Enjoy! Oh, and sorry for the wait and the confusion about what I ment in the last chapter. At the end of this one, I will explain it to you guys. I am actually a little saddened.

ALSO #1: The moments you have all been waiting for: Jacob's point of view. I knew that you all wanted it, even if you didn't directly tell me, and I thought that it would be a good way to continue this story, you know?

ALSO #2: THERE IS A POLL OPEN ON MY PROFILE NOW. More information at the bottom, but you better vote if you want a say in Edward and Bella's wedding...


Stroy: The Betrothal

Author: Twilight51545888

Full Summary: Edward and Bella have been friends for as long as they can remember, always being there for each other. Bella and Edward's families pretty much rule the corporate business as far as anyone is concerned. The Swan and Cullen Corporations are two of the richest, most powerful companies in America, with plans to go global.
After an accident takes Bella's Father away, her family reads his will. Stated in it is that Bella is to marry her Father's best friend's son, Jacob Black. Jacob's Father, Billy, is the owner of a large company that is already completely global. If Bella were to marry Jacob, they could be the most powerful business in the world. Everyone but Bella is thrilled about the engagement. The only way out is if she is engaged to and marries the man of her dreams, and stays with him for a year and a half. But there is a catch to that... she must bare an heir within that time, or she is to marry Jacob immediately.
How will her best friend help her? And will secret feelings stay hidden, or be revealed?
OOC AU Edward and Bella.

Ages:

Bella: 18
Edward: 21
Alice: 20
Jasper: 20
Jacob: 25
Emmett: 25
Rosalie: 23

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Twilight, nor do I own the rights to any of the songs I may use later on.


(C)hapter (N)ine: (B)ella (F)inds (C)ourage

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I buried my head into my pillow and cried for I don't know how long. Renee wasn't going to keep me from Edward. No. That wasn't possible. I wanted to be with him, so I was going to. I just didn't get why I was so desperate to see my best friend all of the sudden. I mean, yeah, I want to get out of this engagement, but I also just want Renee to get off my back. That was all... Right?

I couldn't fool myself for much longer. I had to talk to Edward. It was important, too. Maybe I couldn't marry him. I should marry Jacob.. That's what my Father wanted, and that's how he had planned out my life. Edward and I aren't together like that. Then I remembered the moment just hours earlier.

"I love you," he whispered.

My heart. I had definitely felt my heart flutter at his words. I was sure that he and I were the only ones that had heard them, but they still ment so much to me. And I hope they ment something to him as well.

As I had once thought, saying 'I love ya' wasn't the same as 'I love you', not the way that we said it. Maybe.. just maybe... I have always loved Edward and this is just bringing it out. Woah, wait a minute... did I just think that? I... love him? As more than a friend; than a brother? As I thought about the circumstances, I turned over on my back, and looked up to my ceiling. I love Emmett and Jasper, because they are truly the brothers I never had. I love Edward because...

My thoughts were cut off by the annoying buzz of my cell phone on my night stand. I groaned and rolled over on my stomach, just able to grab it.

I looked at it and noticed that I had a text from Edward. When I read the text I was surprised. It read:

This is it. I'm tired of this.

I was confused for a moment, so I took my time writing back,

What do you mean, Edward?

We are getting married. I don't care what it takes, but its happening.

????? Are you insane?

Yes. Now talk to your Mother. Tell her... tell her anything that it takes to get her to agree with the wedding.

Did you even hear her when she was at your house?

Yes, but that's not the point. I have a feeling that she will say yes. You have to talk to her though. You are our only hope. I felt the heat rise up to my cheeks at that. Wow... I guess I have to at least try this then. Still, I wrote back to him.

But she doesn't want us together

You wouldn't go to Las Vegas with me, and if we go then our parents would probably guess where we are.

I want to marry you.. but I don't think my Mom wants me to.

STAND up to her, Bella. I was shocked that he sent that, so I didn't reply. I just sat there for a moment thinking about what to do next. I think that maybe Edward was right. Perhaps I could just go ahead and talk to her about it. That would be knew. Still though...

How did he have so much confidence that this would work? And why didn't he jut go ahead and call me to begin with? This was all just too confusing. I had to sit there for a few minutes and think this through before I came to a conclusion. I then got up from my bed and walked over to the door. I put my hand on the glass door knob and I thought that I was going to be there forever, just looking down toward my hand.

Was I going to be able to do it?

I didn't know.. I wasn't too sure at this point. But all the more you can ever do is try. My Father's words rung in my ear, repeating themselves like a broken record. I couldn't find myself the least nit annoyed at that though.

I took a deep breath and turned the knob, opening the door.

When I did, I got a gust of cool air in my face, air conditioning being on, and then turned the corner and started walking. I didn't actually know my feet were moving until I was at the top of the stairs, looking at the bottom. I walked down them slowly, thinking. When I got to the last step, one of the butlers came up to me.

"Why hello there. Is there something I can help you with, Miss Bella?" he asked politely. I smiled; he had remembered to call me 'Bella' this time.

"Thank you, but I only want to know where my Mother is..?"

"Ah, yes. She is in the dining hall having lunch."

I thanked him and then went off to my left, toward the hall. I always thought that the thing was way too freaken big and that we could get a smaller one, but when we had the company parties here, there was always too little of room. Or just enough. Which wasn't too much fun at times. Especially when you wanted to hang out with your best friend and you couldn't because of where you were seated.

When I got there, I pushed open the door, and my Mother sat there, eating a sandwich and reading the paper. She looked at me briefly, but even in that moment hardly paid me any heed, and turned back to her paper, which was something that I wasn't going to be up for. I had to be strong. I had to do this. For my own life back, for my Father. And most importantly... for Edward and I... I shook my head to clear all thoughts from it.

"Mom," I started, wishing my shaky voice away, "this has got to stop." She finally looked up at me with some sort of interest and put down the paper. Swallowing the bit of sandwich that was in her mouth, she motioned me on with her hand to continue. "I am marrying Edward."

"Bella, do you really think that that is what your Father would have wanted--?"

"Stop saying that!" I think that we were both slightly surprised at my outburst. But I was tired of this and Edward was right. He always has been... Before she could snap at me for yelling at her in the first place, I decided to just go ahead and talk. No one liked hearing her anyway. "Look, this is my life, and I am not about to spend it with someone I don't care about. I love Edward, and you don't have to be a bitch about this whole thing." I watched as my Mother stood up from her seat and eyed me carefully.

"Young lady you will not speak to me in that manner--"

"I'll speak to you however the hell I want to!" I got up in her face, not really thinking; just doing. I wanted to show someone that I could do something. Stand up for myself.

"Not in my house you won't!"

"I am an adult, OK? And it is damn time that I started acting like one. I can make decisions for myself, and I don't need your permission to do something like this," I got up close to her as my voice started to rise. I felt the adrenaline start pumping through my veins, and I tried not to enjoy the feeling. "I can do this because it's my life, and there is no point in me being with Jacob. Not when I can be with someone that I love."

"Bella--!"

"Someone I truly love, Mom," I cut her off, knowing what she was going to say next. Telling me that I love someone wasn't something that I wanted to continuously hear, you know? She seemed to be contemplating this and all that has happened over the last few days. There was a small of silence, my breathing being the only thing that I could hear.

"Very well then," she said calmly, lowly. I felt myself relax and tried my best not to show it visibly. I knew my Mother, and if she said that she gave up, she was lying. She merely smirked at the look that I gave her. Called it. "Bella, I think that you should talk to our guests about this, don't you?" I looked at her confused, and then I heard the doorbell ring. "Ah," she said pleasantly, that signature smile in place, "right on time."

"What's going on?" I asked, watching her walk past me and soon followed. When we got out to the front room, I could see the butler from before greeting our guests. They turned to look at us and I gasped, placing my hand over my mouth. Several yards before us stood Billy and Jacob Black. The two people that I really didn't want to see right now. But as I stood there, watching my Mother greet them, I couldn't help but think about how big of an opportunity this could possibly be for me. I should have told Jacob alone to begin with. He must be crushed. I couldn't believe myself at that moment.

Then hearing my name snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Bella?" my Mother's voice, less Motherly by the minute, called to me. I walked over to where she was, which I hadn't even noticed that she had moved to begin with, and looked to Jacob.


Jacob P.O.V.

"H-Hey," Bella said, attentively. I could easily tell that she was nervous to be around me, but I didn't think that she should be. I mean, I got the reason, but that was something we could easily discuss.

"Hey, Bells," I said, trying to not let her know what exactly was bothering me. I had pretty much alienated myself from my Father once we were home. Home from Bella telling me that she didn't want to be my bride anymore, I mean. That was two days ago. Only two days ago... It had seemed like much longer, what with the long talks my Father made me endure since then. All these different ways of getting her back...

I couldn't think about that right at this moment. I had to talk to Bella alone, and that was something that I had put my mind to since we left the mansion.

"Jacob," my Father's gruff voice brought me and Bella back to the present; it seemed that she was in a world of her own thoughts as well, "why don't you and Bella go and talk in her room or something? I need to speak with this lovely lady here," he gestured toward Renee, "about some business that needs to be taken care of. Run along." She wasn't ever Motherly in anyway to me, but she was still one of those people that you some how manage to consider family. It was complicated, but it seemed to work in a way.

I watched as they walked away, Renee with her arm looped around my Father's and turned toward Bella. I whispered, as not to risk my Father hearing, "I need to talk to you." I could have sworn that I had heard a slight falter in my Father's step at those words, but I ignored it. It was probably nothing. He had been having walking problems for God knows how long, and I guess that it was finally catching up with him. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

"What about?" She was quick. It seemed that she had caught onto the whole 'whispering' thing. I looked over my should just in time to see my Father slipping around the corner, which had an elegant plant on a stool, in a vase, right by it. I grabbed Bella by the arm and started walking towards the stairs. I knew that I was significantly taller than her, and that I was walking fast even for my standards, but I knew that she would be able to keep up.

"Jacob, what are you--?"

"Sshh..." I silenced her, putting my finger up to my lips as I looked back at her. She again caught on and tried to keep up with my pace, which was now at three stairs per step. We were very soon at the top and I turned the corner to the hidden stairway. Climbing up those stairs, I counted the doors until I came to Bella's room. Going inside, I made sure that the door was locked behind us before I began speaking.

"Bella, we have to talk."

She just sat there on her bed and looked at me. I thought that she was going to say something, but she just kept opening and closing her mouth. That usually ment that she was in thought; she didn't want something to come out wrong. I smiled at her, and ran my fingers swiftly through my short black hair. Bella had gotten onto me about cutting it, saying that I was trying to change too much, but I thought that I looked better with it short. And over time she agreed as well. Eventually she took a breath to calm herself, and began speaking, slowly. "I had actually had a talk with my Mother about this just before you arrived."

I looked at her, debating on weather or not this was in fact the smartest move. Then I just swallowed my doubt, which had literally been creeping up my throat, and decided to not wussy out.

"You know what I want to talk about then?"

"What else were you planning on talking about?" she laughed slightly, despite the situation. I walked over and sat down on the bed beside her, feeling her eyes on me the whole time.

"I think that your Mother is being unreasonable about this whole thing... How much did you two talk about before I arrived?"

"I had told her that I in fact did love Edward, and that I was an adult... and that I can make these decisions for and by my own self. She doesn't need to be telling me who to marry for no good reason..."

"Bella, there was a reason. My Father had me planning this for months now, thinking that this would be the opportune moment. And then with the accident with Charlie..." I knew for a fact that I was rambling, trying so hard, so desperately to find the right words.

"Jacob?" she looked at me confused. "What are you talking about? You're making no sense."

"Bella, my Father wanted us to marry… just for the money."

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It will take two, maybe three more chapters to finally come out with the one that you have all been waiting for... The wedding. Remember to VOTE in the poll that is up. Check out my profile to choose the wedding theme and colors. Of course though, if you want me to add something, I will think about it just for you. But those are the two themes I liked, and there is a poll about the sequal.

Thanks you guys for all of the support. I hope I get... five reviews... but I think that I will be happy with whatever I get. My previous reviewers from the other chapters (especially the last one) helped me realize that. Love you guys!

And about the other chapter: I didn't put up that I wasn't going to update if I didn't just more review, just to get more reviews. I put that up because I honestly didn't feel like updating. But I had to put up this chapter so you would all just accept that fact. Thank you for the wonderful response.