EPOV

Phil's desk shook when my fist landed on it with a loud bang.

"You will never, and I repeat, never lay eyes on my daughter," I said calmly. "What you seem to forget, Newton, is who I am. If you came here with the intention of my brother paying you off, consider your plan thwarted." I sat back in Phil's leather chair and drummed my fingers slowly on the armrests, the picture of calm and confident. "I will tell you this now and these are not threats; I will not only destroy your company, but your family as well. Isabella and I will go public with who her daughter's father is, and she will also divulge that she was under the influence of alcohol when she slept with a married man at the tender age of seventeen—alcohol that he purchased for a minor."

I paused, letting my words sink in for a moment. He turned severely white and I noticed the sweat at his brow slide down his face.

"Now, as for your business…Masen is a global surveillance tech company with many friends across the world. By friends, I mean government officials. Our "friends" would be happy to look into Newton Outfitters and its recent expansions. I'm sure that all of your business dealings are upstanding, so really you have nothing to worry about there, right?"

Emmett walked over and handed me the paperwork I needed. It was the documents Newton would need to sign to hand over his parental rights.

"Here is another option for you. I understand you would like to meet Emma, but I think those intentions are more for your benefit than Emma's. She is a happy girl who doesn't ask questions about her biological father. She knows little of the situation, but understands she doesn't have one. She calls me Daddy and I make sure she knows I love her. You have children so I assume you know what it feels like to want to protect them." Again, I drummed my fingers on the armrests. "If provoked, I'm sure Jessica could have you looking like the scum that you are and a less than honorable man in not only your children's eyes, but the public's as well."

I finished with a smug grin, catching the proud look on my brother's face and the slightly horrified one on Charlie's. He knew I loved Bella and the kids, but he had no clue what I was capable of when they were endangered. I would protect them with everything I had.

Newton was still sitting there looking like he was about to shit his pants, if he hadn't already.

"I'm giving you a week to sign the documents I have right here. Contact Phil Dwyer's office and let them know when you'll be in to sign; bring your lawyer if you'd like," I added. "Your lawyer can't know of the reason they need a meeting due to the NDA you signed, but they'll find out the details after they sign a NDA of their own."

Garrett really made our contracts ironclad. Loopholes were non-existent when he drew up our contracts.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I didn't want to leave without him signing away his rights but Newton had a lot to think about and it was obvious that he wasn't going to sign anything today, so I stood silently and left the office with Charlie and Emmett trailing behind me.

"What now?" Charlie asked when we reached the elevator.

"We wait," I said simply.

BPOV

I miss you. –B

My phone chimed, informing me that my text had been sent. Edward had been gone for two days and it was weighing on me. He wasn't supposed to be gone long, but he explained he was tied up in some legal matters with a few contracts. He didn't want to have to go back again in a few weeks so he said he was waiting it out.

Jake and Leah were bringing the kids to the office once they picked Emma up from school. Realizing the time, I stepped out of the office to grab dinner and ran into the guest I'd spoken to in Edward's restaurant.

"Hi," I greeted with a wave. "I just realized I forgot to get your name."

"Tony," he said easily.

"How is your stay so far, Tony?" I asked.

"Pretty good. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all this free time," he told me.

"You didn't research the island before you came?" I asked surprised.

He frowned for a second, but then looked more neutral. It was strange and something felt off.

"Mommy!" Emma called, rushing toward me.

"Hey, Baby," I said wrapping my arms around her.

She cocked her head at Tony. "Hi," she said.

"Hello," he said politely.

I noticed his eyes studying her.

"Are you a guest?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Tony needs some ideas on what to do on the island,"

"You should go to the market. That's what me and my daddy do. He loves the market," she explained happily.

He furrowed his brow, looking slightly curious. "Why does he love the market?"

"He's says it's calming and we have fun walking around," she answered simply.

I saw something flash across his face. Leah arrived, taking my attention away, and Tony excused himself. I took Cameron, who was watching Tony walk into the restaurant.

"You okay, sis?" Leah asked, nudging me with her hip.

I blinked, turning toward her. With Leah's hair fanned across her shoulders, there was no doubt that she was Sue's daughter.

"Hmm, yeah I'm fine. Just missing Edward," I sighed.

"He'll be home in a few days," she assured.

I thought about how hard it was to be a single mom. Before Edward, I lived it every day, but for the last two nights, the kids had slept in our bed. Emma said she wanted to cuddle, and I knew she could feel I was missing my other half.

I looked down to where my daughter had been standing, noticing she wasn't there. When I began to scan the lobby, I felt Leah nudge me again.

"She said she wanted to visit Liam since it's been forever since she's seen him," she explained.

"We're going to need to eat," I said with a shrug.

We walked into the restaurant. Liam was with a customer and Emma was sitting up at the bar. I saw Tony sitting beside her. She was talking non-stop and he looked very amused by whatever she was saying.

"Does she know him?" Leah asked.

"I just introduced her to him."

"So, he's a guest?"

"Yeah, he's been here a few days."

"He's a babe for an older guy," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Okay, you're married and that's gross."

"I'm married with an opinion," she defended.

I rolled my eyes at her before turning my attention back to Emma and Tony. That man seemed lost when I met him the other day, and now the way Emma was talking to him, I wondered if my daughter's gift was helping lost souls.

When I finally caught Emma's attention, she said her goodbye to Tony and ran to our usual booth. As we ate, Emma asked if I talked to her dad today and if she could call later. I told her we'd see.

Tony stayed at the bar while we ate and I felt the need to keep my eyes on him.

"Leah, can you take the kiddos back to my office?"

"Sure, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I hope so," I said, not so sure myself.

Leah left with the kids and I walked over to Tony. He glanced at me before taking a sip of his drink.

"Tony is short for Anthony. Right, Ed?"

"I knew you were a smart girl," he mumbled. "What gave me away?"

"You look just like Edward did when he arrived here," I told him honestly.

"Did Emma just walk up to him like that?"

"Pretty much," I said with a shrug.

He stared at his glass. I was surprised he was here, but from what Edward said this man always had an agenda.

"Did you know Edward wasn't going to be here?" I asked.

"No, I was hoping he'd be here, but I ran into you. Your security detail hasn't even approached me."

"Security detail?"

"You have them surrounding the property. They look like Emmett's usual team," he added.

Edward wouldn't have security following me around without me knowing. I knew more than anything I needed Edward here because I had no clue how genuine this man was or if he'd try to ruin the family life we had built.

"Where is he?" he asked.

"Chicago."

"Emma's a charming girl."

"Why are you here?"

"My dead son rose from the grave and no one informed me. I learned about it when my assistant asked me if I saw the interview. In three years, he never contacted us." The man sitting beside me took a deep breath, and when his hand brought his drink to his mouth again, I noticed his fingers shaking. "Did he honestly hate me that much?" he asked, as his voice broke.

I believed in that moment I saw the real Ed Cullen.

A/N: So Bella knows… Thoughts? Also huge thanks to my betas, Astro2009 and Dolphin62598, for really helping out this chapter.