Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 72: Missing Ella

Chapter 72: Missing Ella

Arec’s POV:

As I sat in my office, trying to focus on the spreadsheet in front of me, I found myself frustrated by the mess of numbers blurring on the screen.

The temporary secretary had printed the wrong set of reports this morning, mislabeling half the files and missing a few altogether. Ella would never have let that happen.

She’d have caught every error before it even reached my desk, ensuring everything ran smoothly and on time. The simple truth was, I missed her. I’d barely admitted it to myself, but her absence had left a hollowness in the office, a gap no one else could seem to fill.

Ella had always been more than just a secretary. She knew when I needed what and how I needed it, she could read my moods like a book, and somehow made even the most mundane tasks around here feel a little more bearable.

Her presence was warm, steady, and surprisingly grounding for me.

But now, every corner of this office felt colder, like something essential had been ripped away, and I was left with reminders of her absence every time I reached for something that wasn’t where it should be, or a meeting started late because no one had thought to confirm it.

I leaned back in my chair, glancing at my phone. I wondered what Ella was up to. Was she at the hospital visiting Kate? I knew how much Kate meant to her, how their friendship had kept her strong through some tough years. Or was she with finally hanging out with Joanne?

I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact that Joanne, of all people, was trying to make amends with Ella. Joanne’s sudden change of heart had caught me off guard, and I’d been so thrilled at the thought of her wanting to help Ella with the wedding that, without a second thought, I’d handed Joanne Ella’s number.

Now, though, I regretted it. I hadn’t even asked Ella first, hadn’t stopped to consider how she’d feel about it. She was probably too polite to say anything, but I knew her well enough to realize that she liked her privacy. I needed to apologize to her, but with her out of the office, it’d have to wait.

There was also this nagging feeling in my chest, a low hum of worry that Joanne and Ella might misunderstood each other again, intentionally or not.

I pulled my gaze back to the pile of folders on my desk, but my mind kept drifting. Memories of the fire incident came back to me in flashes.

The flames, the fear in her eyes, the frantic feeling as I watched her push herself to her limits, refusing to slow down, even when she was supposed to be resting for the baby. I’d had to talk to her mother to finally convince her to take time off, and even then, it hadn’t been easy.

Ella was strong-willed, stubborn even, but that was one of the things I admired about her. Still, I felt this fierce protectiveness over her now, especially with her carrying our child.

My chest tightened as I remembered the last time I saw her, tucked under blankets in my penthouse, looking so peaceful it almost broke my heart.

That penthouse... It was strange, but the idea of her being there, even when I wasn’t, brought a warmth to me I couldn’t quite place.

I hadn’t even thought twice when I’d asked her to stay there instead of going back to her own place. It was like some part of me knew she belonged there, that our child belonged there too. And yet, the thought also brought an unsettling question that lingered, just on the edge of my awareness.

My reverie was interrupted by the sound of my temporary secretary clearing his throat from the doorway. "Mr. Weston, just a reminder of your meeting this afternoon."

I fought to keep the impatience out of my voice as I nodded. "Thank you. I’ll be there."

He nodded stiffly, backing out of the room like he’d been scolded, even though I hadn’t said a word. This was another thing Ella was perfect at. She had this way of reading my tone, my expression, even when I barely said anything.

A simple glance was all it took, and she’d know exactly what I needed, whether it was a coffee, a breather, or a quick distraction from the mountain of paperwork. She was unshakable, never flustered, always so efficient it was almost unnerving.

After he left, I made a mental note to stop by the penthouse tonight, under the excuse of needing a fresh change of clothes.

In truth, I just wanted to see her, to feel that inexplicable sense of peace that seemed to wash over me whenever I was near her. I didn’t even know what to make of it myself, but whatever it was, it was undeniable. I needed to see her.

I could almost imagine her, curled up on the couch, maybe thumbing through one of those wedding magazines Joanne talked about, her forehead furrowed in concentration, her hand resting protectively on her stomach.

I glanced at my watch, suddenly anxious for this meeting to be over. As I made my way to the conference room, I found my thoughts drifting back to all the small things I missed about Ella’s way of working. The way she’d leave little notes on my desk, always neat and meticulous, but with her own quirky comments hidden in the margins.

How she’d reorganize the files at least once a month, claiming it was for "efficiency," but I knew she just loved order. And then, there were the small ways she’d check other, ubtle, barely noticeable, but there all the same.

I realized with a pang that I hadn’t fully appreciated her until she was gone. Each day she’d been here, she’d brought this lightness to the office, a quiet steadiness that kept me from drowning in work, even when the stress mounted. And now, without her, the weight of everything felt heavier, more draining, and the hours stretched longer. She’d been my anchor, in ways I hadn’t even recognized.

The meeting dragged on longer than I would have liked, my thoughts occasionally wandering as each presenter droned on. I could feel the familiar ache of fatigue creeping in, but I pushed through it, my mind already halfway out the door.

When the meeting finally adjourned, I barely waited for the others to leave before heading out, taking the elevator down to the parking lot. The drive to the penthouse felt like it took an eternity, the city lights blurring around me as I imagined how she’ll react to my sudden visit.