Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 76: Wish me Luck

Chapter 76: Wish me Luck

The morning sun crept through the thick curtains, casting soft golden stripes across the room, warming the plush bedding around me. The penthouse felt different today, emptier, quieter without Arec here.

I never would’ve expected to feel this way, this strange sense of something missing, as if the silence itself were unsettled, waiting for him to walk through the door with that familiar half-smile. But it remained still, and I was alone.

I pulled the comforter up to my chin, resisting the urge to get out of bed. There was too much on my mind already, too many emotions left simmering from yesterday, starting with that kiss.

Just the thought of it made my heart skip a beat. It had been a simple kiss, a fleeting brush of lips, but it had lingered with me, replaying in my mind as if it were some kind of secret I could barely understand. What was Arec thinking? Did he mean it to be more than just... what it was? I hadn’t let myself dwell on it last night, but here in the quiet morning, it felt like a question I couldn’t escape.

And then there was Joanne.

I wanted to believe her, to trust that people could change, that maybe the sincerity she’d shown lately was real.

But Kate’s warnings still hung at the edge of my thoughts, like a quiet alarm I couldn’t quite shake off.

I felt guilty for doubting her, Joanne had been nothing but supportive these last few weeks, but there was a guarded part of me that refused to forget everything Kate had told me, even if it made me feel paranoid.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, yanking me out of my thoughts.

Joanne’s name lit up on the screen, and for a second, I hesitated before answering.

The weight of uncertainty pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever conversation lay ahead, and finally swiped to answer.

"Hey, Joanne," I said, trying to keep my voice casual.

"Good morning, Ella! Just wanted to check in. How’s Kate doing? Is she feeling better?" Her voice was light, but there was an eagerness beneath it that I couldn’t quite place.

"She’s... fine," I replied, careful not to say too much. "The doctors say she can go home today."

"Oh, that’s wonderful!" Joanne’s enthusiasm was so earnest, I almost felt guilty. "So she’s getting discharged this morning, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, sitting up slowly. "I was just about to get ready and head over."

"Perfect!" she exclaimed. "Why don’t I come along? I’d love to see Kate and help you with the discharge."

I could practically picture Kate’s reaction to that idea, probably an eye roll, if not an outright glare. "Oh, Joanne, it’s okay. Really, I can handle it myself."

"No, no, I insist! I mean, poor Kate’s been through so much, and I just want to be there for her. For both of you," she added, her tone so full of concern that I found myself hesitating. Was I reading too much into this? Maybe Joanne genuinely wanted to be helpful, and here I was, making it something it wasn’t.

"Alright," I said finally, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "That sounds... nice."

"Great! I’ll book a cab and be at Arec’s in fifteen minutes," she replied, sounding positively thrilled. "Can’t wait, Ella! It’ll be good to catch up."

Joanne’s excitement lingered in my mind as I hung up the phone. It seemed like this friendship meant a lot to her, I mused.

I forced myself up, swinging my legs out of bed and padding across the room toward the bathroom. The bathroom was massive, all sleek marble and glass, with tall mirrors that stretched up to the high ceiling. The kind of place that made you feel like royalty, even if you didn’t quite belong there. I’d been here for a few weeks now, but I still wasn’t used to it. Every time I walked in, it was like stepping into someone else’s life, a life far removed from my own.

I caught my reflection in the mirror, and for a moment, I just looked at myself. My hand drifted to my stomach, fingers splaying across the slight curve there. "Getting bigger, aren’t we?" I murmured, as if the baby could somehow understand. Almost on cue, a little kick answered me from within, and I couldn’t help but laugh. "Okay, sweetheart, I heard you. Let’s get cleaned up and go get Aunt Kate."

The shower felt warm and calming, the water washing away some of the morning’s tension. I let my mind wander as I stood under the spray, trying to think of how I’d explain Joanne’s presence to Kate without triggering a full-blown interrogation.

The last thing I wanted was for Kate to think I was ignoring her concerns.

She’d been through enough already because of me, and I owed it to her to take her instincts seriously. But what if Kate was wrong about Joanne? What if, somehow, Joanne was genuinely trying to make things right?

The thought unsettled me, twisting my stomach in ways I couldn’t explain.

Over the last few weeks, Joanne had seemed so sincere, always ready to help, to listen.

And even though I’d held back at first, I’d found myself starting to trust her, her gestures feeling more heartfelt each time we spent time together. Could she really be as manipulative as Kate believed?

By the time I’d finished my shower and slipped into something presentable, my phone buzzed again. Joanne was already downstairs, but apparently, the receptionist wasn’t letting her up. I stifled a groan, quickly texting her back.

"Sorry about that, Joanne. I’ll be down in just a minute," I typed, then hesitated, feeling a little guilty for the inconvenience.

"Alright," she replied. "I’ll be here."

She sounded... disappointed, maybe? I sighed, quickly gathering my things and taking one last look at myself in the mirror. "Wish me luck," I murmured to my stomach. The baby responded with another small, reassuring kick, and I chuckled. "Thank you, sweetheart."

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