Hello readers,
I apologize for the extremely late review... My life has been crazy lately.
Thank you for the kind reviews from: unknown reviewer and hnwhitlock2000
A special thanks to Twi-Muses blog for recommending this fan fiction to their followers. I greatly appreciate it!
Thank you to everyone has added this fan fiction to their favorites and alerts!
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I DO NOT own Twilight. I just made them crazier when it comes to love!
Chapter Two
Already Gone
"I want you to know
that it doesn't matter
where we take this road
Someone's gotta go
And I want you know
You couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move one
So I'm already gone" –Kelly Clarkson
"Bella, I'm so sorry I didn't know. Please call me back!" A frantic Alice said as I checked my voicemail. Since I have left last week, my inbox was full from txt messages to voice massage. Over one hundred txt from Alice and a dozen frantic voicemails. Three voicemails from Edward and seven txt messages saying.
'Bella I'm sorry please hear me out'
'Bella, please let me explain.'
'You mean so much to me Bella.'
I didn't even get around to listen to his voice message; it was too much for me... too painful to hear his voice… hearing the reasons why he would never want to be with me. After the third txt I decided to delete all his messages so as Alice's. I need to get myself together. A couple of messages was from Jacob giving me the 411 of what happened after I left, I definitely didn't want to hear the latest gossip so that went to my deleted file. One was from my father saying that he'll be in town and he expected to have dinner together on Friday. Well I guess that'll be tonight.
"Hello Bells, how was Venice?" my father's voice echoed on the other line.
"It was wonderful daddy, I just needed time away. Work has been crazy." I lied.
"I know Bells, you definitely need to find time to enjoy life. Sometimes I feel like a shitty father that your too focused on our business rather than enjoying your life. Hell you're already twenty seven and yet to settle down unlike-"
"Charlie!" I firmly said. He knows where I stand when it comes to marriage. I don't like being forced and being timed. "Not now, can we talk about it tonight?" I begged. "Please…"
"Will do Bells, I'll send the car for you tonight." He replied with his compassionate voice.
"Thank you dad, I'll see you tonight." I said in a whisper.
"I love you kiddo."
"Love you too dad." I said hanging up.
I sighed as I stepped into the foyer of my apartment greeted by Mrs. Cope. "I'll be in my office if you need me Mrs. Cope." I said as I headed to my office and began to put together the design for the Swan Hotel that is opening in Tokyo. Yes, I am an heiress. I'm no Paris Hilton. I never have nor want to be like her. I hate the spotlight, I like working behind the scene and getting the job done. That's how I met Edward Cullen when I was seventeen.
Ten years ago…
"Welcome to Swan Tower Hotel." I said flashing a man with golden hair my sweetest smile as greet him in the front desk lobby of our Chicago Swan Tower Hotel where I am working for the summer to learn the ropes of the business before heading to college.
"Hello," his honey voice echoed as he flashed me his perfect white smile. "My name is Doctor Carlisle Cullen, my family and I are renting the penthouse suite for the month."
"Oh Doctor Cullen, welcome." I said opening the screen. "May I please see a form of identification and a credit card for the record."
"Sure thing Ms?"
"Bella," I said proudly showing my name tag.
"Bella, beautiful name." he said handing me his driver's license which I'm sure he doesn't use.
"Daddy are you done yet?" asked a very antsy girl whose around my age and yet short and smaller.
"Almost pumpkin," Doctor Cullen said as he tried to ruffle the girl's short black wild hair which she dodged away. She gave him a grin as he laughs shaking his head. "Always a step ahead of me."
"Hi, I'm Alice." She said standing on her tippy toes as she bends over the counter giving me a kiss on the cheek. I smiled and handed Doctor Cullen his ID and credit card back. "I just know we're going to be great friends Bella."
"Of course Alice and if you need anything just let me know." I said giving her a smile of assurance. She clasped her hands together and jumped down from the counter. "How many keys Doctor Cullen?"
"Four please, my son will be here shortly." He said picking up his briefcase.
"Enjoy your stay at Swan Tower Hotel," I said handing him four sets of key cards. Two bellhops then escorted them with dozens of luggage in tow. I shook my head knowing that half of those luggage or even more were Alice's.
Thirty minutes had passed which was very eventful. Mrs. Mallory's Chihuahua bit Wilson, the concierge while he pet her. Mrs. Mallory, a guest who spends every summer at Swan Tower while she visits her daughter Lauren Mallory, one of Hollywood's "sexiest" stars. If only they know how she looks like without make up on. I cringe at the thought of that. Jessica Newton, wife of the Chicago bear's quarter back Michael Newton, walked out of the lobby with the back of her skirt tucked inside her white "granny" underwear. I wanted to say something to her but then again she was rude to me ever since she saw her husband eyeing me. I watched Tyler Cowley one of my father's business associates walked out of the elevator looking disheveled with a girl on her mid twenties getting up from in front him. Nothing new there.
"Excuse me miss?" A beautiful greek God stood in front of me with his messy and yet sexy reddish brown hair and what looked like a crooked smile on his face. "Hello?" he asked leaning his face closer to mine knitting his perfectly sculptured eyebrows together. I wanted to smooth it because its ruining the master piece. "Are you alright?"
I heard someone cleared their throat, probably Wilson who was standing a few feet away from me. I composed myself together and replied, "Yes, how may I help you?"
"Um yes," he said clearing his throat trying to keep his composure back. "I'm supposed to meet my father here. Doctor Cullen?" he asked.
"Yes, he said he was expecting you," I said waving towards Frank, one of the bellhop. "Frank here will direct you to the penthouse suite Mr. Cullen."
"Its Edward."
"Excuse me?" I asked quirking an eyebrow.
"My father is Mr. Cullen. I'm Edward… Edward Cullen." He said with a playful laugh.
"Edward," I said barely in a whisper "enjoy your stay at Swan Tower Hotel." I managed to say.
"I certainly will… Bella." He said reading my name tag. I mentally slapped myself as I watched Edward laugh as he walked away. I began to mentally scold myself for making myself look like a fool. Great job looking like a fool in front of the only hot guy to ever walked in this lobby. Well aside from Chace Crawford.
Present time
"I don't know dad, James has a play boy reputation." I said as I tried to divert one of my father's "match of the month" for me but like the rest of them… I know I will lose this battle with my father because he would set up some kind of a "meeting" either its from balls, company parties, bumping into each other at the mall, being invited to dinner with my father with the man "conveniently" there. I have seen it all.
I watched my dad take a sip of his JB on the rocks, "people change Bells and so as James. I have spoken to him and he's ready to settle down."
James Miller is one of Chicago's most eligible bachelor. He is the grandson of Raymond Miller Sr. who is Chicago's most respected corporate lawyer. His father, Raymond Jr. is my father's lawyer and bestfriend. James on the other hand, had always been overfriendly towards me, he had asked me out numerous time while we were teenagers when we both attended Saint Mary's Academy in New York. For college, I attend Dartmouth in Hanover and have received my MBA and he went to New Haven in Yale and received his law degree. How did he make it? Is beyond me because he barely passed high school.
"Dad…" I groaned lifting my empty glass to the waiter signaling for another glass of pinot noir.
"Just think about it please Bells, I hate seeing you alone." He said in a whisper.
"I kind of like being alone. I'm like my father in a way." I said flashing him a smile of assurance, which he smiled in return. "Find a companion for the night when needed." I added trying to lighten the mood, "kick him out after and definitely a no no on the cuddles." which caused him to let out a booming laugh.
"Like father like daughter." He said composing himself. "I hope you don't really do that."
"Dad," I smiled shaking my head as I take a sip of my wine.
"I'm just saying Bells, after Jacob you kind of just stopped seeing men. I'm beginning to worry because you know your almost-"
"Don't say it dad," I said pointing my right index finger towards him. I watched dad smirked and shook his head as he raised both hands as if to surrender. "I still have two more years thank you very much." I said taking another sip of my wine. Jacob, a labor and delivery doctor, I have met during one of a charity event I have attended with my father two years ago. Jacob was a kid at heart, there was never a dull moment with him. He was goofy, loveable and a perfect ten. All the girls in this office's eyes followed him as he walk down the hall greeting everyone with a bright smile and with their first names.
"What did happen between you and Jake? He was a great fishing partner." My dad said as he finishes his second JB. He raised his glass to the waiter once more as I winced remembering what happened between Jake and I. "You never told me what happened between the two of you."
"Dad, I just don't want to talk about it." I said starring at my glass.
"Okay Bells." My dad said dropping the subject. After the awkward conversation about boys, my dad and I actually enjoyed our evening together as always, until I spotted a mop of bronze hair walking in the door with the strawberry blonde tucked under her arms.
Fuck my life.
After my dad pay for the bill we both exited the opposite direction from them. All that matters is he's happy and its time for me to find my happiness.
reviews are greatly appreciated...