Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 50: Rising Tensions

Chapter 50: Rising Tensions

Ella’s POV:

The wedding day was fast approaching, and while the rumors surrounding Klaus’s video had finally started to die down, my nerves hadn’t.

There was a constant knot in my stomach that seemed to tighten with each passing day. I kept trying to remind myself that everything was fine now, the worst had passed. The public had moved on, or at least they were getting there, and Arec’s unwavering support had shielded me from the worst of it.

But as much as I wanted to relax, there was this gnawing feeling that something could still go wrong. Something, or rather someone, who had yet to show her full hand.

Joanne.

As Arec and I drove to the wedding venue for a final inspection, I tried to focus on the little details, the flowers, the lighting, the seating arrangements, anything to distract me from the anxiety bubbling beneath the surface.

Arec was calm and composed as always, his hand resting comfortably on the steering wheel, every now and then glancing at me with a reassuring smile.

I could tell he was counting down the minutes until we could finally leave the drama behind and focus on our arrangements.

But the moment we pulled into the venue’s parking lot, my heart sank. Joanne was waiting for us, leaning casually against the stone archway, a perfectly manicured smile plastered on her face.

"Great," I muttered under my breath.

"What’s that?" Arec asked, looking at me curiously.

"Nothing," I lied, plastering on a smile of my own. "I just didn’t expect Joanne to be here, that’s all."

"She’s probably here to help. She’s been a good friend," he said, oblivious to the tension that always seemed to flare up when Joanne was around. I nodded, swallowing down the unease.

The moment Joanne spotted us, her face lit up like she’d been waiting for this all day. She gave Arec a quick hug, her hand lingering on his arm a beat too long, before turning to me with an expression that barely qualified as polite.

"Ella," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "I wasn’t sure you’d be here. I thought maybe you’d have some, you know, other things to take care of."

I forced a smile. "Well, I wouldn’t miss this for the world."

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she glanced at Arec. "I’m just so happy to be here to help. You know how important this day is. Some people might not understand what it really means to be part of your world, Arec. But I do."

My stomach twisted. There it was, the first little jab, subtle enough to fly under Arec’s radar but sharp enough to cut deep.

Arec, being Arec, didn’t catch it. "Thanks, Joanne. I’m glad you could join us."

We entered the venue, and I tried to focus on the beautiful details of the space: the flower arrangements, the way the light poured through the tall windows, the soft glow of the chandeliers that would illuminate the dance floor on our big day. But Joanne’s presence kept distracting me, her snide remarks getting more pointed as the minutes ticked by.

"Are you sure you want to use those flowers?" she asked at one point, eyeing the arrangements with barely disguised disdain. "I mean, I know Ella likes them, but they don’t really scream your style, Arec."

I clenched my fists by my side, forcing myself to take a deep breath before responding. "Arec and I chose them together," I said, as calmly as I could.

Joanne smiled sweetly. "Oh, of course. I just want everything to be perfect for him. You know how much Arec deserves perfection."

I didn’t trust myself to respond, so I stayed silent, focusing on keeping my expression neutral. Arec, meanwhile, was completely oblivious to the undercurrent of tension between us. He’d always seen Joanne as a friend, someone who had been in his life for years. I doubted he could even fathom the level of animosity simmering beneath her polished surface.

As we moved through the venue, checking the final details, I felt like I was holding my breath, waiting for the inevitable moment when Joanne would cross the line. And sure enough, it came when Arec stepped away to take a phone call.

The moment the door closed behind him, Joanne turned to me, her expression transforming into something cold and calculating.

"You know, Ella," she began, her voice low and dripping with malice, "I can see right through your manipulation, and I promise you I will always be watching you."

I blinked, stunned for a moment by the sheer audacity of her words. "Excuse me?"

She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "You heard me. You don’t belong here. You’re not part of his world, and you never will be. Arec is just too kind to see it. But I do. And I’m not going to let you ruin his life."

Anger flared inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. I straightened my back, meeting her glare with a calm I didn’t quite feel.

"Joanne, I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m not going to let you ruin this day for us. Arec and I are getting married, whether you like it or not. If you’re really his friend, you should be happy for him. But if you can’t manage that, then maybe it’s time you left."

Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of disgust cross her face. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a mask of cold fury.

"You’ll regret this," she hissed, but I didn’t back down.

"I won’t," I said firmly. "Because I’m not afraid of you. And I’m not going to let you intimidate me."

Joanne glared at me for a long moment, her chest rising and falling with barely suppressed rage. But then, just as quickly as it had appeared, her anger melted away, replaced by that fake smile she always wore around Arec.

"Well," she said, her voice suddenly sweet and light, "I guess we’ll see about that."

Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, my hands trembling slightly from the adrenaline coursing through me.

A few minutes later, Arec returned, looking around in confusion. "Where’s Joanne?"

"She had something urgent to take care of," I said, giving him a reassuring smile.

He nodded, not questioning it further. "Well, I’m glad she was able to stop by. Ready to check out the rest of the venue?"

I nodded, but inside, I couldn’t stop thinking about Joanne’s parting words. I knew she wasn’t done. This wasn’t over.