Joanne’s POV:
I put my phone down, pacing back and forth in my living room, imagining how it would feel to finally have Ella’s trust, to finally silence that nagging presence of Kate, always hovering in the background.
There were ways to make soone look like the villain without lifting a finger, ways to let soone unravel all on their own.
All it would take were the right words, a hint here, a suggestion there. I didn’t need to force anything; Kate’s own mistrust of would do most of the work.
And if I played my cards right, Ella would start to wonder why Kate was so suspicious, so tense every ti I was around. Didn’t Kate want Ella to be happy?
I settled into the plush armchair near the window, tapping my fingers against the armrest as I played out different scenarios in my mind. There was no need to rush. Patience had always served well, and this would be no exception. Kate wouldn’t know what hit her.
I took a long, deep breath, letting my frustration ebb away. Yes, there was anger, a bitter sting that reminded of Kate’s coldness. But that anger was nothing compared to my resolve. I wouldn’t allow anyone, not Kate, not anyone, to get in the way of what I wanted. Not after everything I’d invested.
After all, I’d learned a long ti ago that in life, you either get what you want or you let others decide your fate for you. And I wasn’t the type to let others decide anything for .
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Ella’s POV:
As the cab carried back toward the penthouse, I tried to process everything Kate had said to at her place.
She’d nearly drilled it into my head, her voice sharp and unwavering: Don’t bring Joanne into my presence ever again. You can hang out with her as much as you like but please don’t get involve, just be careful!
Kate hadn’t forbidden from seeing Joanne altogether, but the lines she’d drawn were unmistakable. She’d said it more than once, that I should be careful around Joanne.
Kate’s words had wrapped themselves around my mind, tangled and heavy, leaving unsure of where I stood.
The hum of the city outside was muted by the glass as I leaned back against the seat, torn.
Kate’s instincts were usually sharp.
She always had this sense about people, a knack for knowing their motives, seeing their flaws.
But then there was Joanne, who, despite her boldness, had shown glimpses of vulnerability that were hard to ignore.
I wanted to believe she ant well, but Kate’s fierce warnings weighed heavily on . Could Kate really be so wrong?
I wanted to talk to soone, to say these doubts out loud and make sense of them. But the only person I could talk to was the sa person who had made it clear where she stood. And the last thing I wanted was to bring up Joanne again and risk angering Kate further.
I reached into my bag, figuring I’d call my mother, when the phone buzzed in my hand. The screen lit up with Joanne’s na.
Speak of the devil.
I picked up, trying to keep my tone light. "Hey, Joanne."
"Ella! I’m so glad I caught you." Joanne’s voice had this soft urgency to it. "Are you free to et up at that coffee shop we went to last ti?"
I hesitated. After today’s marathon of emotions, all I wanted was a hot bath and so ti to think. But Joanne sounded... different. "Is everything okay? Can it wait until tomorrow?"
"Please, Ella. Just a quick coffee."
Sighing, I agreed, giving the cab driver the new direction. He made a U-turn, and we drove on in silence.
When we arrived, I found Joanne already seated by the window, her fingers tapping absently on her coffee cup. She looked up as I walked in, her expression somber in a way that felt oddly out of place for her usual bright deanor.
"Hey," I greeted, sliding into the seat across from her. "What’s bothering you that couldn’t wait?"
Joanne’s gaze flickered down to her cup. She took a deep breath, as if trying to find the right words, before looking back up at , her eyes unusually soft. "Does Kate..." she trailed off, then took another breath. "Does Kate really dislike that much?"
The quiet sadness in her voice caught off guard. I fidgeted, unsure of how to answer. "It’s not that she dislikes you..." I began carefully, not wanting to lie but also not wanting to wound her. "It’s more... Kate’s protective. She just... she doesn’t know you the way I do now."
Joanne gave a small nod, her gaze drifting away, but I could see the disappointnt in her face. Her shoulders slumped just a little, and she managed a weak smile. "Right. I get it. It’s just... I’ve been trying so hard, you know?"
My heart went out to her. "I know. And it ans a lot to ," I replied. "You’ve really made an effort, and that doesn’t go unnoticed. Kate just takes ti to warm up to people."
Joanne chuckled bitterly, her eyes still cast downward. "It’s more than that with her, though, isn’t it? It’s like... no matter what I do, I’ll never be good enough."
"Hey," I said softly, reaching across the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don’t think like that. Kate’s just... well, she’s fiercely loyal. And she’s had a lot of bad experiences with people in the past, so she’s a bit guarded."
"I get that," Joanne replied, managing a small, appreciative smile. "And, honestly, I respect her for it. She’s looking out for you. But..." She trailed off, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I just wish she’d give a chance."
There was sothing raw in her expression, an openness that made wonder if she was trying to be genuine with , to show her vulnerable side. I could see the small cracks in her carefully constructed exterior, and for a mont, I felt the pang of guilt again. I didn’t want to be the reason she felt rejected.
"Maybe with ti, she will," I said, hoping to offer her so comfort. "She’s... she’s not exactly an easy person to win over, but that doesn’t an it’s impossible."
Joanne let out a small laugh, but there was no humor in it. "You’re sweet, Ella. Really. I don’t know what I’d do without you." She looked at , her eyes softening. "I don’t an to put you in the middle of this. I just... I really value our friendship."
"Sa here," I replied, squeezing her hand once more before pulling away. "And hey, I’ll keep talking to Kate. She might just need more ti."
She looked at then, her face so open, almost childlike in its earnestness. "Thank you, Ella. Really."
We changed topic, and chatted about lighter things, the tension slowly easing. Joanne made an effort to steer the conversation back to the things we both enjoyed, and I felt myself relax as we reminisced about past trips and laughed over so silly mories.
As we were wrapping up, Joanne leaned over, her hand drifting to my belly with a soft smile. "And you," she said in this tiny, playful voice, as though speaking directly to the baby, "take good care of your mama, alright? We’re all counting on you to be a strong one."
I laughed, the warmth of the mont spreading through . "You’re going to spoil this child rotten before it’s even born."
Joanne grinned, her usual spark returning. "Only the best for my godchild," she teased, winking. Proclaiming herself as my child’s, godmother. I guess it’s not a cri if my baby has two godmothers.
I waved her off with a laugh, even as a part of wondered if Kate would really like to share godmothership with her.
But in that mont, under the soft glow of the café lights, I could see the Joanne that I had wanted to believe in all along, the friend who’d shared this journey with , who’d been there with her own brand of support. And I let myself enjoy that mont, even if just for tonight.
We hugged goodbye at the door, and I felt her arms tighten around just a bit longer than usual, a warmth and strength in her embrace that felt like reassurance. "You know I’m here for you, Ella. No matter what."
"Thank you, Joanne," I said, pulling back with a smile. "That ans a lot."
As I watched her walk off, I felt that familiar pull of guilt again. Part of was relieved to have her in my corner, soone who seed to genuinely care.
But Kate’s voice still echoed in the back of my mind, reminding to be cautious, to tread carefully. I stood there for a mont, letting the quiet of the evening wash over , before I headed back to the cab.
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