Arec's POV:
The moment I stepped back into the room, I was greeted by Ella's smile. I glanced around, expecting to see Joanne nearby, but she was gone.
"Where's Joanne?" I asked, looking around as if she might pop up from behind one of the cake displays.
"She said something urgent came up," Ella replied casually, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "She had to leave."
I nodded, not thinking much of it. Joanne had always been unpredictable like that, and over the years, I'd gotten used to her tendency to disappear without much explanation.
We turned our attention back to the cake we'd been discussing earlier. It was a towering, elegant design, white with intricate floral details, the kind of cake that would make anyone's mouth water just by looking at it.
"What do you think?" Ella asked, her voice soft. She traced her finger along the cake's edge.
"I think it's perfect," I said, my hand resting on her lower back.