Our Accidental Forever -
Chapter 73: What was that...
Chapter 73: What was that...
Kate’s warning clung to me like a stubborn shadow as I made my way back to Arec’s penthouse. Even after I’d left her hospital room, her words echoed in my mind, replaying over and over with that same intensity she’d used to say them.
"Just... don’t trust Joanne too quickly, okay?" Kate’s voice had been uncharacteristically sharp, the edge of worry unmistakable. "I know she seems friendly now, but people like her don’t change overnight."
It wasn’t that I hadn’t considered it myself. Joanne’s kindness, her sudden willingness to help me plan the wedding, it was unexpected, maybe even a little too perfect. And yet, I wanted so badly to believe her, to think that maybe she’d changed, that this truce she’d extended was genuine.
She was Arec’s friend, after all, someone who’d been in his life long before I was, and it was hard not to want things to be better between us. But Kate’s instincts were usually spot-on. She’d nearly died for me; maybe that gave her words a certain weight that I couldn’t ignore.
By the time I reached Arec’s penthouse, my head was pounding, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I hadn’t realized how much I’d come to rely on this place as a sanctuary until now. The thought of Joanne, of everything Kate had warned me about, seemed to fade as I opened the door and stepped into the quiet stillness of Arec’s space. Here, I could shut it all out, at least for a little while.
As I closed the door behind me, the sight of Arec in the hallway surprised me. He stood near his walk-in closet, pulling a set of clothes from one of the upper shelves, his movements casual in a way that was almost startling.
This wasn’t his usual style. Ever since he’d insisted I stay here, he’d spent more and more nights at his grandmother’s estate, making sure I had the place to myself. It had been a strange arrangement at first, the two of us dancing around each other, but lately, it had begun to feel almost... normal.
He glanced up as I entered, and his face lit up with that easy, familiar smile that always seemed to disarm me. "Hey, there. How’s Kate doing?"
"She’s better," I replied, setting my things down and exhaling deeply. "They’re letting her go tomorrow."
"Good to hear. She’s been through a lot," he said, his voice gentle but with an unmistakable edge of resolve. "I’ll keep looking, Ella, for whoever’s responsible. We’ll find them, and they’ll pay for what they did."
There was something steely in his tone, a fierce determination that made me believe him, that made me grateful he was in my corner. My throat tightened, the image of Kate in that hospital bed flashing through my mind again. "Thank you, Arec. I just can’t believe she nearly died because of me."
He shut the closet door, crossing the room until he stood right in front of me, his gaze unwavering. "Hey, none of that. This isn’t your fault. Whoever’s behind this is a coward. And trust me, they won’t get away with it."
His sincerity, the unshakeable confidence in his voice, settled something deep within me. A part of me had been carrying guilt, wondering if maybe I could have done something differently, but looking at him now, it was easy to believe he was right.
Then, his gaze drifted downward, softening as it landed on my belly. "How’s the baby?" he asked, his voice gentler, almost reverent.
Before I could even answer, there was a sudden, unexpected kick, sharp, firm, and so perfectly timed that it made me laugh, the sound escaping before I could stop it. "I think they’re fine. Looks like they’re answering for themselves."
Arec chuckled, a warm, genuine sound that filled the room. "Smart kid. Probably takes after me."
I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, so I’m not smart?"
His eyes widened in mock horror, and he threw up his hands, laughing. "No, no, I’d never say that! I’m just saying... they’ll probably have a hint of my charm, too."
We both laughed, and for a moment, it was like everything else faded away. This ease, this closeness between us, it wasn’t something I’d anticipated, not when we’d first entered into this arrangement. We’d been cordial, polite, careful. But now, somewhere along the way, we’d slipped into something softer, something that felt almost... real.
Then, after a moment, his expression changed, becoming more thoughtful as he tilted his head. "So... how’s Joanne?"
The question was innocent enough, but I hesitated, feeling his gaze on me, watching for every flicker of my reaction. I still wasn’t sure what to make of Joanne, wasn’t sure how to reconcile her sudden kindness with the woman I’d known before. "She’s... surprisingly nice lately," I replied carefully, testing the words as I spoke them, almost as if I didn’t believe them myself.
Arec’s face brightened, a look of genuine happiness lighting his features. "That’s good to hear. I know Joanne can be a lot sometimes, but I’m really glad you two are getting along." His smile was warm, open, and it was clear how much it meant to him.
It made me smile, too, just seeing how much he cared. "Actually, I should apologize," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture that was surprisingly endearing. "I gave Joanne your number without asking first. I thought it’d be good for you both, but I probably should’ve checked with you."
I waved it off with a chuckle, teasing but with a hint of seriousness beneath it. "It’s fine. Just... maybe don’t make it a habit?"
He grinned. "Noted."
Then, as he turned to leave, something unexpected happened. He leaned in, brushing a soft, lingering kiss against my cheek. The touch was gentle, almost absent-minded, but it sent a warm rush through me, sparking something deep and unnameable. We both froze, the air between us charged, the scent of his cologne filling the space, his warmth still lingering against my skin.
He cleared his throat, looking away as he muttered, "Bye," and slipped out of the room, leaving me standing there, my hand rising to touch the spot where he’d kissed me, my heart thundering far harder than it should have been.
What... was that?
I replayed it in my mind, dissecting every second, every detail, trying to make sense of it. Was it just a friendly gesture? A harmless, innocent moment? Or was it something more? Did he feel it, too, that strange, electric spark? Or had he just been acting out of kindness, too distracted to notice how long he’d lingered, how close we’d been?
The questions twisted inside me, each one more confusing than the last. A part of me wanted to brush it off, to tell myself it was nothing, that it didn’t mean anything. But another part of me clung to that moment, that fleeting brush of his lips against my skin, as if it held some hidden answer I was too afraid to seek out.
I sank onto the couch, staring at the door he’d just walked out of, the memory of that kiss playing over and over in my mind, each time feeling more vivid, more real. I couldn’t ignore the warmth that lingered, that faint hope that maybe, just maybe, there was something beneath the surface, something unspoken but powerful. But that hope, as small as it was, scared me. It was a fragile, uncertain thing, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face it.
In the end, I decided to push it aside, to tuck the memory away as best as I could. Maybe it was better not to think too much about it, not to dig too deep into something that was still a mystery to me.
There were already too many unknowns in my life, too many questions without answers and not ready to add more unanswered question to the list.
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