nearby café for lunch.

Inside, the atmosphere was cozy, with soft music playing in the background. Arec picked a table in the corner, away from prying eyes, and I was grateful for the privacy. We ordered, and as we waited for our food, I found myself staring at him, wondering how someone could be this perfect.

"You’re staring," Arec said, raising an eyebrow.

I blushed, looking down at the table. "Sorry. I just... I don’t know. I’m just really grateful for everything you’ve done. I know this situation hasn’t been easy for you either."

He waved it off, leaning back in his chair. "It’s not a big deal. I’ll handle whatever comes our way. I’m not going to let some bitter ex and a bunch of rumors get between us."

His confidence was reassuring, but I couldn’t help the doubt that lingered at the back of my mind. "What if it doesn’t stop, though? What if people keep talking? What if... "

Arec cut me off, leaning forward. "Ella, I don’t care what anyone says. I’m with you because I’m comfortable around you, not because of what anyone else thinks. What you think, it’s the only thing that matters to me."

His words were like a balm to my soul, soothing the worry that had been gnawing at me since the video surfaced. I smiled at him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

Our food arrived, and we spent the rest of the meal talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. For the first time in a while, I felt like everything was going to be okay.

As we finished our lunch, Arec paid the bill and stood up, offering me his hand. "Come on," he said with a grin. "Let’s get out of here."

I took his hand, and as we walked out into the afternoon sun, I felt lighter than I had in days. The stares, the rumors, Joanne’s words, all of it seemed distant now, overshadowed by the support Arec had shown me.