Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative
Rating/Warning(s): M
Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.
Prompt: Word Prompts: Arrest, detest, protest. Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.
It was Edward's turn to be stunned by the sudden outburst of the woman before him, as well as the narrowed look in her eyes. While she definitely had her passionate side, Bella has always been very quiet, quite complacent, and he'd never so much as heard her say one harsh word against anyone in the entire time they had been working together. But there was no doubt in his mind, with one look from her in that moment, that she was pissed. "What?"
"You're unbelievable. Honestly and sincerely un-freaking-believable. And here I thought you were different, but you're not. Boy, you really had me fooled. You're fake, just like those rich, socialite assholes you claim to detest so much. Marrying a woman just because she's having your spawn, that's unthinkable and so beneath you. But throw a few dollar signs at you and you're racing to the altar. So is it the age old plan? Marry for however long it takes to satisfy some terms of the will and you walk away with a healthy paycheck in the divorce? God, I thought you were so nice, and so sweet, and so not them. I loved that about you. Thank you for pointing out my horrible mistake. You deserve each other now."
"Bella, will you please keep your voice down?" Edward rasped harshly, closing the distance between them and gazing down at her. "You have no idea what you're talking about. It's pretty difficult to do anything like that with a prenup in place. That I asked for, in fact."
Bella's eyes widened again, struck speechless by his words as he had seemed only moments ago by hers. Of any protest to her accusations that he could have made, she hadn't seen that one coming. "But … then why bother? Everyone knows that Kate is already well off and doesn't even have to work, so why not just wait the extra time? Or marry someone she actually loves, maybe? And what benefit do you get out of it?"
"Because Kate will never see a goddamn dime any other way," Edward blurted out through clenched teeth, his hand falling from where it had risen to pinch the bridge of his nose while Bella spoke. "And this is why I need to know that I can trust you."
Bella lowered herself into the chair beside her at the front of her desk, never taking her gaze off him for a second. "I already said you could."
"Kate is in love with someone else," Edward replied simply.
"Okay, you're not helping me out at all here. So, why marry you? Why not this other guy? That would make a whole lot more sense," Bella asked, pressing her palm to her forehead.
"Because her name is Irina, and Kate's family is very religious. And I do mean more intense than anything I've ever seen in my entire life," Edward clarified and watched Bella's hand lower to cover her mouth. "If they find out before she receives her inheritance, they are powerful people and will find a way to cut her off. From everything, not just her inheritance. And she'd be left with nothing. Even the sin of divorce isn't as harshly looked upon by them as her being in love with another woman. They would never forgive her."
"I see," Bella replied in a breathy voice. "But what about you? It still doesn't explain how this benefits you at all. And you'll still have a divorce under your belt by the end of it all, too, won't you?"
"In time," Edward replied and nodded, resting back against the edge of her desk with his arms crossed again. "Kate and I have known each other for as long as either of us can remember. I think I knew before even she did that she was gay, as hard as that is to believe. But I never turned my back on her, and I never will. I may not be in love with Kate, but I do love her. I can't let her suffer because she loves the wrong person in her family's eyes, and Irina doesn't deserve it, either. This money will give them the means to start over somewhere, and actually have a chance to be happy, for once. That part isn't an enormous price to pay, and it's worth it if they can have that."
"Why are you telling me all this, Edward?"
He inhaled deeply and released it through his nose as he brought his eyes back to meet hers. "Because I don't want you to think I'm this horrible person. I couldn't handle it if you did. And I have a question for you."
Bella's eyes flickered in confusion over his face, his expression difficult to read. "What's that?"
"If you weren't the boss' daughter and I had asked you before, would I have even had a chance?"
