Sitting down in his father's office brought back memories from childhood. Running up and down the hall with Alice playing tag on a rainy day. Or that time Alice fell and smacked her head on the hallway table and I came running and screaming into the office not realizing I had interrupted a very important sit down meeting and had all men there running to help. Thankfully it was nothing bad.

But seeing him sit in his father's seat looking every bit like a powerful and dangerous man was a sight to behold. He radiated a quiet power. Alost like you can touch it if you were to reach out towards it. It felt like a low humming electricity.

Sitting in front of him I felt somewhat small.

"Bella, Kitten, I want you to know how very sorry I am. I left you out of everything done for a reason. I was trying to find a rat" he sighed and looked at me "When I first heard we might have a rat I immediately went into looking at our less trusted men. I couldn't find anyone who looked to be the culprit. It took 4 months of searching to finally catch on that it might not have been a low man but someone in fact VERY close to home. Someone so close that we had them for dinner every Sunday after church."

With the look of betrayal on his face I was about to ask if he truly thought it was me but he spoke again before I could ask.

"My uncle Aro came to me one day. Trying to push the thought that you had something to do with it. Of course I didn't believe that but I couldn't let him know that." He handed me an envelope which contained a bunch of pictures. Pictures of his uncle and men I knew to be Edward's enemy. The Russian Vladmir that had tried to take out not only Edward's father but his grandfather as well. I personally thought the man was too old at almost 80 to be trying something this stupid but Edward answered my thoughts for me. "I knew then that it had been him. I left you with every intention of having this ended by the end of the month. I had to hold up a ruse that he had convinced me of your deceit. It took the better part of a year and a half to get all the information I have now." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "When I left to California I had to put on an act. My father had Tanya on surveillance for possible Russian ties as well so she became part of it as well." I flipped to the next page and saw Tanya with her father Eleazar at dinner with Vladmir and Aro.

"So why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me?" I was frustrated and rightfully so.

"You couldn't know. Not only was it dangerous for you but your father as well. That car accident was no accident. That was a planned attack on your family to wipe you out. You were supposed to be in that car that day but at the last minute had decided to stay home. It was meant to kill you. Thankfully your father made it out alive and was able to contact mine from the hospital. Your father is a smart man kitten and knew something wasn't adding up right. So my father let him know what was going on for the most part." He shook his head and I handed him the folder back. "Tanya got nothing from me except a few dinners and a night out. I was NEVER with her. I need you to believe that kitten"

He was begging me with his eyes to believe him and honestly I did. It was starting to make sense except one thing.

"Why now? Your uncle is still alive and very much around your family, so why can I know now? Why is it suddenly so much less dangerous now?" I asked.

"Because I am through living a lie. Because I have Aro and Vladmir very much about to pay for their crimes. And because I am now Boss of this family business. My father has stepped down as of this morning after church and I am now head of the Cullen family."

I took a minute to process this statement. My head hurt. "So now all of a sudden I am supposed to jump for joy knowing everyone who knows me knew about this but no one thought to tell me? No one thought to give me a slight heads up? I don't think Rose knew because she was too pissed off but I can almost 100% bet on Alice knowing. Also if Carlisle knew than Esme knew. Emmett knew. Shit even my own FATHER knew!" I was starting to scream as I got angrier.

"Not only that but it was complete bullshit! Do you know how much therapy I went through to get over you? Do you know how much it killed me to sit at your family's home some Sundays for dinner before my father's accident and have all the memories surrounding me? Now to know that I was completely lied to by everyone to what, make sure I am safe, or some bullshit excuse? Because that is what it is Edward, an excuse, and one I am not liking right now." I stood up and put my hands on the desk to lean towards him. "I am leaving and I am going home. Right now I can't even look at you. You want to sit here and spout off bullshit you can go ahead and spew it at the goddamn floor for all I give a shit right now but I swear to god if you follow me home or even out this door I will beat you within an inch of life." I pushed off the desk and walked to the door.

Turning slightly I said over my shoulder, "Go to hell Edward" to which he replied quickly "you seem to forget baby that I already am, I am the devil of this town and I never stated otherwise."

I left then. I couldn't deal with this family of liars, but what did I really expect with what they did for a living?

Walking passed a silently crying Esme with Carlisle's arm around her I held up my hand before she could speak. "Don't want to hear it Mrs. Cullen."

She burst into tears and I assume she ran to her room because I could hear a door slam. "Now just you wait a minute young lady" Carlisle started but I whirled around on him.

"No you wait a minute Carlisle!" I said in the most patronizing way that I could. "No better yet why don't you wait another 2 years. You can take your reasoning and shove it because all I have learned tonight is that the people I thought were my friends, no, my FAMILY are nothing but liars. Even to me, the person who was supposed to be like another daughter to you. Do you remember when you told me that? Oh wait that was probably a lie too." I had tears running so hard down my face that I couldn't almost take a breath. You know when you cry so hard you can't breathe that you almost throw up. The crying after a betrayal so horrible it almost seems like it will never heal.

I shook my head walking backwards. "Protecting me my ass. You could have told me. Anyone could have given me a hint and I would have understood." Hearing a glass break against the office door I knew Edward could hear every word I said as well. "I may still love you because that kind of love doesn't go away or turn off on the drop of a dime but I sure as hell don't like you right now. I don't know if I can get over that. I mean even Alice?"

"No not Alice, and not Rose. They never knew anything. They are currently being informed by their husbands." Carlisle told me. He looked like he had been kicked in the gut for a moment before stealing himself to tell me this next piece.

"It was my call for everything Bella. I did do it out of love and protection but I can see where I was wrong. But remember nothing ever happened without my knowledge and advice. Nothing was ever put into motion without my ok."

I just turned and ran down the hall. I couldn't listen anymore.

It was betrayal of the deepest kind.

He had been a second father to me.

Esme had BEEN my mother since mine wasn't here.

I was 28 years old and had just found out that the last 2 years had been a lie.

Nothing was right in my head.

I had to get away and get away quickly.

Noticing my car was parked out front and running I sent a silent thankyou to Seth and jumped in it.

I couldn't.

Life sucks you know.

BANG BANG BANG

BANG BANG BANG

"Go away" I yelled at the door.

I didn't know how I got home. My head hurt and by the numerous numbers of bottles lying around my couch and the fact that I was still in my clothes from church yesterday tells me what the hell I don't remember.

My face felt stiff from the tears and dried makeup I am assuming.

I felt defeated inside.

I felt raw.

I felt stupid because even though I hated what they did, even though I was lied to I still loved that family. And if I was truthful I still loved that man.

My own personal STUPID Devil in Hell.

Just because I loved them doesn't mean I can't be mad still though.

Fuckers.

Well one good thing I guess is that my best friends had absolutely nothing to do with it either.

Rolling over to sit up I caught sight of myself in the mirror that was hung on the other side of the couch.

"Holy Hell I look like shit." I spoke out loud.

Looking around I knew I needed to pick this place up but didn't have the drive to get up to do it.

BANG BANG BANG

God dammit. I got off the couch and swung the door open to reveal a very pissed Rose with a suitcase in one hand and my very sad best friend Alice with another suitcase in her hand.

Opening the door wider I let them in and hugged them.

Words were not needed as Rose put her suitcase down and pulled Alice's from her, the dragged us both to the couch and had us sit on either side of her and wrapped my throw blanket around us cocooning all of us.

Laying my head on her shoulder I knew I couldn't ask for better friends.