Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 54: Arec’s Reflection

Chapter 54: Arec’s Reflection

Arec’s POV:

I stared at the empty room, the echo of the conversation with Ella still ringing in my ears. The tension that had crackled between us felt heavy, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I had never expected to be at odds with Ella like this, the whole thing had spiraled out of control so quickly.

I shouldn’t have confronted Ella the way I did.

I sank into the leather chair by the window, running a hand through my hair. My friendship with Joanne had always been solid.

We had history, years of trust and shared moments. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder: had Joanne misunderstood the situation with Ella?

Why would Ella feel uncomfortable around her? It made no sense.

Our marriage was contractual. It was clear, simple. Ella and I weren’t supposed to have real feelings involved, just a mutually beneficial arrangement.

That’s how we started, anyway. But now, with the baby on the way, everything felt more complicated. And maybe, just maybe, I’d been too quick to doubt her.

I picked up my phone, my thumb hovering over Joanne’s contact. I needed answers, clarity. I couldn’t let this sit in my head any longer. With a deep breath, I pressed the call button and listened to the dial tone as it rang in my ear.

"Hey, Arec," Joanne’s voice came through, light and casual, as though nothing was wrong.

"Hey," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just wanted to ask you something, about your text earlier."

There was a brief pause on the other end, and I could almost hear the wheels turning in Joanne’s mind. "Yeah? What about it?"

"You mentioned that you thought Ella seemed uncomfortable around you," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully. "But I was wondering, did Ella tell you she was uncomfortable, or was that just something you assumed?"

Joanne hesitated. "No, she didn’t say anything like that directly. It’s just... well, I got the feeling she was uncomfortable. You know, body language, the way she kind of avoided eye contact. I thought maybe she didn’t want me there, so I felt like I was intruding."

I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes for a moment. So it had been just that, a feeling. Not anything Ella had actually said. "I see," I said, trying to keep my frustration in check. "It’s just... things got a little tense between Ella and me because of that. I think maybe I overreacted."

Joanne’s voice softened. "Arec, I’m really sorry if I caused any misunderstanding. That wasn’t my intention at all. I just didn’t want to make Ella feel awkward, and maybe I read too much into things."

"It’s fine," I replied, though my mind was already spinning in a different direction. "Thanks for clearing it up."

After a few more polite exchanges, I ended the call and sat in silence, the weight of the situation sinking in.

This was all a misunderstanding. Joanne hadn’t intended to cause any trouble, she’d just been trying to be considerate, and I’d blown it out of proportion. I should’ve trusted Ella. She hadn’t done anything to make me doubt her, and yet I’d let one small text make me question everything.

Maybe it wasn’t about Joanne or even the misunderstanding. Maybe the real issue was my own insecurity, the nagging fear that, despite the arrangement, things were getting too real, too complicated.

Ella and I were having a child together, and that changed everything, whether I wanted to admit it or not. I’d told myself that our marriage was just a contract, but with each passing day, it felt more real. And maybe that scared me.

I stood up, pacing the length of the room as I tried to figure out how to fix this. Ella didn’t deserve my doubt. She’d been nothing but open and honest with me, and I owed her the same. If anything, I should’ve been the one making sure she felt comfortable, after all, she was the one carrying our child.

Grabbing my phone again, I hesitated for only a second before dialing Ella’s number. She picked up after a few rings, her voice cautious. "Arec?"

"Ella," I began, my voice softer than I expected. "I’m sorry."

There was a pause on the other end. "Sorry for what?"

"For... everything earlier," I admitted, rubbing my forehead as I searched for the right words. "For doubting you. For making you feel like you had to defend yourself when you didn’t do anything wrong."

She was silent for a moment, and I could hear the tension in her breath. "You didn’t trust me."

"I know," I said, guilt weighing heavily on my chest. "I shouldn’t have let Joanne’s words get to me. I talked to her, and she told me she just felt like you were uncomfortable around her. You didn’t actually say anything, right?"

"No," she replied, her voice strained. "I didn’t."

"I’m sorry ," I continued, my voice earnest. "I should’ve trusted you, Ella. And I do, I really do. I just... I think I got in my own head."

"You were quick to believe her, though," she said, and the hurt in her voice was palpable.

"I know. And that was wrong of me," I said, my chest tightening. "This whole thing is new for both of us, and I guess I’m still trying to figure out how to handle everything. But I don’t want to doubt you, Ella. You’re the mother of my child, and that means more to me than anything."

She didn’t say anything for a while, and the silence on the line felt heavy. Finally, she spoke, her voice softer now. "I just don’t understand why you’d think I’d be uncomfortable around Joanne. I know you two are close. I’ve never tried to come between that."

"I know you haven’t," I agreed. "I’m so sorry for making you feel like I didn’t trust you. "

There was another pause before Ella let out a slow breath. "I don’t want us to start this journey with doubt, Arec. We’re in this together, whether the marriage is real or not. I need you to trust me."

"I do," I said firmly, hoping she could hear the sincerity in my voice. "And I’ll do better. I don’t want to lose what we’re building here, Ella."

She was quiet for a moment longer, and then she sighed. "Alright. But next time, talk to me before jumping to conclusions, okay?"

"I promise," I said, relief washing over me. "Thank you, Ella."

We hung up, and I felt like I could breathe again.