Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 52: Seed Of Discord (2)

Chapter 52: Seed Of Discord (2)

Arec’s POV:

The moment I stepped back into the room, I was greeted by Ella’s smile. I glanced around, expecting to see Joanne nearby, but she was gone.

"Where’s Joanne?" I asked, looking around as if she might pop up from behind one of the cake displays.

"She said something urgent came up," Ella replied casually, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "She had to leave."

I nodded, not thinking much of it. Joanne had always been unpredictable like that, and over the years, I’d gotten used to her tendency to disappear without much explanation.

We turned our attention back to the cake we’d been discussing earlier. It was a towering, elegant design, white with intricate floral details, the kind of cake that would make anyone’s mouth water just by looking at it.

"What do you think?" Ella asked, her voice soft. She traced her finger along the cake’s edge.

"I think it’s perfect," I said, my hand resting on her lower back.

She smiled at me, but before she could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out, my attention split between the cake and the message. It was from Joanne.

"I’m sorry I had to leave, I never knew my presence was making your fiancée uncomfortable. I’d hate to come between you two. Take care, talk later."

I frowned, reading it again, the words sinking in slowly. Joanne thought she’d made Ella uncomfortable? I glanced at Ella, who was now chatting with the cake designer, her expression light and carefree. She didn’t look uncomfortable, at least, not now. But then again, maybe something had happened while I’d stepped out to take that call.

A small seed of doubt took root in my mind, even though I didn’t want it to.

I stared at the message again, trying to shake off the unease that was creeping in. Joanne had never been one to mince words, and while she could be overdramatic, there was usually some truth to her concerns. I couldn’t help but wonder... had something happened between her and Ella that I wasn’t aware of?

The thought gnawed at me, and suddenly, I felt like I was on uneven ground.

"You okay?" Ella asked, snapping me back to the present. Her eyes searched mine, concern flickering across her face.

I cleared my throat, sliding my phone back into my pocket. "Yeah, I’m fine," I said, forcing a smile. But I could already feel the weight of the message pressing on me, making it hard to focus.

We continued with the cake consultation, but my mind wasn’t in it anymore. Joanne’s words kept echoing in my head, louder with every passing minute. Why would Ella have been uncomfortable around Joanne? The two of them had always been cordial, at least on the surface. And why would Joanne think Ella didn’t want her around?

Ella must have noticed my distraction because, after a while, she turned to me, her brow furrowed. "Arec, what’s going on? You’ve been quiet since that text came in."

I hesitated, debating whether I should bring it up or just let it go. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn’t just ignore it. Not if it was going to fester and grow into something bigger. I needed answers.

"Joanne texted me," I began slowly, watching her reaction carefully. "She said she left because... she thought you were uncomfortable with her being here."

Ella’s eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face. "What? That’s not true," she said quickly, her voice defensive. "Why would I be uncomfortable around her?"

"I don’t know," I said, keeping my tone even, but there was something in the way she reacted that made my stomach tighten. "That’s why I’m asking."

She crossed her arms, the tension in her posture unmistakable. "I didn’t say or do anything to make her leave, Arec. If she felt uncomfortable, that’s on her, not me."

I rubbed the back of my neck, the doubt still gnawing at me. "It’s just... it’s weird. Joanne wouldn’t just make that up."

Ella’s eyes flashed with frustration, and I could see the walls going up. "So, what? You’re saying you believe her over me?"

"No, that’s not what I’m saying," I replied quickly, trying to diffuse the situation before it spiraled. But the truth was, I wasn’t sure what to believe. Joanne had been a part of my life for so long, and while we had our differences, I knew she wouldn’t lie to me. Not about something like this.

Ella took a step back, her arms still crossed tightly over her chest. "I don’t know why you’d even entertain the idea that I wouldn’t want her around. She’s your friend, Arec. I’ve always been respectful of that."

"I know you have," I said, though the doubt in my mind remained. "But maybe... I don’t know, maybe you said something that rubbed her the wrong way."

Her eyes narrowed, her voice growing cold. "So now it’s my fault? Joanne leaves, and suddenly I’m the one to blame?"

"That’s not what I’m saying," I repeated, but even as I spoke, I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice. "I just want to understand what happened."

"Nothing happened," she snapped, her voice rising. "I didn’t do anything, Arec. Joanne has always had it out for me. And I don’t know why."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words stuck in my throat. Did I know that? Or was that just how Ella saw things? Joanne had never openly shown any hostility toward Ella, at least not in front of me.

"Maybe she’s still guarded because of the video," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Ella’s face hardened, the anger in her eyes unmistakable. "The video?" she repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "You think this is about that stupid video?"

"It’s not impossible," I said defensively, feeling the weight of the conversation shift. "Joanne’s protective. She’s known me for a long time."

"So what now?" Ella shot back, her voice cracking slightly. "So because I don’t know you for a long time I’m the one lying? Why are you letting her get in your head?"

I clenched my jaw, feeling the frustration rise in me. "I’m not letting her get in my head. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on."

"What’s going on is that you’re doubting me because of her," Ella snapped, her voice trembling with hurt now. "And that’s not fair."

I looked at her, really looked at her, and saw the pain in her eyes. It hit me like a punch to the gut. I didn’t want to hurt her. That was the last thing I wanted. But this wasn’t just about her. It was about the years of history I had with Joanne. The loyalty I felt toward her. The complicated web of emotions that had tied us together for so longa

"I’m not doubting you," I said quietly, though even as I spoke, I wasn’t sure I believed it myself. "I’m just... trying to make sense of this."

Ella shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "I can’t believe you’re doing this."

"I’m not doing anything," I said, my frustration boiling over. "I just need answers."

"Well, I’ve given you mine," she said bitterly, her voice shaking. "If that’s not good enough for you, maybe you should go and ask Joanne what the truth is."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, the weight of the conversation crashing down on me. I wanted to call after her, to make things right, but the doubt still lingered in the back of my mind.

I didn’t know who to believe anymore.

I stood there, staring at the cake we’d been admiring just moments ago, now feeling like it represented something.