Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 7

Anna's POV

A while later there was loud banging at the front doors but I didn't bother to stand up and answer it, I just wanted to be alone to wallow in my own misery. The loud banging didn't seem to cease though and with each bang the house vibrated a little. I sighed and went to the bathroom to re-apply my makeup; it was like a ritual to me now before I go anywhere to do anything. When I was done I made my way down the stairs and opened the door.

I was shocked to say the least, to see Jake standing before me with a bottle of liquor in his hand and a distinct smell of alcohol radiating from him, it was overpowering so I guessed that he had drank a lot of it. I also guessed that he was very drunk because he was leaning against the door frame and his body was bobbing back and forth. He looked at me for a second through his half-lidded eyes before he took a step forward and fell onto me.

"I love you Anna." He slurred when his arms wrapped around me and pulled my head to his chest.

"Jake you're drunk." I stated as I used all my strength to lead him over to my couch and kick the door closed on the way.

When we reached the couch I let go of him so that he would fall onto the couch and he did but he pulled me with him, so he fell back on the couch and I fell on top of him. His head was buried in the side of my neck and my face was right next to his ear. I lifted my head to look at him and saw that he was already asleep, his lips were parted and his tanned cheeks was tinted red. Overall he looked handsome, but he wasn't mine. So I lifted myself out of his arms but was pulled back to his chest when his arms tightened around me.

"Don't leave me..." He whispered in his sleep.

I choked back a sob as a tear escaped from my eye and splattered on his face. I felt so horrible for causing him to drink to numb his pain and I felt even worse for breaking his heart. "I'm so sorry Jake." I whispered, knowing that he can't hear me. I tried to pull away from him again but he trapped me in his iron grip. I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. It wouldn't hurt to lay here a bit until he lets me go and in a way I kind of want to lay here like this, so that I can feel his warmth, even if it's just for a second.

When I opened my eyes again I noticed that I was still dark outside and Jake was still asleep, his arms had unwound from my waist and now rested at his side. Tiredly I climbed off of him and as quick as possible, ran up to my room and to my vanity. I pulled out my journal and ripped out a clean page along with the pen before throwing it back in the drawer. Then I wrote a letter to Carrine to tell her that I couldn't stay here anymore, it wasn't a nice letter but an angry one. I wanted to let her know that I didn't want to stay here because being here made me miserable and something of the sort. Then I wrote my goodbyes but most importantly I told her to stay here in La Push and not come back to California because she didn't need to anymore, that I was going to handle that situation so that she could stay here.

For the past two weeks I had planned to take Carrine's place at the wedding and I had put my plans into action, that's why I begged my father to let us come to La Push because it was part of my plan. And now all I had to do was talk to my father and everything will be a done deal. At first I thought of committing suicide after I was married but now I didn't have to because I was already dying. And if everything works out then Carrine will live a happy life here, my father will get what he wished from the beginning, and no one has to know that this was even a plan to begin with. From the beginning I never planned to tell Carrine about this and I still do, I will bring it to the grave with me. I will stop at nothing for Carrine's happiness.

After I was done with the letter I folded it neatly and placed it on my vanity table. Then I packed a small bag of my necessities and a the blanket from my bed. When I was done I quietly tiptoed back down the stairs and draped the blanket in my arms, over Jake's body. It was only big enough to cover from his shoulders to his shins so his feet were dangling out from the bottom of the blanket. Then I kneeled down next to his face and brushed my fingertips down the side of his cheek, a tear slipping down my cheek in the process.

I'm so sorry Jake. If could change what happened then I would, but I can't. It's for the best. Please forget me. I thought before standing up. I went to the door and silently opened it before closing it gently behind me and walking out to the curb to take out my phone to call for a cab. It took fifteen minutes for the car to pull up in front of me, the driver was a man in his forties at the very least.

"Where do you want to go?" He yawned as he did a u-turn on the road.

"The airport." I said and leaned back on the seat, my heart pounding.

"Right away." He said and sped down the street and away from the small town of La Push.

A bit later my heart calmed and I noticed the song that was coming from the radio. It was 'Starts with Goodbye' by Carrie Underwood.

...it's gonna have to hurt,

I guess I'm gonna have to cry,

And let go of some things I've loved,

To get to the other side,

I guess it's gonna break me down,

Like falling when you try to fly,

It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,

Starts with goodbye.

I know there's a blue horizon,

Somewhere up ahead, just waiting for me,

Getting there means leaving things behind,

Sometimes life's so bitter sweet.

[Chorus:]

I guess it's gonna have to hurt,

I guess I'm gonna have to cry,

And let go of some things I've loved,

To get to the other side,

I guess it's gonna break me down,

Like falling when you try to fly,

It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,

Starts with goodbye.

The tears spilled from my eyes as I thought of the last few days and looked at the houses I knew so well passing by outside the window of the cab. The lyrics had cut deep into my heart, it felt so true because I was letting go of some of the things I've loved and it's breaking me down, causing me to feel aches of unbearable pain in my heart. I was never going to forgive myself for what I did and I'll use the rest of my next life begging for forgiveness from the people I hurt in this lifetime.

Time, time heals,

The wounds that you feel,

Somehow, right now.

[Chorus:]

I guess it's gonna have to hurt,

I guess I'm gonna have to cry,

And let go of some things I've loved,

To get to the other side,

I guess it's gonna break me down,

Like falling when you try to fly,

It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,

Starts with goodbye,

I guess I'm gonna have to cry,

And let go of some things I've loved,

To get to the other side,

Starts with goodbye,

The only way you try to find,

Moving on with the rest of your life,

Starts with goodbye,

Na na na na na na na.

It was about half an hour later before the car stopped at the entrance of the airport. "That will be thirty dollars please." He said as he read the meter.

"Here." I said as I gave him the money and my phone. "It's a new phone, take it as a tip. I don't need it anymore."

"Thanks!" He smiled as he took them.

I grabbed my bag then left the car and went into the airport. "Hello, I'd like a one way ticket to Los Angeles, California please." I said at the receptionist's desk.

"Of course. What time would you like?" The girl behind the desk asked.

"The earliest time." I said.

She processed my order and five minutes later I had my boarding pass in hand and ready to go. After that I went to my gate and boarded my flight, it was a short plane ride, about only four hours at most. When the plane landed in Los Angeles I got my bag and exited the airport. The blazing heat of the sun burned at my skin and washed away the cold air of the airport. Quickly I climbed in the nearest cab and departed for father's company, he's always there, he practically lives there.

When the car came to a stop I paid the driver and left, and then went straight into the multi-story building and to the receptionist's desk. "Hello, what can I do for you today?" The man in a black suite asked.

"I'd like to see Mr. Morrett please." I said.

"Do you have an appointment with him?" He asked.

"I'm his daughter Annalise Morrett. I don't think I need an appointment to meet my own father." I said as I crossed my arms.

"Do you have any proof of that?" He asked, in a snobbish tone.

I sighed and went to the waiting area and grabbed a random magazine, then flipped it to a page where there was a picture of father and I, he only buys the magazines that has his picture in them and sometimes I'm in the picture with him. I went back to the receptionist and placed the magazine in front of him.

"Is that enough proof for you?" I asked, feeling very cranky from my jetlag.

He began panicking. "I'm very sorry Ms. Morrett."

"It's alright. Just let me see my father." I said.

"Right away." He said then started clicking away at his computer. "He's on the twenty-second floor, please take the elevator over there and it will take you right to him."

"Thank you." I sighed and walked away.

I took the elevator up to the twenty-second floor and went to search for my father in his office, he was sitting behind his desk with a Bluetooth phone stuck to his ear and a stack of papers in his hands. He didn't even notice that I was here until I stood in front of him and cleared my throat. When he did see me though, he waved a finger at me as a way to tell me to wait for him to be done. I nodded my head and sat down at the seat in front of his desk. I didn't know how long I sat there for but I was getting agitated, and finally I pulled a file folder out of my bag and threw it in front of him.

He finally looked up from his papers and opened the file to read the papers that were inside of it. A moment later his mouth dropped open, and his expression showed shock and a hint of sadness. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked me as he pulled his Bluetooth from his ear.

"They are exactly what they say. Carrine is dead father." I said as I let fake sadness ooze into my voice. It was a fake death certificate that father was looking at; I made it myself by copying the outline of the certificate from the internet and replacing the deceased's name with Carrine's. I did this because it was the only way set Carrine free from her arranged marriage.

"H-How!? How did you let this happen?" He said as he fell back against the chair in defeat.

"She was walking along the beach and suddenly there was a drunk driver...and...and they couldn't save her." I whispered, my eyes glued to my knees.

"Then where's her body?" He asked. "Did you bring her back with you?"

"No, I buried her next to Mom. She would've wanted it that way." I replied.

"Then why didn't you call me?" He asked.

"Would it have mattered if I called you? You wouldn't have come to her funeral; you didn't even go to Mom's." I shot back at him.

"I'm sorry Annalise, I'm a horrible father I know. But the company isn't in good shape right now and now it's going to become even worst." He said frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair.

"What happened to the company?" I asked him.

"A month ago the stock market wasn't doing very good and I lost all our money. We were going to lose our home and everything, but then another leading company offered to merge with ours and I couldn't deny it. I wanted you and Carrine to live a life of luxury so that both of you won't have to worry about money issues in the future." He explained.

"That's a horrible excuse father. You didn't want to merge the company because of us! It was all for you! Because you couldn't live without your money and your company!" I yelled at him. How dare he use Carrine and me as an excuse. "Carrine and I wouldn't have minded if we were broke, we would have welcomed it because then you wouldn't be married to your precious company anymore."

"Anna please don't be like this. Your sister is gone and now we are broke honey. We should be thinking of a way to make our company prosper, not argue." He pleaded.

"What do you want me to do father? There's nothing we can do to help the company now without merging." I stated.

He sat there for a while with his eyes closed and deep in thought. Then suddenly his eyes shot open and a smile spread across his face as he looked at me. "Honey, what do you think about Jeff Leeway, the multi-billionaire corporate owner's son? I-I know he's three years younger than you but it's not unheard of, there are many women that marry men younger than them."

"Are you crazy!? He's a child! Marrying him would make me a cougar!" I exasperated. Check and mate. My plans are more than halfway completed.

"Please Anna! You're my only hope now." He begged me as he rounded his table and took a hold of my hand. "Think of the company. Think of your Mother, she would want you to help me."

"You're despicable! Using Mom against me like that!" I shouted at him. "No, I won't do it!"

"Then do it for me, please! This is the last thing I'll ever ask of you! And-and I'll do anything you want that is within reason." He pleaded desperately.

I sighed, how could he be so cruel? "Fine. I'll marry him. As for what I want you to do, I'll have to think about it. But I do have one request."

"What's your request?" He asked.

"I want to have the wedding earlier so that I can get this mess over with." I said. I don't think I'll be able to live long enough to see Carrine's birthday.

"Of course! Oh thank you Anna. You won't regret this!" He said cheerily and picked up his phone.

I already did. Father was on the phone for a while, talking away with Jeff Leeway's father and after a while he said good bye and smiled at me. "So?" I asked him.

"They agreed and gave their condolences. They also said that since they don't have to wait until Carrine turned sixteen anymore, they want to have the wedding earlier." He stated.

"Well, then when do they want the wedding to be?" I asked.

"The day after tomorrow." He smiled.

My eyes widened. "That early?"

"Yeah. They said that it was their only free day beside's on Carrine's birthday." He said. "So tomorrow we're going to meet the Leeway family and then register the both of you to get married. Then we will sign the contract to combine our companies and everything will be settled. Then on the next day you will be Mrs. Annalise Leeway. How does that sound?"

"That's fine. But what about the wedding? How will we be able to plan a whole wedding in two days?" I asked.

"Don't worry about that Annalise. You don't even have to worry about the gown, I'll have it taken care of. Just let me handle everything." He smiled as he patted my head and then went back to his seat. "Why don't you go back to the house and rest. You have a big day tomorrow."

I nodded and said my goodbyes before leaving. I took a cab back to my empty mansion, the one place I knew that wasn't my home. It never was because there was never any love in it.