Sortilege
(Charm of Love)

Chapter 1

Esme sits looking at her two children they were her blessings, when Esme met her husband she thought he would be the love of her life but she was wrong and while she did love her husband she knew that they had been chosen for each other by their parents and she loved another more. The only thing was that he was off limits to her he was a married man and her best friends husband, Edward Masen. Ed too was arranged to marry another and while he loved her he also loved Esme, one night they let that love consume them and as a result these two beautiful children were here. The guilt of what she did would always eat away at her. She new that what she had done was wrong not only to her husband but to her friend Elizabeth Masen. On finding out she was pregnant she told her husband the truth she could not have him live a lie and she knew he would know of her infidelity because Poor Samuel could not have children. He was not mad and now understood why she wanted to leave Seattle and move to England for a while. He saw this as his only chance of having any children and decided that no one would know the truth. He kept the secret from everyone including both their parents so both James and Rosalie would be raised as his own and if they wished to tell them the truth once they were old enough they would do it together.

That was almost five years ago and now she was putting him to rest, Samuel was a great man he forgave what she did and raised her children as his own. Her children never lacked a thing and they had all his love he wanted her happy, even in his death Esme being happy was his concern. "Go my love, find him be happy and live your life. You and the children where the best thing to ever happen to me, promise me you will find him and if he is free you will all be a family." And that is what she did on returning to Seattle she found Edward Sr. she was not looking for him but it must have been fate that he would be the first person she would have literally run into. He also had suffered great loss, Elizabeth had passed away two years ago while giving birth to their son Edward and he was left to raise him on his own. When he saw Esme and the two children with her, he new they were his, Rosalie and James were both beautiful children. James had brown hair much like Esme's father but Ed's facial fetchers and Esme's eyes. Rosalie was as beautiful as her mother same face and eyes but the color were his a beautiful shade of emerald green her hair was much lighter it was not as dark as James but almost a golden color, they were beautiful and they were his children no one could tell him otherwise.

"Esme? Is that really you?" he questioned. To say she was shocked was an understatement "Yes, it's me." was all she could say. She was torn, on one side she wanted to throw herself in his arms and kiss him but on the other side she thought it was too soon. Edward seem to notice her inner battle.

"It is good to see an old friend again." he said.

"Yes it is how are you and Elizabeth doing?" she asked

"You did not hear she passed giving birth to our son over two years ago."

"I am so sorry to hear that she was a great woman and she would have made a great mother to your son." and she really meant all that she said Elizabeth was her friend and she never meant to hurt her things just happened. She could not regret what happen because she would not have her little miracles and they were the world to her. They were silent for a few minutes when Ed asked about the children.

"This is Rosalie Lillian Hale and James Samuel Hale, my children." she responded. Ed notice that she was alone and wondered where Samuel Hale could be.

"They are beautiful children, just like their mother. Where is Samuel surely he did not let you travel on your own" he said. The children were not paying any attention to the man in front of them until he mentioned the man they new as their father. Ed notice the tears in their eyes and new the answer before Esme answered is question.

"Samuel is no longer with us he was sick and tried to fight as long as he could but in the end the cancer spread and he did not make it." she let out a small sob.

"Oh, Esme, I am so sorry to hear this" he looked at the children "You must miss him dearly" the children nodded their little heads and Esme noticed the tired look on their faces and the way their little bodies could barely keep them up.

"We must go now Edward I will keep in touch and see you around maybe meet little Edward next time. The children have been through a lot and they need their rest " she said hoping he would want to see her again.

"That would be wonderful I will see you around Esme. Have a wonderful day." were his last words to her.

That was almost two months ago and now they just could not stay away, Ed asked Esme to marry him and she accepted she thought her life was finally complete when she married Ed. He would be with his children and she would gain another son out of it. They were a real family and the children seem to be fine well at least Rosalie she would sometimes act out but James from the very beginning never showed Ed any respect and for that reason both children were never told that he was their real father. Rosalie would just ignore Ed at times and try not to acknowledge him when she was mad but other times she enjoyed his attention but James was another story. He would act out and talk back he did not care that this man loved his mother and when he was around Edward he would do small things like kick him or hit him just to get his mother's attention. There was times when he even turned on his own twin sister and would hit Rosalie when she defended her little brother.

As the years went by James did not improve and Ed saw that out of his two sons that Edward was the most responsible. He talked with Esme and told her that out of the two boys he believed that Edward would be the one to inherit everything but would have to give his siblings and monthly allowance to help maintain them and each of the children would get a piece of land that he owned. Esme agreed with her husband, she new her children and Rosalie was a daddy's girl and had Ed wrapped around his finger she only wished to find a man to marry who could love her and treat her like a princess, she did not want a man to maintain her, she was very independent. James never new how to be responsible for others even as a young child he was never able to do things without being reminded. Then there was Edward who always took care of what was given to him he would always be on time and never forget his responsibilities, he was very ahead in school skipping kindergarten and entering first grade instead and than he surprised them more when he was able to test out of eight grade and join both Rosalie and James in high school. It was very obvious that Edward would be the best choice to look after the family they were all intelligent in there own ways but the only responsible one was Edward, so Esme agreed with Ed.

None of the children would know what was decided and when the time came they would find out what Ed's wishes were. With all three of there children in college he knew this was when he would finalize his decision. Edward having graduated early from high school with both James and Rosalie had decided to study business and architecture and loved it, James had gotten sick of school "Why go to school when your rich?" he would say. He too was studying business at the time but decided not to finish when he was a year away from graduating. Rosalie on the other hand was more than okay to learn what she loved the most she studied both business and one thing that shocked all her rich friends, cars, she learned all she could and would spend hours at the school library to make sure she would finish both her business and mechanics degree it was on one of visits to the library that she thought she found love in a young rich man named Royce King.

While the years went by and all three of them continued to grow into real adults James never finish school but had some knowledge of business he could put that to use for the company but would much rather spend his time sleeping and partying. Rosalie knew all she needed to know about business and mechanics and could give any mechanic a run for their money she hoped that soon she could put her own shop up and restore old cars. Edward would make a great company president one day when his father stepped down from the position. He finish top of his class with many offers to different architectural firms but he knew that he wanted to work with his father and hopefully follow his fathers footsteps one day. No one knew that day would be soon. Royce had asked Rosalie to marry him and they were married with in a month of her graduating but that is when tragedy struck and when our story really begins.