Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. The plot is inspired by the manga 100% Perfect Girl by Wann.
A/N: Many thanks, big smooches, and hugs to two amazing girls: LaMomo, for her impeccable work as beta, and Salanna, who keeps me on my toes. Girls, you rock those red pens! ;)
SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! Between re-writes and my internet crashing, I'm a day late. But better late than never, right? Right? RIGHT?
~ CHAPTER ELEVEN~
The Crossed Paths
It had been a long week for Edward, who had to postpone his trip to Seattle due to some urgent business with CC. Lord James had left a lot of unresolved issues at the German branch, and Edward needed to find someone to take care of them as soon as possible. When that was solved, he thought he would finally be able to make the trip, but he wasted an entire day arguing with Alice and Jasper about security measures. Edward understood why they were being cautious, but this was supposed to be a quick trip. In and out, that was it. Instead, Jasper was making a big deal out of it and kept pressing the issue, even though Edward had made it clear that this subject wasn't up for debate. When everything was relatively settled, they left a soon as possible, but by then it was already a week later than Edward had planned.
For this trip to Seattle, they decided to use the company jet again, to be as inconspicuous as possible. Even though Jasper had been trying to prevent this trip from the start, Edward thought they had reached a compromise before the trip, when he'd suggested taking Jane or Paul with him. Jasper wanted to escort him personally, but Edward knew his captain could frighten anybody with just one look. The last thing he wanted was to intimidate Bella, or to make her feel like she was in trouble. Of course, in Jasper's opinion, she was already in a ton of trouble for almost killing him. Edward had tried to plead Bella's case by reminding Jasper that she hadn't known about his allergies, and that it was all on him—he should have been more careful with what he ate—but Jasper was being way too stubborn for Edward's liking.
During the flight, Jasper once again tried to advise Edward against seeing Bella, making Edward regret even coming clean about her to his head of security in the first place. Edward tried to reason with him once more, but when Jasper made a low remark about Bella, a huge fight broke out. Edward had never spoken so harshly to Jasper before, but he wasn't going to let his head of security act like his keeper again.
Edward reached his limit when Jasper brought up his mother, and even Alice gave up trying to plead Jasper's case after that, knowing her husband had gone too far. Edward couldn't believe he dared bring up that subject. No matter what everyone thought, a breach of security wasn't the cause of his family's tragedy, but misplaced trust in a person they thought was a friend. Alice had been appalled at her husband's behavior, and had pulled them apart just before things were about to escalate to a fistfight.
Edward retreated to the back of the plane, fuming, while Alice tried to make amends for her husband's behavior.
"You promised to never put yourself in danger again," Alice had reminded him. "Please, reconsider."
Edward wasn't having any of it, though. "I know I promised, but it was my mistake. I took responsibility for what happened in Seattle. I could have gone back on my own, Alice. I have my ways to travel unescorted, you know this, but I chose to do it the right way. The least Jasper could do is show some bloody respect!"
"Edward, you know he didn't mean—"
"No, Alice. Don't apologize for him." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's bordering on insubordination, Alice. I can't deal with this anymore. I'm done." He dismissed Alice, wanting to be alone.
She reluctantly left him, but promised to talk to Jasper and make things right.
Since then, things had been on unsteady ground. Jasper apologized to Edward once they were at the hotel, but he knew Jasper didn't mean it at all. Considering how they'd left Seattle the last time, he understood that Jasper only worried for him, but Edward needed him to understand that he was the one in charge.
Edward checked the time and decided to start getting ready. He hadn't been able to rest after the flight like he thought he would, so he chose to take a cold shower to wake up. They were staying at the Fairmont once again, but this time Edward was actually able to use his room. Usually, Alice and Jasper would share the bigger suite with him, but this time Edward had chosen a smaller one so he could be alone, and to avoid any arguments with his head of security. He was finishing putting on his shoes when Alice knocked on his door.
"The cars are here. It's time to go."
"I'll be out in a minute," he called out, standing up. He checked his appearance on the mirror, second-guessing his attire. The charcoal grey suit he was wearing was perfectly tailored, and the white oxford shirt and blue tie finished off the look, but perhaps it was too much to meet Bella. He wasn't going to a business meeting, but he didn't want to look like a slob either. Deciding to lose the tie at the last minute, he undid the knot and popped open the first two buttons of his shirt. With a nod of approval to his reflection, he left the room.
Alice met him outside. Noticing the absence of his customary tie, she raised an eyebrow but then simply smirked and said nothing.
Jasper nodded at him when they met in the hotel's underground garage. "Traffic should be low at this time, so the trip will be quick."
"That's good news," Edward commented, climbing inside the town car that pulled up in front of him. Jane was already inside and Paul was behind the wheel. Jasper would follow them in the SUV with Felix. Alice wished them all good luck and went back inside the hotel.
As the cars pulled out of the garage, his nerves spiked. He couldn't believe he could feel like this for someone he had only met once. That afternoon he spent with her had been unforgettable, and all they really did was talk. Still, the pull he felt for the girl with the bright doe eyes couldn't be denied, not that he wanted to, anyway.
His phone pinged, bringing him out of his musings. He unlocked the screen to find a text from his sister.
Good luck and let me know how it goes. I'm in Brume for the rest of the week. Be safe, little brother. xo
Edward smiled, some of his tension evaporating. Rosalie had been such a great support for him, and the fact she probably knew how nervous he was, made him smile. He quickly typed a message back.
Thank you, Rosalie. I'll keep you posted.
Before he pocketed his phone, it pinged again and Edward was quick to check the message. This time it was Jasper.
I just got a call from Emmett. We'll meet with him in Brume. He's already there.
Well, that was going to be interesting, both Rosalie and Emmett in the same city.
When Alice mentioned her brother moving back to Brume, Edward had pictured a short and thin man—like a jockey—but the man who arrived at the castle had been the exact opposite. Emmett Brandon Hale was built like a rugby player: broad shoulders and muscled arms, taller than Edward. He had dark blond hair and the same eyes as his sister. It was kind of funny to see Emmett and Alice together; she barely reached his shoulder even when wearing her tallest stilettos, but they differed not only in physique. While Emmett was strong, loud and laid-back, Alice was delicate, calm and bossy; but they both had a stubborn streak and were similarly exuberant.
Edward had warmed up to Emmett in the short time he had known him. He was a breath of fresh air, compared to all the stuck-up nobility Edward was constantly surrounded with. It was never easy for him to trust and make friends, because people only saw his status and wealth. Emmett was different. He treated Edward like any other bloke, without any pretentiousness or hidden agendas. With Emmett, you got what you saw, and Edward respected and admired him for that. They had bonded during a polo match, and Emmett had shown excitement at the possibility of learning more about the sport.
Because of Emmett's friendly nature, Edward could have never foreseen what happened when Rosalie met his new friend. Edward had never seen his sister so shy and meek, not even when she'd first met Jasper. On the other hand, Emmett had been inordinately cold and distant towards Rosalie. Edward believed Emmett was trying to push her away, out of loyalty to his sister.
Too bad neither Emmett nor Rosalie realized that Edward and Alice didn't have any issues with them possibly getting together. In fact, Alice had told Edward that she thought it could be a good thing. Emmett had turned into a workaholic since he joined Interpol, and Rosalie was attending every social gathering she could to distract herself. They could balance each other out, find a common ground. Edward had agreed with her and hoped Emmett and Rosalie would see it one day too.
Rosalie had returned to Roinne next day after meeting Emmett, and Edward didn't see her until right before he left for Seattle. She had come to the landing strip to wish him good luck on his trip, and Edward had noticed that his sister looked calmer. She was still avoiding Emmett, who had also come to say goodbye, but something was definitely different about her. Edward chose not to comment about it, choosing to wait until he came back. He hugged his sister goodbye and promised to not eat anything that wasn't first inspected. Rosalie chuckled at his comment and wished him the best.
His relationship with Rosalie had improved over the years, but that was nothing compared to the last few weeks. She had chastised him when they first saw each other after his return to Brume, but when Edward told her the truth behind his escape, she understood, and that had comforted him a great deal. But he was fully unprepared when, two weeks later, Rosalie came to his room with the one word that would change his life forever.
Edward was reading in his private chambers after a grueling day at Cullen Tower, but he wasn't focused on the words on the page. Instead, he kept thinking of the girl that had turned his world upside down with one look.
The sound of the door opening and closing pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Rose!" Edward gasped in surprise when he looked up, not expecting to see his sister.
Rosalie walked towards him with a briefcase in her hands and a smirk on her lips.
Edward stood up and hugged her. "I didn't know you were coming back so soon. How was New York?"
Rosalie's smirk widened, her eyes sparkling. "Enlightening."
Edward raised an eyebrow at her cryptic response, escorting her towards one of the couches by the fireplace.
"Is that so? What made it so enlightening?"
"Swan," she simply said, sitting down.
"Swans?" Edward asked her, bewildered by her response as he sat down next to her.
Rosalie giggled. "No, just one particular Swan." She pulled a folder from her briefcase, handing it to Edward.
Edward took the folder from her and opened it, his jaw dropping when he saw the first photo inside. It had clearly been taken in Seattle. It showed Edward strolling through the park with his brown-eyed beauty on his arm.
"Her last name is Swan," Rosalie continued and Edward's head snapped up. "Tia found her, actually."
"She is a painter, then," Edward said with a chuckle, remembering his beauty's words.
"Not exactly," Rosalie said, pulling out another folder from her briefcase. "She's an art student, a high school art student."
Edward's face paled, immediately understanding the possible repercussions. "I didn't know, Rosalie. I swear—"
Rosalie raised a hand to stop him. "It's okay, Edward. Calm down. She's eighteen years old, a legal adult, and she's graduating in May. Her mentor," Rosalie looked down at the folder in her hands, "one Carmen Torres—"
"The owner of the art shop," he added, remembering the gypsy woman.
"Yes, she submitted a series of paintings to Tia's gallery in New York. Tia was impressed, and when she found out the artist was graduating from high school but couldn't attend college due to financial issues, she gave me a call."
Edward sat back against the couch and smiled. "You're granting her the Masen Scholarship." It wasn't a question. By the spark in Rosalie's eyes—a spark she only got whenever she found a diamond in the rough—he could tell that she was looking forward to bringing Bella to Roinne.
Rosalie nodded. "She is amazing, Edward. Her talent is raw, but her paintings are impressive. She's a bit all over the place, though. If she comes to Roinne, I think she will be able to focus and find her own style."
Edward looked at the photo again, tracing his beauty's face with his fingers. "Have you met her?"
Rosalie shook her head with a sad smile. "Not yet, but if everything works the way it should, she'll start classes in August."
"That's too long. I want to see her as soon as possible, Rosalie."
"If you want to see her before that, you'll have to go back to Seattle." Rosalie took a notepad out of her briefcase, scribbled something down, then ripped the page off and handed it to Edward. "Or you could call her."
Edward took the paper eagerly, grinning when he saw an address and phone number there. He looked at his sister and with his most sincere smile he said, "Thank you, Rosalie. Thank you so much."
"I love you, Edward. I just want to see you happy, and I can already tell that she makes you happy."
After such a display of acceptance from Rosalie, Edward realized that his sister had changed for the better. She was so different from the once future Queen, whose careless actions all those years ago had caused a rift between the two siblings.
Edward pocketed his phone after answering a couple more texts from Jasper and an email from a board member. As the cars sped down the road, his thoughts drifted back to the reason for this trip.
Edward wanted to make sure that Bella's family knew he had nothing but good intentions, which was why he'd been so adamant about meeting her again in person again. Coming back to Seattle was a good idea; he wanted to make the right impression.
It had been two months since the last time Edward saw his brown-eyed beauty, and he was going insane. He wouldn't let anyone come between them, not when he was so close to seeing her again.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as he'd expected.
The inn had been a no go. A woman in her early forties opened the door, and while at first she was all smiles and pleasantries, the moment Edward brought up Bella she transformed into a bloody harpy.
"Get out of my home! I don't want anything to do with that girl anymore. Get out! NOW!"
She didn't even let Edward explain his reasons, but simply pushed them all out and slammed the door in their faces.
Edward quickly gave Paul the second address where they might be able to find Bella. The art shop was Edward's last chance to find his beauty, who was proving to be harder to find than catching smoke with his bare hands.
The town car stopped just outside Jeanne's Art Shop, the SUV parking right behind it. The store was still open, but only for one more hour, according to the sign on the window. Jasper had been concerned it might be crowded and Edward would be spotted, but the area was quiet and almost empty. There weren't many customers inside the store, and Edward waited impatiently for the right time to approach.
Jane cleared her throat. "Do you wish me to come with you, Your Highness?"
Edward turned to face her. "For Jasper's sake that would be best, I think." He looked at the store, noticing that closing time was approaching and customers were dwindling.
Jane nodded and placed her hand on his arm. "You'll find her, Your Highness. And if she isn't here, Paul will be able to track her down for you."
Edward smiled and patted her hand. "Thank you, Jane. I hope we won't have to do that." But based on how things had gone so far, he wasn't sure.
When the young man behind the counter finished with what seemed to be the last customer, Jane put on her earpiece and Paul followed. Once the customer had left, Edward, Jane, and Paul stepped out of the car.
Jasper watched them from the SUV and gave Edward a nod, which Edward returned.
Edward's nerves started to kick in as they approached the shop's front. He pushed the glass door open while Jane stood under the awning, not making a move to follow him inside. Edward appreciated that. He wanted to be as relaxed as possible.
Before he was fully inside, Jane gave Edward an encouraging smile and a thumbs-up. "Go get her, Your Highness." Edward chuckled and thanked her.
The bells attached to the door announced his entry. The store was empty, but he could hear someone on the back.
"Hello?" Edward called out, looking through the aisle, but not spotting anyone.
"Be there with you in a minute!" a man's voice rang out from an opened door in the back.
Edward browsed around the shop, and was surprised to see that most of the Modigliani paintings had been replaced by original artwork. His heart pumped faster when he spotted a painting signed I. Swan, realizing that it was his beauty's signature. He shook his head in wonder at the detail in her painting. Rosalie had been right; Bella was a true diamond in the rough. He still couldn't believe that Bella was only eighteen years old; she'd seemed so much older—more mature—when he met her. He didn't mind her age. However, it was her personality and her deep brown eyes that pulled him to her.
"Can I help you?"
Edward turned around and smiled at the young man in front of him.
"Hello, my name is Edward Cullen. I'm looking for Bella Swan."
The young man eyed him, probably wondering why a man wearing a very expensive suit was looking for an eighteen-year-old girl.
Oh God, what if he thinks I'm a pervert?
The young man narrowed his eyes. "What business do you have with my sister?" he asked.
Sister? So this was Caleb, if he remembered correctly. From what Bella had told him that day at the park, Edward knew how much she admired and loved her brother. Now that Edward was standing in front of him, he could see some physical similarities between the siblings.
"You must be Caleb, right?" Edward extended his hand in greeting. "Bella told me a lot about you."
Caleb looked surprised and the distrust in his eyes faded into pride. "I am," he said, shaking Edward's hand. "Unfortunately, I still don't know who you are."
"Well, like I said, my name is Edward. I met your sister here, back in April."
Recognition sparked in his eyes. Edward was afraid of what he was about to ask next.
"Oh! Are you here to buy one of her paintings?"
What? "Um..."
"'Cause you're too late, all the paintings that were for sale have already been shipped to the art gallery. This one," he said, pointing to the painting Edward had been admiring, "is the property of the shop owner and it's not for sale. I'm sorry, man."
"Oh, I'm not looking for—"
Caleb's cellphone rang, cutting off Edward mid-sentence. Caleb checked the phone and lifted a finger, asking him to wait a minute and then turned around. He walked a few paces away before answering the call.
Edward tried not to eavesdrop, but that thought flew out the window when Caleb said his beauty's name.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Tell Bella that I'll see her soon, okay? Don't worry, Carmen. I got it all under control. Yeah. All right. Bye." He ended the call and then turned to face Edward again.
"Sorry, man," Caleb said, shrugging and waving his phone. "That was the shop owner; I had to take the call." He pocketed his phone and pursed his lips. "Anyways, like I said, we don't have any more paintings here, but I think Carmen might be able to help you get one online, but she's with my sister at the moment and they won't be back anytime soon."
"So Bella is not here?"
"No, she left as soon as she had her diploma in hand. In fact, she took the first flight out. Mother was furious. It was a mess." Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I just want to see her. Can you tell me where she is, please?"
Caleb frowned. "Why is it so important to you?"
Jesus Christ, that's a loaded question.
How the bloody hell was he supposed to answer that?
"Because I felt a pull the day I saw her, and since then I haven't been able to even consider living the rest of my life without her by my side."
Maybe that was a little too much? Edward shook his head. Better stick to the facts.
"Look, Caleb. The day I met her, I had an accident and she saved my life. I want to thank her for what she did for me that day. She stayed there with me until the ambulance arrived, and I just want to tell her how much that meant to me."
There, facts…sort of.
Caleb studied Edward for a few minutes and then sighed in apparent resignation. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, but I think you might want to simply write her a letter or something. She's pretty far away from here."
"What do you mean? Is she in another city? Because I travel constantly, I'm sure I'll be able to look for her if I'm over there."
Either way, Edward was determined to find her.
Caleb tilted his head to the side, regarding him with curiosity. "This is more than just wanting to thank her, isn't it?"
It was Edward's turn to sigh. He opened his mouth to explain, but shut it and simply nodded.
Honesty was the best policy, right?
Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know what it is about you, but I trust you. I can see you're not a bad person. You've been honest with me from the start. I respect and appreciate that." Caleb looked out through the front window. He noticed a blonde woman in a pantsuit with an earpiece, looking like someone from the secret service. Caleb didn't know who this guy was, but he had heard his sister and Carmen talk about an Edward. Caleb never pried, but whoever he was, it was obvious that he was important to Bella.
Caleb pursed his lips, mulling over his options. He finally looked Edward in the eye and nodded. "Just promise me that you won't hurt my baby sister," he pleaded. "She's been hurt far too much already. If you promise that, I'll tell you where to find her."
Edward looked straight into Caleb's eyes. "I swear over my life that I will never hurt your sister intentionally. I couldn't, even if I tried."
In that moment, Edward meant every single word he said. Little did he know that he was bound to break that promise more than once.
Caleb smiled. "That's good enough for me. Bella moved to Roinne a week ago. She won a scholarship to study art at a fancy school there."
Edward grinned widely. "That's in—"
"Volterra."
Before I'm accused of dragging their meeting… I wanted to write a story with a Bella that saves herself rather than waiting for her knight in shining Volvo to make it all better. That's why Bella is already in Roinne, she wasn't going to stay in Seattle longer than she needed. Once she graduated, she didn't have any more reasons holding her back. Also, remember that Bella thinks she has more chances of meeting Edward in Roinne than in Seattle, which gave her another reason to move earlier. ;)
Remember to check my blog on Wednesday for a chapter teaser, and on Saturday for a picteaser, along with other stuff like pictures, outfits and more. Link is on my profile. Chapter 12 is half way done, I'll try to update again in two weeks.
Now, tell me what you thought of the Caleb and Edward's interaction! Liked it? Hated it? Leave me a word or two…even a smiley will be fine!
Till next time,
Mina
