Chapter 11

I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around all he told me. I needed to sleep on it, too much information in too little time. I could almost feel the smoke coming out of my pores, for I was burning inside with the pain my grandma must have felt.

I needed a distraction, because I didn't want to have a breakdown at the time, so I directed my thoughts elsewhere. There was a question that had been haunting me for a while.

"Henry, do you know Lord Edward Cullen?"

Henry, who was still shivering slightly by my side and inhaling in shallow breaths, breathed deeply before answering me.

"You met him." It was more a statement than a question.

"Do you know him?" Just answer me Henry… I could feel the unwanted tension escalating between us.

"I do, he is..." he hesitated, searching for the best word, "a distant relative. He actually is currently working for me on the a.m. project, in collaboration with his sister, Alice. How well do you know him, Bella?" he asked with a nearly palpable edge to his voice.

"I met him at Rosalie's office, she´s my sister-in-law. He had a few meetings with her about the a.m. advertising campaign. I suppose you know this, don't you?" I was beginning to suspect that Rosalie's contract with the a.m. brand was more than a coincidence.

"Yes, I will not lie to you. I needed someone to take care of the advertising and I knew she was here so I mentioned her name to Edward when he started looking for a publicity company. He agreed with the suggestion… She's perfectly competent, you know?" he asked defensively.

Does he know everything about me? Does he know everything about my family?

"How much spying did you do, Henry, honestly?" I nearly choked at voicing this thought out loud. There was no doubt that he had been spying on me and my family for a long time, I knew as much before.

"It wasn´t spying," he defended himself, "I had someone looking for Marie so I was given a lot of information about your family. I never deliberately pried into your private life. I know I didn't behave in a very gentlemanlike manner with your grandmother, but I assure you I have the utmost respect for you." He paused to steady his faltering voice before continuing, "But since you were the one who brought up the subject, I feel I have the right to inquire of you - why did you ask me about Edward Cullen?" He nearly spat the name.

"I went out on a date with him," I answered him shortly.

"When did that happen?" he asked in a very Charlie-like manner. I could have asked him if he met my father as well but I was too distracted by the tone of his voice. Was he really trying to scold me like a sixteen-year-old?

"We had dinner yesterday. It was nice, actually. He was the perfect gentleman," I tried to say as soothingly as possible, and tried to offer him an earnest smile. He was avoiding my question.

"I'm sure he was. Bella, I know that I have no right to interfere in your life, especially after what I told you tonight, but I'd like to know how you feel about him…"

How do I feel about him? I have no idea… we just met!

"He's nice, he seems intelligent…"

"Although…?" Henry asked, sensing that I was about to qualify my opinion.

"There's something… unsettling about him," I conceded.

"I just… I worry about you. I know I'm stretching all conventions here asking you this, but I can't help the need to guard you from any harm. And that's what Edward Cullen is… harmful. Where did he take you?"

"Well, Your Grace, where I come from that's called prying…"

He was silent for a second, absorbing my rebuke. His faced was marked with worry and he sighed loudly. I felt guilty for being the reason for the change in his countenance. He suffered enough for one night, probably for a lifetime, so I decided it wasn't worth the guilty conscience issues that I'd probably have the following day. I told him without lingering on the details what had happened the night before. I knew he was manipulating me to an extent but decided to disregard it.

"Anyway," I sighed, "if you don't like him, why do you work with him?"

"Actually, this is Alice's project, she's extremely talented. When she came to me a couple of years ago and showed me her work, I knew that if we worked well we actually might have a chance to turn her ideas into a profitable business. She needed the distraction and to affirm herself as an individual apart from her family so I decided to help her. She has been lost for a few years," he said vaguely, "but she's finally mending the pieces back together. She knew pain all too well at a very young age. She was given a hard cross to bear… I could relate to her in more ways than she would ever suspect and that's why I helped funding a.m. store. The first we opened last year in London, and then we decided to expand our market to Australia. Although all original ideas behind the concept of the store are hers, one could say that Edward is the one with the knack for management, so even though I'm personally not very fond of him - and I'm putting it mildly - he helps her managing the company. I don't always agree with him or his methods, but I have to admit that he is a brilliant businessman. I should know," he chuckled darkly, "he interned in my company directly under my supervision. I only grew aware of his character in the last couple of years. There are some things, my lovely child," he added, turning his red stained eyes to me and breathing unevenly, "that I'm not sure even God can forgive. His sins were… nearly as great as my own, but there is no sign of remorse in his heart, no hint of penance in his soul."

Did I want to know? No, I didn't. Edward would be just a memory in a couple of days, a green, staggering memory that would soon fade away. We were both quiet for a few minutes before Henry uttered in a rough, barely audible voice, "It'll suit him perfectly."

I turned my head suddenly towards him.

"What?"

"My title; you see, he's the next Duke of Vidal. The eleventh, to be precise," he chuckled humorlessly.

"You're really related to him then?" I already had a strong suspicion but I waited for his response, his confirmation, holding my breath.

"Well, as related as one need to be... My father was his grandfather's cousin so I don't consider him a close relative. But he is my closest male relative so he will inherit the title since his father, Edward More, died a long time ago. I don't think that Alice was even born when he died," he rambled.

"It must have been very hard for them," I mused. I still had some emotional scars from my parents' divorce and they were both alive and well. "He did mention that he was going to inherit a title from his biological father's side. When I found out that Alice's last name was More it clicked that you might be related. But I wonder why he changed his last name when his sister hasn't." I was starting to feel a little gossipy. I knew it was none of my business, but Henry was the one who had started prying and nothing made much sense to me.

"That's something I can only speculate. As for the facts, he changed his last name a few years ago after his adoptive father, Carlisle Cullen, the Earl of Avon, who married his mother a few years after his father passed. I don't know why Alice didn't, although I suspect she'll always be a true More," he stated simply, as if I could grasp the meaning behind his words.

What makes a true More?

We had been driving around in circles for over half an hour, stopping at the red lights and moving forward at the green with no destination. I thought initially he was driving me home, but the streets were foreign to me.

"Where are we heading, Your Grace?" Mathew asked, sharing my own thoughts at the time.

"Actually, we have a party to attend, if Bella would be kind enough to accompany me."

It was nearly midnight, so the party he was thinking of was probably the one I didn't want to go to.

"What party, Henry?" My eyes widened in anticipation.

"The a.m. after party, of course. It will take place at a pristine club here in Sydney. I told Edward I wouldn't be there for it's not the kind of event that usually holds my interest… Tonight I'm willing to make an exception; I think we should go. It's a waste that pretty dress isn't shown to the world. I recognized it. It's one of Alice's early creations, isn't it? She showed me a sketch a couple of years ago that resembled the dress you're wearing tonight."

I felt my cheeks growing warmer… I'm going to kill Rosalie; maybe I wasn't supposed to be wearing it.

"I believe it is," I said, a little embarrassed.

"And it looks lovely on you," he assured me. "You wouldn't deny this old man the joy of having your company to the opening party of a store he helped fund?" he asked with the softest voice I ever heard him use. It was almost alluring and I knew instantly what he was doing; nevertheless, I didn't have the desire to refuse him.

"It's the after party," I corrected him softly. "I didn't know you liked clubbing, Henry, I believe you said so yourself."

"There's nothing wrong with clubbing," he chuckled lightly. "If I were 40 years younger I'd be dancing with you, all night long. But, constricted by the limits of age and illness, I'm afraid this will be probably the only time I'll take you, as you put it, clubbing."

"There is something that you should see," he added, his voice darkening a little.

"Fine by me," I tried to convey as much enthusiasm as possible, but I was a little frightened by the uncertainty of the night's events. Would Edward still be there? It's not like I owed him anything, but he did ask me if I had plans for tonight. I felt a tad mischievous appearing at his party, unannounced like that.

"Mathew, you heard the lady," Henry said, smiling at me.

"Of course, Your Grace."

"Bella, I have a small early Christmas gift for you. I've been carrying it in my pocket all night but the ideal moment hasn't presented itself yet," he glanced at me nervously, grabbing a small black box from his pocket.

"You don't have to buy me anything, Henry. You know that, right?" I asked him, my tone clearly accusatory.

"I do, but I wanted to. Please, Bella," he sighed.

I made no movement to accept it. Just looking at the box told me that it was something expensive. What is it with the More family and the need to show ostentation? I thought instantaneously of Edward. It was unnerving that my thoughts seemed to go in circles, always ending up at the same place, on the same person. I couldn't help but think that they were related in more ways than Henry apparently recognized.

"A lady does not refuse a present from a friend when there's no hidden intention behind it," he scolded me, while gently opening my hand to place the soft dark box in my palm.

I glared at him and he chuckled under his breath, amused by the situation.

"You're too much like her, even for your own good. Come on, you stubborn girl, open it and tell me if you like them. And before you ask, don't even think about making any comment about the price."

"Let me guess," I interrupted him, "a lady does not do that?"

"Certainly not," he said as if horrified, but I could tell he was joking.

I opened it and for a moment all I could see was the glistening of the perfect gems contained in the box. In my hand rested a pair of medium-sized drop earrings with a pear-shaped and a few round diamonds set in platinum. They looked expensive. I probably had more money within that little box than in my bank account. I started shaking my head slightly, nervously thinking about how I could return the gift.

"Don't even think about it, Bella," Henry warned me.

"It's too much…" was all I could choke out. I'm not typically a material girl… It was scary how much money he was inclined to spend on me. How much he had already spent.

In the back of my head there was a piercing scream, I'm not her… but he missed it.

He took one earring out of the box and urged me to put it on. I hesitantly placed it in my right ear, replacing the earring I had on before with the new one.

"It didn't hurt much, did it? You should indulge me, it makes me happy. Now you're positively perfect, my child. Please put the other on so we can go."

I realized we were stopping. I could see the entrance of the club crowded by reporters through the tainted windows. Mathew left the car and I saw several of Henry's bodyguards positioning themselves to escort Henry out.

He stepped out of the car first. Reporters encircled the car and I could hear whispers, each asking who was arriving at the club.

Henry squeezed my hand softly, saying calmly, "They are going to take some pictures, Bella. They're probably not expecting me to attend the party. Just hold onto my arm, ignore their questions and smile. We'll be soon escorted inside where you can relax, ok?"

I nodded and swallowed hard as Henry left the car first.

"Oh my god, it's Lord Henry More!" I heard one voice say, without being able to place it.

He stood calmly just outside the car, holding his hand out for me, his head slightly bowed in my direction like the true gentleman he was, helping me to get out of the car. I held lightly onto his arm, straightening myself up, and all of a sudden I was blinded by flashes.

"Smile for the pictures," Henry reminded me. I tried to follow his instructions.

Several questions were shouted in our direction, all of them faceless behind the lights.

"How long have you been in Australia?"

"Who is accompanying you?"

"Lord Henry, who is the young lady accompanying you?"

"Miss, what are you wearing?"

"I guess you can respond to that question, Bella," Henry whispered in my ear.

"It's an Alice More original," I said with as much confidence as I could summon at the time.

After a few moments, we were escorted inside by Henry's bodyguards. As we entered the club I was received by a very surprised and confused Rosalie Swan at the club's entrance.

"What…" she started, but I interrupted her before she could go any further.

"Rosalie, let me introduce you to my friend. This is Henry More, the Duke of Vidal."

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Mrs. Swan," Henry said, kissing Rose's right hand gently while he looked her straight in the eyes. It was beyond me how he managed not to make that offensive.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Rosalie answered politely.

"Please, call me Henry," he said earnestly.

"Please, call me Rosalie then. I'm sorry for not receiving you properly, but I was told you weren't attending the party."

"I know, it was an impetuous decision. I convinced Bella to accompany me at the very last minute," he said, smiling at me kindly. "Edward mentioned that you did a very good job with this campaign, so I decided to come and see it for myself. He hardly ever offers compliments to anyone."

"Thank you, Your Grace."

"Henry," he corrected her softly, and she blushed. She blushed! I giggled quietly, but I wasn't very successful at hiding my amusement.

"Isabella," Henry reprimanded me, "that's not very polite."

I smirked at him; he was clearly amused himself.

"You shouldn't be amused by other people's embarrassment."

"You're right, it is not how a lady should behave and I apologize if I offended you."

Rosalie observed our interaction through curious eyes, but any comment she might have had she kept to herself.

"So, Rosalie, could you show us where Edward is? We don't want to be seen by him, though…"

She was confused by the request and hesitated a little.

"I believe I can do that. Please, follow me."

She led us up a huge stairway that appeared to link the club's three floors. The first seemed to be the dance floor; the electronic music was playing loudly and I could see glimpses of sweaty, exposed skin glistening with the blinding lights. I looked over at Henry, who frowned almost imperceptibly yet managed to maintain his perfect composure. It was easy to understand that this wasn't his environment of choice.

We continued ascending slowly to the second floor, where we could see long tables in black and green shades adorned with a blend of flowers arranged in intricate patterns, where people gathered around dressed in the most exquisite clothing, hair done to perfection. The music wasn't as loud as below and the buzz of several overlaid conversations was the main background tune. There were occasional flashes so I guessed a lot of the guests and models were there.

As we approached the last level of the club, Rosalie started to slow down and stopped only a few steps away from the entrance to the third floor. Henry gripped the railing for support; he was showing a few signs of dyspnea. He was as tired as expected, given his condition and a long, emotional day. I cursed myself internally because I should have known better.

"Bella, I feel like I have to warn you that Edward has company… Tanya Denali," she stuttered worriedly.

"I didn't expect him to be here alone, Rosalie."

I felt both Rosalie and Henry staring at me questioningly and I felt like telling them that I wasn't that naïve, they were both being overprotective, but I restrained myself. Instead I told them, "It's not like we're in a relationship. He asked me if I had plans for today, which I did," I said, looking matter-of-factly at Henry, "so why would I be surprised by the fact that he brought another date with him?"

The question was rhetorical; they were silent for a few moments.

"I believe that's beside the point now," Henry said simply. "That's not all I need you to see. He's poisonous, my sweet Bella, and I can see the doubt in your eyes when we say his name. I need to make sure that there is no question whatsoever in your heart and mind about his character. I know he wouldn't bother pursuing you if he weren't expecting something in return. He doesn't usually make that kind of effort, it's not… his style. I can only begin to guess why he wants to gain your affection. You're leaving in a week, and as far as I know he's going back to London in a couple of days. If he just wanted different female company - and I'm sorry because what I'm going to say is probably going to offend you - he could have found someone else easily, someone eager to give him everything he might ask without asking anything in return."

"Nice euphemism, Henry," I said sarcastically. The night was getting weirder by the minute and I wasn't enjoying it, not even a bit. What would Edward gain by trying to get close to me?

"I beg your pardon, I was crude and out of line." I knew he didn't actually mean it so I only nodded in his direction.

"Please, Rosalie, we want to remain undetected for as long as possible. Can you really arrange that?"

"I can try, but you made quite an entrance. It's kind of hard to miss that…" Rose pointed out.

"He probably doesn't know we´re here yet, let´s make the most of that," Henry said, gesturing up. He had already steadied his breathing and resumed our ascent.

As we entered the third floor, I could notice the change in the atmosphere. Everything was quieter. Soft jazz music resounded in the back across the soft, oversized red couches organized around small black square tables with centre candles surrounded by pearls organized perfectly in disarray. The walls were covered with modern art that was perfectly consonant with an elegant bar that stood in the middle of the room. The waiters moved around it with deliberate grace, each move pondered and measured. I could tell everything in this room was outlined meticulously to convey a sense of expensive coziness. I found the space too pretentious and decided I didn't like it when I glanced around for a second look. However, there were no photographers in sight, so I sighed in relief.

I only noticed that I wasn't moving anymore when Henry silently urged me to follow Rosalie, who was gesturing to a vacant table in a quiet corner. We sat there quietly and one of the employees approached soon after. Henry ordered us a bottle of wine I didn't recognize. About ten minutes after our arrival, Rosalie received a phone call and had to excuse herself - some of the models were a little out of control on the one of the lower floors, so we were left alone, looking around and sipping our wine without talking. After a few minutes I was still waiting for Henry to initiate conversation. He didn't, and the silence felt like the prelude to the storm. His eyes were focused somewhere in the distance. Reflexively, I looked around; the light was dim and all I could discern in the distance were vague shades and shapes. But as I looked closer, something caught my attention: on the other side of the room, partially hidden by the bar, I saw a very distinct shade of copper hair. It gave him away immediately.

He was standing up, not looking in my direction, chatting animatedly with a tall, lean strawberry blonde woman clinging onto his arm. I assumed she was Tanya Denali. He leaned his head towards her, listening to something she was saying close to his ear. Their familiarity couldn't go unnoticed. Soon after, she turned away, doing her catwalk thing and moving her hips seductively.

"Henry, what do you intend with this?" I was no longer amused or willing.

Edward waited a couple of minutes before he left in the same direction she had gone. Henry's eyes were focused on me; he was assessing my reactions.

"She calls herself - and I quote - the soon-to-be fiancée, but I know he has no intentions of marrying her," he said coldly.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with me!" I told him, a little exasperated.

"You don't find that misleading her is wrong? I'm not sure her character is much better than his or that her reasons are purely those of the heart. Do you know that they are staying in the same hotel room? I had a meeting with him and she came along… insufferable, silly girl! She flaunts herself posing in a relationship that exists only either in a random bed or on the cover of some gossip magazine. I couldn't count how many women warmed his bed in the last couple of years they were together, and I'm afraid she's aware of his womanizing. I guess she was taught that was to be expected. Besides, she'll do anything to secure him, he's considered to be quite a catch…"

"I still don't see how that has anything to do with me, Henry. There is no need for you to insist we carry on with this, whatever this is. I went out on a date with him once and I can assure you that I won't go again even if he begs me to. I didn't know he had a girlfriend." But I still went out with him after Rosalie's advice. Oh God! I was starting to have a vasovagal response.

"Anyway, this vacation is going to be over soon," I tried to rationalize. "You said yourself that he's leaving in a couple of days. I'll never see him again!"

"The thing is, Bella, I'm certain that you will. I need you to be prepared to deal with him, with his kind…" he nearly spat in disgust.

Did I tell him that Edward is going to call me tomorrow?

Maybe I did and that's why he was being so pushy. He was probably just trying to play a grandfatherly role with me.

"I won't pick up the phone tomorrow," I assured him.

He looked at me questioningly but I couldn't make much of it as a wave of nausea hit me. My palms were perspiring from nervousness at the realization I just had: I'm Jessica Stanley!

I was the Jessica to that Tanya girl.

I felt a pang of disgust overtake me. I knew that there was no way I could know… or was there? I should have guessed… I suspected as much when we were having our picnic the previous day… and I still allowed him to kiss me. I deepened it, rejoiced in it… Oh my god.

All of a sudden a very fresh wound was reopened and I found no solace in the distance because the landmark of treason was mere feet from me. I hated Michael and Jessica with a renewed ardor… almost as much as I hated myself at the moment.

"Bella, you look pale, are you well?"

"I'll be right back."

I stood up and nearly ran into a waitress.

"Excuse me, where's the ladies room?" I managed to ask.

"It's over there, it's the… room on the right," she said, pointing to a door in the back.

In my hurry I didn't hear her correctly; my head was spinning and my limbs felt heavy. So, much to my despair, I ended up in a narrow corridor with several doors. I entered in the first one that came into view. I should have known when I saw a few steps in front of me that it couldn't possibly be the right door, but I heard someone groaning and my body gained a mind of its own. I went up the first few steps, and as I realized that the walls were all mirrored, I froze in place. It was precisely in that moment that I saw them, him, in one of the mirrors in front of me. He was sitting on a black couch, his head was pulled back and his eyes were shut. It didn't take me too long to realize that he was the one making the offensive sounds. Tanya, I believe, was kneeling in front of him; her head was being guided by his big hands that were grabbing her hair forcefully, directing her movements.

I had a new flash of Mike and Jessica so I just stood there, immobile for a second, holding my breath until I finally had the good sense to walk away. I nearly tripped on my own feet in the rush to leave as quickly as possible. I heard him say roughly, "There's someone here…" but the door closed soon after behind me.

Please God, don't let him see me!

I went back straight to Henry. At that point I just wanted to go home and forget all about this day. No such luck for me, though, because he wasn't alone any more; two dark suited men sat at our table.

"It didn't take you long," he said, raising his eyes in my direction. His smile quickly faded away and was replaced by a worried countenance. "It seems like you've seen a ghost, are you well, Bella?" Henry asked, holding my hand. My palms were still sweating profusely and I was too shocked to dismiss what I saw effectively.

"Can we go, Henry? Please…" I asked, whispering in his ear.

He nodded slightly, but gestured as well for me to acknowledge the men in front of me.

I had to play a part.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Green and Mr. Miller, they are the More Enterprises legal advisors in Australia. They work in a sucursal of the main office in London. I was pleasantly surprised to meet them here," he said, smiling. "This lovely young lady here is Miss Isabella Swan."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I said, politely shaking their hands.

"Trust me, Miss Swan, the pleasure is all mine," said Mr. Green, giving Henry a conspiratorial look.

What's happening tonight?

All of a sudden I missed my hospital's ER. Not even the longest night shift could be this exhausting.

I picked up the previously forgotten wine glass and drank a little more, trying to calm myself. I suspected I would have to put acid in my eyes to erase the image burnt in my retinas. Don't be so prone to overreacting, I scolded myself internally, trying to maintain what was left of my composure.

"Oh look, Lord Cullen is coming this way," Mr. Miller said, waving in his direction.

I choked on the wine I was drinking, triggering my cough reflex. Oh no… My eyes widened and Henry decided to intervene.

"My dear, Mathew is ready to take you home. I believe you should let Rosalie know that you're leaving. I'll call you in the morning."

"Gentlemen, have a good evening," I told them, leaving without giving them time to form a response.

I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest from the adrenaline rush. I was running from Edward Cullen for the second time tonight.

I decided to text Rosalie on my way home, not wanting to test my luck any longer. Mathew was waiting for me by the exit door.

"I think it's wiser to leave the building discreetly, so I'm taking you to the emergency exit. Don't fret about it," he said, escorting me through the noisy first floor. Some guys tried to dance with me, but Mathew held me close to him, giving a menacing look to anyone who tried to grab my hand to halt me.

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, that was the only way," he said, looking truly apologetic. He noticed my distress and must have thought that it was due to an overcrowded dance floor.

As if…

"It's fine. You should call me Bella, though."

"Your request is my command," he said, smiling before he frowned, "not in front of His Grace, though."

"I believe you got yourself a deal."

He opened the Mercedes' back door for me, but I ignored him. I had no intention of sitting all alone in the back. Instead I opened the front door and got in. His mouth was hanging open in surprise. It was almost amusing, but I was in no mood to appreciate the humor of the situation.

"Henry isn't here… aren't you coming?"

"Absolutely," he grinned at me.

The ride home was silent. Mathew attempted small talk which I obliged because it wasn't his fault this night was a mess. It was too much and I made a huge effort not to cry right there. Luckily, he eventually gave up and focused solely on driving.

I took off my shoes as soon as I was out of the car and tried to open the door without making much noise in order to avoid waking up Emmett and mom. I placed the outrageously expensive earrings back in the black box, thinking of a way to return them, and placed it on the bedside table. After that, I changed into my pajamas without bothering to remove my make-up, going straight to bed.

"Hey sweetie, how was your evening?" Renée asked in a sleepy voice.

"Sorry to wake you up, mom. It was fine; I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Ok, goodnight honey."

"Sweet dreams, mom."

I looked at the clock on my bedside table – 3 a.m. I was too tired for the sleep to come easily. I replayed over and over again the day's events: what Henry told me about my grandma and the baby they lost, Edward and Tanya together, the memories I kept in the darkest place of my mind of Mike and Jessica. I shed silent tears for all the wasted love, and when I had no more my eyes were left dry and burning. I didn't know what was more painful; it was too much to wrap my head around. If the night's events weren't enough, Henry's cryptic words left me restless.

A bitter thought occurred to me: didn't I go to Australia to get away from everything for a couple of weeks? I was feeling tortured with all my hopes crushed. But grandma did it: she found herself a new love and built a new family with him. She had been happy, hadn't she?

Tiredness eventually won and my last coherent thought was of him.

I had no more tears.

I woke up in the morning and the light coming from the window was blinding. It was midday and mom's bed was empty. Thank heaven for that.

When I got up, my muscles were stiff from sleeping in a fetal position. I nearly had a stroke when I saw my reflection in the mirror: my eyes were red and puffy, my cheeks were stained with the residue of the tear-washed mascara, and my hair was completely out of control. I guess my physical appearance matched my emotional state. I washed my face thoroughly, hoping that it would do me some good, before I came out to face my family.

"Bella, baby, you're up!" Mom squealed.

"You have to see this! We're in the office," Rosalie yelled after her.

They were both so excited.

"What?"

"My baby girl is famous…"

And that's when I saw it… the pictures, which were taken last night outside the club, were published on some gossip website. In the one that was popping out on the screen, I was smiling with my hand resting on Henry's arm. Surprisingly, I was pleased with my posture; I actually looked confident.

I moved my attention to the text below: "The real surprise of the night occurred around midnight when His Grace, Henry More, the Duke of Vidal, appeared at the party escorted by a beautiful woman dressed in an exclusive a.m. design wearing a simple pair of diamond earrings to complete the ensemble. The unknown beauty stood out from the rest, even from the more familiar faces like Tanya Denali, and presented us with her charm and charisma. She was listed as the probable new face for a.m.'s next season campaign…"

"Damn, little sis," Emmett said, looking over my shoulder. I hadn't heard him enter the room, which was a first. "You looked good. But I'm not looking forward to kicking every Aussie's butt out of my house… Hey, isn't your phone ringing?" he asked.

At first I couldn't hear it, but then I recognized the muffled sound. I figured it was probably still inside my purse. I ran to pick it up on time. I thought it was probably Henry, who had promised to call me that day, since he had probably already seen the pictures.

As I looked at the caller I.D., my heart sank.

Edward.

AN:

So what do you think? Should she pick it up?

As always, let me know what's on your mind. The next chapters are going to be crucial to the plot. Your suggestions are always welcome.

I have a new story that will soon be posted, the first chapters are already being Beta'd, it's called Immortality: the Genesis, I'm doing a collaboration with so it's posted under the name: aniratacanna ft. Nofrure. I'll be writing from EPOV and she is writing BPOV. It's a love story filled with sci-fi where Edward is a vampire and Bella is a scientist. Even though we're going to approach sensitive issues it will have a lot of comedic relief, nothing like THoLHM. We decided to create a new account to submit the story to avoid updating in two separate accounts.

As always, I have to thank all the lovely ladies who reviewed, it really makes my day when you do.

Thank you Scooterstale for your amazing job, I know you're not very fond of angst and reading this chapter was hard on you, there are no words to express my gratitude, really!

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight, obviously.