Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 55: Ella’s Reflection

Chapter 55: Ella’s Reflection

Ella’s POV:

After the call ended, I sat there staring at my phone, a mix of emotions swirling inside me, relief, frustration, and, strangely enough, a tinge of hope.

Arec had apologized, but the sting of doubt still lingered. Why had he been so quick to believe Joanne’s assumption? Why had he doubted me?

I sighed, sinking deeper into the couch. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand where Arec was coming from.

The situation wasn’t easy for either of us. But still, it hurt. I hadn’t done anything wrong, yet here I was, feeling like I had to prove myself to him. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to deal with these kinds of misunderstandings and doubts. This wasn’t how I’d imagined things would be.

A contract marriage with a man like Arec should’ve been simple, clear-cut. But as the days went by, it felt like the lines were blurring, and I wasn’t sure if it was just the baby that was making things more complicated, or something else entirely.

Part of me wondered if I was starting to care more than I should, but I quickly pushed that thought away. I couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud my judgment. Not now.

But his apology... it had sounded genuine. And he had called me, which was a good sign. Maybe we could work through this. Maybe things didn’t have to be so tense between us.

The next day at work, I tried to put it behind me. I arrived at the office early, diving straight into my tasks, determined to stay busy and not dwell on everything that had happened. But I couldn’t ignore the flutter of nerves in my stomach, wondering if Arec would bring it up again, or if he’d just act like nothing had happened.

I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Around mid-morning, Arec walked in, holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers, soft pink roses, my favorite. How did he knew? My breath caught in my throat as I looked up at him, surprised by the gesture.

"Good morning," he said, his voice gentle as he walked over and placed the flowers on my desk.

"Arec..." I started, unsure of what to say.

"I wanted to apologize again," he said, cutting me off before I could protest. "For yesterday. I know I’ve already said it, but I wanted to say it again in person. I was wrong to doubt you, and I hate that I made you feel like I didn’t trust you."

I blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. His eyes were soft, and the way he was looking at me... it made my heart ache in a way I didn’t expect.

It was moments like these that made it hard to keep the emotional distance I’d promised myself. Arec was kind, thoughtful, and when he showed this side of himself, it was hard not to let my guard down.

The tension that had built up in me over the past day started to melt away, and I found myself smiling, albeit a little cautiously. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

He smiled back, and the air between us felt lighter.

As the day went on, things returned to a more normal rhythm. Arec and I worked side by side, and though there was still an undercurrent of unresolved tension, it was easier to navigate. By lunchtime, he surprised me again.

"I was thinking," he said, leaning against the doorway to my office, "how about we go out for lunch? My treat."

I glanced up from my screen, raising an eyebrow. "Lunch?"

"Yeah," he said with a grin. "There’s this new restaurant not too far from here. I thought it could be a nice break."

I hesitated for a second, but then nodded. "Alright. Let’s go."

The restaurant he chose was small, tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. It had a cozy, intimate feel, definitely not what I had expected from a lunch spot, but it was a nice surprise. We sat by the window, and for a while, we just talked, the conversation flowing easily. It felt almost... normal.

"There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about," I said, as we waited for our foods, playing with the edge of my napkin. I looked up to see Arec watching me curiously.

"What is it?"

"Well..." I paused, unsure of how to bring it up. "I’ve been thinking about the baby, and I have my first ultrasound appointment coming up soon. I was wondering if you’d want to come with me?"

His eyes widened slightly, as though he hadn’t expected the question. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and my heart pounded in my chest, waiting for his reaction.

"You want me to come?" he asked, his voice soft, but there was something else there, something I couldn’t quite read.

"I thought... well, I mean, you’re the father," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "I just thought it might be nice for you to be there. But if you don’t want to..."

"No," he interrupted, shaking his head quickly. "No, I’d love to be there."

Relief washed over me, and I smiled, feeling lighter. "Okay. I’m glad."

Arec smiled back, but there was something in his eyes, something that made me think he was feeling the weight of this moment as much as I was.

The reality of it all, the baby, the fact that we were going to be parents soon, it was starting to sink in for both of us. And maybe, just maybe, things between us were starting to shift too.

As we finished our lunch and headed back to work, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful. Maybe the misunderstanding with Joanne had been a bump in the road, but now, as Arec and I started to communicate more openly, I felt like we could actually make this work.

We might not have started this marriage with love, but we were in this together. For the baby. And, if I let myself admit it... maybe for something more.