AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for your reviews, I am going to crawl under a rock because I have a feeling that some of you may love this chapter while others will hate it. It will be a couple of days before I post again. I just wanted to get to this chapter because I knew a lot of you have been dying to get to this point and see how some issues will play out.

WARNING:

This story may contain content that could offend readers. Story will surround storylines involving acts of dominance such as domestic discipline. This story will not contain BDSM. This story will have spanking themes in later chapters. The following story will use mature language. This story has already been written and will contain character death in future follow ups. Lemons will not occur right away and not in every chapter this isn't Fifty Shades of fun. Please do not read this story if you think you may feel offended by the discussed themes.

Story is mine; the characters are borrowed from Stephenie Meyer.

CHAPTER TEN

Edward made me take the week off after my accident, even though by Wednesday I had started to feel mobile again. However the Academy Awards were the Sunday after and as much as I have always wanted to go I really didn't know if I could last the night. Edward looked at me like I was crazy for even bringing it up. He said that he already told them that we could not attend.

This prompted an argument in which I pointed out that he should go, I would be fine an evening by myself. But he was stern and told me that it was out of the question. He was being ridiculous if you asked me. The other argument we got into was over the car. First he wouldn't even entertain the idea of me paying him back for his Mercedes citing that he had excellent insurance and that they would be replacing the car but then he wanted to give me the Maserati. I vehemently denied it. I had already crashed one Mercedes there was no way I was going upgrade. Finally we settled on me loaning out the BMW for the time being. I told him that I would love to take one of his motorcycles, obviously I was joking but the look on his face told me that he wasn't about to laugh.

Alice, Charlotte, Kate and Esme all stopped by to keep me company throughout the week. It was nice having them around. After the burn by Embry, it really made me feel good that this group of women included me. Of course Angela had been by several times and at one point we even got into a heated argument because she was upset that I would feel the need to go home instead of crying on her shoulder. I told her about Embry Call and like the amazing friend she was, she said, "Fuck him." Solidarity through and through.

The week after the Academy Awards, Edward and I tried to get back to normal living. He had a pretty packed schedule. Between filming his drama Bill of Rights he also had a couple of final reshoots to do with Emmett on Italian Revenge. Thankfully due to his schedule he was not around much and I could fully put time in with logging footage at Edit/Smedit. My bank account now read zero dollars and the week that I was forced to take off really killed me.

I went back to living in my apartment and my supply of Raman had greatly diminished. It got so grave that I volunteered to Angel to go and pick up supplies from Costco on Monday just so I could eat my way around the superstore. My pride got in the way of asking Angela for money, I didn't want to hear again how I should just tell Edward. I even went all of Sunday without eating; I kept telling myself that this was some kind of diet that could help me lose the weight that so many factions seemed focused on. I was in desperate need of my paycheck from Edit/Smedit but that wouldn't be coming until Friday and it was currently Tuesday.

Edward pulled me into his office later that afternoon. He must have had a break from filming. His started kissing me like there was no tomorrow.

"God baby you know how much I have missed you. I hate this. Can't you just move in with me already?" He asked again for the thousandth time, ever since my accident Edward had constantly told me different reasons why I should move in with him. But I knew if I lived with him, there would be no way I could get away with my second job.

"Edward, I…I'm just not ready yet. Please just give me some time." I pleaded.

"Well at least say you will spend the night, I feel like I never see you anymore. Or if it makes you feel better I could come stay with you." He suggested.

"NO!" God that didn't come out right. "I mean I really want to get a full nights rest. I haven't been sleeping well lately and if you stay over tonight then I will have to wait up for you and your supposed to be on set until midnight." I said it all kind of rushed. I hoped he wouldn't notice my nerves.

"Bella what's going on? I feel like there is something you're not telling me." He guessed.

CRAP.

I started to shake my head. "I..I…I can't think of anything. I'm just tired is all." I'm sure my stuttering did nothing for my cause. He looked at me like he was trying to read my mine. I immediately started thinking of kittens and the color pink just in case he was.

Edward came over gave me a kiss on the forehead, looked at me one last time and then walked out. It was all very weird and kind of tense. I started to panic. What if he figured out that something was up. I was going to have to think on this to figure out a way to push his mind in another direction.

I sat at my desk the rest of the day, worried and hungry. Emmett had brought in bagels for everyone on Monday. At the time I was praising him like it was a gift from the gods. Since then the bagels had dwindled but I managed to find a half still in the bag. I smothered it with the cream cheese that was in the refrigerator and said hello to my breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At six I sent a text to tell Edward that I hoped he had a good filming day and I would see him tomorrow. I may have added a bunch of X's and O's to make up for earlier.

I drove to the editing studio and got there just as Larry was walking out the door. Larry was Brian's brother and I think he may have had a crush on me. Ever since I told him that it was okay to kiss my cheek if he asked my permission first he always sought me out. I knew that he wasn't supposed to be out here by himself.

"Larry what are you doing? You know you should be inside." I scolded him.

He came running over to me, "May I kiss you?"

I smiled and took his hand, "Yes Larry on my cheek." He kissed me on my cheek and I took him by the hand and brought him back inside the studio.

I dropped Larry off with Brian, who thanked me profusely for finding his brother. I set off to my corner and sat there for several long hours. Once again it was three am when I left the editing studio. I was exhausted, my stomach hurt and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. Instead of driving all the way back to my apartment I decided to sneak back into the production offices and sleep in Edwards little bedroom next to his office.

I didn't even change I just passed out on the bed unaware of the world until nine am the next morning when my phone started to ring. I woke with a jolt and looked over at my phone. Edward's name appeared.

"Hello" I said still trying to catch my breath.

"Where are you?" Wow he didn't sound pleasant today.

"Uh… I just got here. What's wrong?" I inquired.

"I need you to bring the gym bag from the closet in my office. Think you can handle that?"

Something was wrong. Something was seriously wrong. Edward never talked to me with the tone he had now. I didn't want to argue, I would see what was going on in person.

"Yeah I'll bring it straight away."

"Soundstage three." He said and then hung up. I sat there staring at the phone, what was wrong with him?

I tried to fix my hair real fast into a pony tail. I still had on my clothes from yesterday. Great I was about to do the walk of shame without even getting some sex.

By the time I walked all the way down to soundstage eight, I felt horrible. It was abnormally hot for March but that's what you get when you live in California. His bag seemed to weigh fifty pounds. What the hell did he have in here? A dead body?

When I arrived Emmett, Jasper and Edward were talking fiercely in the corner. Jasper had his arms crossed and Edward was talking animatedly. I slowly approached heaving the heavy bag over to Edward.

"This isn't the right bag." He accused. Wow no good morning. No I missed you Bella. He thrust the bag back into my arms.

"Edward is there something wrong?" I asked cautiously.

He stared at me, he looked pissed.

"Just bring me the right bag next time." He huffed and turned to walk away. I stood there a moment wondering what the hell was going on. I tried to keep my tears at bay while I walked all the way back to the production offices.

I found another bag in Edward's closet and took that one on the long trek back to soundstage three. When I got back everyone was kind of milling around outside the stage. Edward was talking with Jasper, it seemed his mood had not improved.

I walked up and handed him the correct bag.

"About time." Edward spit.

"Okay that's it. What the hell is your problem?" I exclaimed.

Edward dropped the bag on the floor and came closer to me. "I don't know Bella, why don't you tell me."

I sat there confused, oh god did he find out about my parents bankruptcy?

"I followed you last night; I've notice how distant you have become the last couple of weeks so finally I got up the nerve to follow you."

Oh god this was it. Angela warned me about this.

"What did I find Bella? My Bella or so I had thought you were my Bella. Until I saw that man kissing you."

WHAT! Edward thought I was cheating on him!

"You think I would cheat on you?" I said outraged.

"You seemed pretty cozy to me." He accused.

My heart was pounding. There were tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe that he would think that I was capable of such a horrific thing.

I started shaking my head. Yes I had been lying to him for the past month or so about my second job but he didn't know just how much crap was on my plate. I have had to deal with paparazzi. I have had to deal with secret societies and publicist tearing me down. Car accidents and rejections. My parents financial issues. That was it. This was the last straw.

"Fuck you." I uttered. "You can take this job and shove it up your ass. I quit."

I started to walk away but then for one last stand I announced. "And just so you know Edward, the man you saw kissing my cheek, his name is Larry and he may be mentally challenged but he treats me with a lot more respect then have shown me."

I turned around shaky and began to march back to the office. My body felt like it was shutting down, organ after organ. I started shaking, I felt like I couldn't breathe. The sun beating down on me. I had only made it a couple of feet away from Edward before dizziness overtook me and my body crashed to the ground.

There was a lot of commotion; I could feel someone holding me when I came to. It was Emmett he placed me on a table. I could hear them call for an ambulance. I still felt foggy.

"Bella. Bella." Edward called over and over.

"Edward back off." Emmett roared.

"Bella the ambulance is on its way." Emmett informed.

"No. No. I can't afford it…No." I struggled to get out.

"Don't worry about that. You're going to be okay."

I was so disoriented. The EMT's arrived and started the procedure to prep me for the ride. They tried asking me questions but I was of no use. Until they asked who was going to ride with me. Edward volunteered but I found it in me to protest.

"No I want Emmett. Emmett." I cried.

Emmett pushed Edward aside and climbed in to sit with me. He held my hand. I couldn't move because they had strapped me in rather well. Emmett tried to comfort me over and over.

The next thing I remember was someone trying to put an IV in my arm, this time I fought with everything left I had in me which apparently wasn't enough. Emmett helped with holding me down but the exertion caused me to pass out again.

When I awoke there was a nurse checking on me. I felt marginally better. A doctor walked in with Emmett and Edward. I couldn't for the life of me understand why Edward seemed to care all of the sudden.

"Miss Swan glad to see you're awake. I need to ask you some questions." The doctor said.

I slowly nodded my head.

"Can you tell me what the last thing you ate was?"

I started to think. I hadn't eaten anything today maybe that's why I passed out.

"I had half a bagel and cream cheese yesterday." I said softly.

"Alright what was the last full meal you had?" he continued.

"I ate a Raman on Saturday evening." I looked down unable to see what Edward's reaction was to this line of questioning.

"Miss Swan it is Wednesday, I think it is safe to say that this maybe the cause for your fainting spell. You are malnourished and severely dehydrated, you need to eat. Is there a reason you have not been eating?"

I slowly shook my head.

"I need to know if you are suffering from an eating disorder." He probed.

"No." I whispered.

I heard Edward huff and walk out of the room. Emmett chased after him.

The doctor told me that a nurse would check in on me and I would be released in a couple of hours.

I sat there thinking about the day's events. Edward thought I was cheating on him. I sighed and shook my head. I had been sitting alone for twenty minutes when Edward busted through my door.

He seemed even more pissed than before. "What is this?" he fumed as he tossed a tabloid on my lap. I slowly picked up the magazine. On the front page was a picture of me. A smaller picture of my parents and the headline.

Isabella Swan Using Edward Cullen's Cash to Save Parents from Bankruptcy

I started shaking.

"How could you keep something like this from me? And don't deny it Angela broke down in the waiting room and told me all about it. She told me about your second job. She told me that you hardly ate because you couldn't afford it." Edward's voice kept rising.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." I chanted quietly still grasping onto the tabloid.

"Bella how could you do this to me?" Edward yelled.

"Do this to you? This has nothing to do with you." I yelled back. I looked down at the magazine. "How could they have done this?" I whimpered.

"You have been lying to me."

"Who gives a shit, Edward? Look at what they have done, they publicly humiliated my parents. My parents don't deserve this. My parents are good people. This is my life we are talking about." I screamed.

Emmett rushed into the room, "What the hell is going on? I could hear you both down the hall."

"Just get him out of here. And here take your little magazine with you." I threw the tabloid at Edward. It hit him in the arm and dropped to the floor. His eyes were on fire, he turned and walked out.

As soon as he was gone I got up from the bed.

"What are you doing, Bells?" Emmett asked.

"I'm going to find my parents and apologize and make sure they are okay." I ripped the tape off my arm that held my IV. I almost was able to yank the needle from my arm when Emmett stopped me.

"Stop. Right now Bella." Emmett said as he wrestled the tape back on my arm.

"Get in bed." He ordered.

"Let me go." I screamed.

Emmett turned me around and laid a smack so hard on my ass I yelped. I can't believe he just did that. I stared at him in shock.

"Get in bed." He said lethally. I was never more afraid of Emmett except that night with James when he saved me.

I complied and laid back down my tears falling down on my pillow.

I laid there and thought about everything the past month. All the lies I told to keep this from Edward and it didn't do a damn bit of good. I know you probably think that I'm some selfish asshole but change places with me and then tell me how you feel. I cried for my parents, I tried to do everything for them and it just wasn't enough. I cried for my failure of a relationship which yes I know I was to blame. I was twenty-two years old; I had no job, no money, and no boyfriend. I lost it all, I was officially another Hollywood travesty.

A half hour later I heard someone enter, I looked over to see who it was.

Edward.

I turned back around facing the window. Edward climbed into bed with me. I didn't even have the strength to argue with him anymore. I was officially spent.

"Isabella you're going to listen to me carefully." Edward said quietly next to my ear. His tone spoke volumes for what he was about to say. This was his "don't fuck with me" tone.

"I will not argue with you so I advise that you listen and not protest. I have spoken with your father. He came here with your mother today, and Charlie and I have come to an agreement. I have taken care of your parent's debt and ensured that they will have a comfortable lifestyle. This is no longer of concern to you and it is a matter between your father and I. Secondly you will be quitting your second job. You will not need the money because as of today I will ensure that there is ten thousand dollars in your account at all times. You will be moving in with me, as you have proven that you cannot be responsible for yourself. I am done, Isabella. My disappointment in your actions the past month is unparalleled and it will take a great deal of time before I place trust in you again. I am done with your lies and deceit. You have failed to comply with the three things I require from you. Your pride jeopardized your health by not eating properly. Your stubbornness endangered your safety by staying out countless nights at your second job. There were numerous times you could have come to me but you failed and impaired your overall wellbeing. The doctor is going to discharge you in a little while. You will be coming home with me and you will follow my instructions or I will add on to your punishment. Is anything I have said to you unclear?"

I swallowed harshly. I slowly shook my head afraid to speak aloud.

"Rest now. You and I have a lot to talk about when we get home." Edward kissed my head and got up.

"Oh and Isabella" Edward called out to me; I slowly looked over my shoulder at him. "If I ever hear you attempt to pull out your IV again prematurely, I will have you put in restraints and I will deal with your infraction at home."

I gulped. He turned and walked out of the room. I flopped my head back down on the pillow and let out a huge breath that I had been apparently holding. I laid there thinking of Edward's little speech. A few moments before I couldn't wait to be discharged from the hospital but now I was thinking about begging the nurse to let me stay.

My brain didn't know which way to go. I wanted to see my parents to make sure that they were okay. But my mind also started to focus on this impeding punishment that I was going to have to endure. And yes I was going to endure it because I knew that what I had done was wrong on so many levels. I loved this man and I had lied over and over to him. I'm lucky that he still even loves me. I would take my punishment because it was the least I could do to try to make amends. I was sure it was going to be worse than anything I have had to withstand in the past. I think the anticipation was giving me a headache. I wasn't happy about the bank account thing; Edward had inadvertently turned me into the gold digger the tabloids painted me out to be. As far as the money he had given to my parents I couldn't find an argument in me, after everything I had tried to do for them, I failed. If I could make it up to them for the embarrassment they were going to have to suffer this was a way to do it. Knowing that they would be taken care of was some type of apology. Having to move in with Edward was inevitable. I held off for so long so I could keep up with my lies to keep the second job. I was sad in a way to be leaving Edit/ Smedit. Brian had been good to me and I was sure going to miss Larry.

I didn't know how to feel about Angela, sure she had broken her promise to me and told Edward about what I had been up to but I also knew I deserved it after all I had put her through. That was a bridge I was going to have to mend.

Edward walked back into my hospital room when the nurse came bearing the discharge papers. It seemed like I was becoming a pro and signing these. That's twice in the past couple of weeks.

As soon as she left Edward helped with getting me ready to take me "home."

"I asked your parents to come by tomorrow for dinner. I know they wanted to see you but I told them that you were still resting and I felt it best if you had the rest of the day and evening to do so peacefully."

I nodded my head, still afraid to say anything. I felt like I had been sent to the principal's office and now my "parent" was coming to take me home. Lord knows what was going to await me when we arrived back at his house.

We got into Edwards car and headed home, neither of us speaking the entire journey until we reached Edwards street.

"When we arrive home I want you upstairs in bed. I will make you a suitable meal and bring it up. Do you understand?" He asked.

"Yes." I whispered.

We rode up to the long driveway. When Edward unlocked the door, he waited and watched me follow his directions from below in his entrance hall.

Not wanting to piss this man off any further I complied with his request and waited for the food. I was sure that Edward was going to demand I eat every bit of it due to my lack of nutrition the past couple of weeks.

Sure enough Edward arrived with a steak and potato, a green salad and a banana requesting I finish it all.

Edward sat beside me on the bed with a plate of his own.

"I want to discuss your punishment, but first I want you to talk with me and help me understand what exactly you have been thinking the past couple of weeks. I'm sure I can probably guess but I still would like to hear it from your mouth and hope that as you talk with me you may begin to see just why I am so upset with you. After which I will make my final decision on your punishment."

I sat there for a moment trying to form an adequate argument in my head. I felt like I was on trial for my life and Edward was judge, jury and executioner.

If it pleases the court, I would like to take this opportunity and beg for mercy.

"I went home that day that Angel caught us. You had asked me to tell my parents of our relationship, before I told them they said they had something they needed to discuss with me. When my dad told me about the house and the inevitability of losing it, he broke down. It killed me inside because my dad was supposed to retire soon and now it didn't look like that was going to happen. I had some savings and turned it over to the bank in hopes that they may back off. I sent the bank a check after every paycheck I received. I couldn't tell you, because I knew that you would just throw money at my parents and I felt that this wasn't your problem. I was already afraid of people thinking I was just with you for your money so if I asked you for help this would have made it worse. I saw headline after headline trying to smear my name and it made me more and more resolved to not say anything. Of course I had to tell Angela since she would notice my absence after securing the second job. But it started to weigh on her too, having to lie to you if you ever asked questions. Finally she told me that she couldn't handle it anymore so I was on my own after that. You and I started having issues in our relationship so for a couple of weeks my second job became my sanity. I know what I did was wrong. I know I should never have lied to you. I know that you should break up with me, it would serve me right. I am so sorry, Edward. I didn't lie to you to hurt you; I just didn't want you having to take on the burden of my family's financial problems. I didn't think it was fair to you. I want to be with you and if that means that I have to face some sort of punishment from you, I will humble myself and endure it."

"I have told you time and time before that your problems, Isabella Swan are my problems. When will you understand this? What am I going to have to do to make you grasp that concept?" he said harshly.

His anger startled me; I couldn't help but let out a whimper. Edward got up and placed his tray on the table in his room. He then came back and picked up mine as well. I guess this was it. He was readying himself for my punishment.

I started to shake as I shrunk down into the covers. Edward sat back down with his back resting on the large pillows that decorated the headboard.

"Come here." He commanded.

I slowly got up and started to put myself in position but he stopped me.

"Sit on my lap facing me." Edward ordered.

Cautiously I brought my leg over his legs and straddled him, sitting upon his upper legs. I was facing him but my eyes were cast down as I sniffled pathetically.

"Look at me." He ordered softly. I rose my eyes to his blinking away the tears that had pooled. "I'm not going to punish you today. Starting tomorrow I want you to come here to our bedroom at ten pm and wait for me by the bench with your lower half fully exposed. You have lied to me the past seven weeks so for the next seven days you will stand by the end of our bed and wait till I arrive. I will spank you each night until I see fit."

I looked down for a moment.

"Keep your eyes on me, Isabella." He commanded. "At the end of the seven days I am going to reassess the situation and decide whether you need further chastisement. Since it is obvious that I cannot trust you, for the next month I will be monitoring your every move. Consider yourself grounded for the time being. Everything you would like to do, you must ask for permission first. Whether you wish to walk down to Starbucks or go out for an evening, I expect you to ask first. Lastly since it's clear that we need to work on communication, I expect you and I to have a conversation every evening before bed. You will tell me about your day, any new developments or worries you have. I suggest that you refrain from keeping secrets or anything of the sort from me. If I do find that you have not been a hundred percent honest with me, I will spank you for another seven days. Now is there anything you feel unclear about?"

I instantly shook my head afraid that any stalling on my part would result in further punishment.

"Well its getting late, why don't you go ready yourself for bed. I want begin our nightly conversations when you return." I unsteadily got up from his lap, he helped me down off the bed. As I was walking toward his bathroom he spoke again.

"We are not going to work tomorrow, I felt that the day would be better spent cleaning out your apartment."

I stopped in my tracks.

"But I quit." I said perplexed. I was thinking about my dramatic "fuck you" moment from earlier.

"I really don't consider a fuck you as a proper two-week in writing resignation. If you would rather not be my assistant anymore then I will help you find a suitable position but not until after your restriction ends."

I turned back around to go to the bathroom. Here I had hung on to my apartment for so long because I like the freedom I felt I had but now in one day I was stripped of my freedoms. I know I deserved it but still this was all rather confusing as well. I couldn't even think about the next seven days.

I brushed my teeth, washed my face and took out my contacts. When I arrived back to the bedroom, Edward was already undressed. He switched off with me and took his leave to the bathroom. I sat on the bed playing with my hair. I looked over at the place I was supposed to stand bare for the next seven days and pictured myself waiting for Edward to arrive.

Seven days was nothing in a lifetime but the next seven days were about to be one of the longest weeks of my life.