Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 60: A Shadow Looming

Chapter 60: A Shadow Looming

Ella’s POV:

I’ve always prided myself on being independent, capable of handling anything life throws my way.

But lately, something has shifted.

Something is wrong. At first, I told myself I was imagining it, that the subtle changes in my surroundings were a result of my heightened emotions. After all, being pregnant with Arec’s child, and juggling the confusion of what we actually are, it’s a lot for anyone.

But now, as I step outside my apartment building, heading down the sidewalk towards Kate’s house, I feel it again, that same unsettling sensation. It’s like someone’s watching me, following me. I glance over my shoulder for the hundredth time, but there’s nothing. Just empty streets, flickering streetlights, and the soft hum of traffic in the distance.

Yet I can’t shake the feeling. A shadow lingers in the corner of my vision, never fully forming but always there. I tell myself it’s my imagination, a trick of the mind, but the hairs on the back of my neck say otherwise.

The first real scare came just a few days ago. I was walking home from Kate’s, enjoying the crisp night air and trying to clear my head. It had been one of those long, exhausting days where nothing seemed to go right, and I was lost in thought. The sound of screeching tires pulled me back to reality just in time. A car swerved onto the sidewalk, right where I was standing.

I jumped out of the way, my heart pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears. The driver didn’t stop. They didn’t even slow down. The car sped off into the night, leaving me standing there, shaken, my body trembling from the adrenaline rush.

I tried to calm myself, rationalize it. Maybe it was just a reckless driver, someone not paying attention. Accidents happen, right? But deep down, I knew something was off.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept replaying the moment in my mind, the sound of tires screeching, the way the car seemed to veer towards me intentionally. What if it hadn’t been an accident? What if someone had tried to hurt me?

But why? Who would want to hurt me? Could it be Klaus? I hadn’t thought of him after the video incident, but he seemed to be bitter and angry over my new life with Arec. Could it be he still harbored some twisted grudge? The thought alone sent a chill down my spine.

A week later, the paranoia I had managed to suppress came roaring back. I was waiting for the subway, standing close to the platform edge. The station was crowded, filled with the usual buzz of commuters heading home after a long day. I was trying to focus on my phone when suddenly, I felt a force behind me. A firm shove.

I stumbled forward, catching myself just in time before I fell onto the tracks. My heart nearly stopped. I turned, but the crowd was thick, faces indifferent, eyes forward. Whoever had pushed me blended into the sea of people. For a moment, I stood frozen, my entire body trembling with fear and disbelief. If I hadn’t caught my balance...

It wasn’t an accident this time. Someone had deliberately pushed me.

Since that day, I’ve been hyper-aware of everything around me. Every flicker of movement, every shadow seems like a threat. I started avoiding the subway, opting to walk whenever I can, though even walking feels unsafe now. I look over my shoulder constantly, my heart skipping every time I see someone walking behind me. I’ve started taking different routes home, avoiding the places I usually go, but the feeling won’t go away.

Someone wants me dead. I don’t know who, or why, but I can’t ignore it anymore. I try to rationalize, to make sense of it. Maybe it’s not personal. Maybe it’s random. But the thought feels weak, like I’m trying too hard to find comfort in an uncomfortable truth.

Would Klaus go that far? No, that would be too extreme, right? But still, I can’t stop wondering. What if?

Finally, the paranoia got too much to bear, and I decided to tell Arec. We were sitting in his office, the room felt colder than usual.

"I think someone’s trying to kill me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Arec looked up, his expression shifting from neutral to concerned in an instant. "What do you mean?"

I told him everythino, the car, the subway, the constant feeling of being watched. His expression darkened with each word, his jaw clenching as he processed it all.

"Ella, why didn’t you tell me sooner?" His voice was low, steady, but I could hear the tension beneath the surface.

"I thought...I thought maybe I was just being paranoid. But it’s happening too often now. It can’t be a coincidence."

He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "This isn’t just paranoia. If someone’s targeting you, we need to take this seriously."

I didn’t want to admit how much his concern reassured me, how good it felt to have someone else acknowledge my fears. But then doubt crept in. Was he worried about me, or was he just worried about the baby? After all, the baby was the only real thing between us.

"I’ll assign security," Arec said firmly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"No," I protested. "That’s not necessary. I’ll be careful from now on. I’ll avoid walking alone, take different routes..."

"I’m not taking any chances." His voice was final, leaving no room for argument. "Whoever this is, they’re not going to stop. I’m not risking your life or the baby’s."

There it was again. The baby. Was all this concern for me, or for the life growing inside me? I wanted to ask him, but the words caught in my throat. What did it matter? If someone really wanted me dead, I needed all the help I could get.

Over the next few days, Arec’s protectiveness only grew. He assigned a security detail to follow me everywhere, even though I protested. I could feel their eyes on me, shadowing my every move, but at least the shadows felt less threatening now.

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just about my safety, it was about the baby. Would Arec be this protective if we weren’t having a child together? If we were just two people bound by a contract?