A/N: I've wanted to update this story since April but I've got so much stuff on my plate right now. Thanks for the reviews/alerts.

Enjoy the chapter. :)

Previously on A Girl's Guide to Forbidden Romance:

'Tell me what happened!' He demanded, gently shaking my shoulders.

"I…I can't be with Jake anymore."

Suggested Listening

Keren Ann- For You & I

A Fine Frenzy- Swan Song

Lene Marlin- Playing My Game

Hunter tried to calm me down but all I could think of was my dad.

I had to let go of Jake in exchange for his freedom.

Shit.

There was no way out of this deal! It had to be done or I risk losing Charlie forever.

A fresh batch of tears flooded my eyes.

I was exhausted and borderline hysterical.

'Do not let Cora get to you.' Hunter cupped my tear-stained cheeks in his gentle hands.

His calm, wind chime voice was extremely soothing.

I was going to miss it so damn much.

"Easier said than done." I muttered under my breath. "Your bodyguard days are over, so you can stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself. You could have died tonight!"

'That was a risk I was willing to take.' He replied, stroking my cheek with his thumb. 'Thank you for saving my life by the way. I owe you one.'

"You don't owe me anything." I shook my head and removed his hands from my face. "But thanks to you, I now know that Jacob can easily die if he spends more than a few weeks in my world."

'Is this why you wanna break up with him?' His sea-green eyes searched mine for a few seconds. He looked incredibly suspicious and baffled by my behavior. 'Or did Cora threaten to hurt you while I was passed out cold?'

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from blurting out the truth.

If Hunter found out that Charlie was alive, Cora won't hesitate to kill him.

That woman was an evil psychopath and her moral compass was beyond repair.

"Cora's not the problem here." I lied. "You are."

Confusion flickered in his catlike eyes. 'Me?'

"Y-yes. You." I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to lie some more. "Watching you die was so not fun and it made me realize that-that I have feelings for you."

His eyes widened in shock.

'You have feelings for him?' A deep voice asked from behind me.

I spun around to find Jacob standing in the doorway, hurt and betrayal flashing across his face.

"Y-yes." I croaked. "But it doesn't matter. Nothing matters because we can never be together. I don't belong here, not with you and definitely not with him."

'My grandmother seems to think otherwise.' Jake argued, crossing the length of the room in three angry strides.

"Yeah well, your grandma can go to hell." I hurriedly unclasped the golden chain from around my neck and let it drop on the carpet between us. "I'm done with this so-called relationship."

Jacob swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he crouched down to pick up the discarded necklace. 'There's no need for you to throw childish tantrums, Bella.'

Hunter suddenly grabbed my arm and forced me to look at him. Suspicion was written all over his elfin face.

'What the fuck is wrong with you?' He hissed.

"I'm sick of waiting for you two to stand up to Cora!" I barked, yanking my arm free. "And I'm tired of living like this. I've alienated my best friend and kept your secret long enough. It's time to move on."

Jacob stood up, looking dismayed by my outburst. 'Alright.' He nodded solemnly. 'If that's what you really want then by all means, move on.'

"I will."

'Excellent.' He muttered sarcastically. 'There's no need for you to be angry anymore. '

"Yes I do. I have every right to be angry. Wanna know why? Because you, Jacob Black, are a coward. Mommy Dearest is running the show while you smile and nod like a puppet."

'Is this how you see me, Bella?' He clenched his hands into fists, the wounded look in his eyes slicing a knife through my heart.

I was causing irreparable damage with my words.

"Y-yes." I croaked, hot tears flooding my eyes.

No.

'You're lying.' Hunter said from beside me. 'Jacob…'

Jake held up a hand and ordered him to shut up.

His wounded expression was replaced by a hard mask as I watched him activate his ring and summon the guards stationed outside Hunter's house.

'Escort her to the portal.' He ordered them without sparing me a second glance.

The two guards marched over to me and stood on either side while Hunter witnessed the whole thing with disapproving eyes.

"Jake…"

'Goodbye, Isabella.'

His cold eyes briefly met mine before he stormed out of the house.

I choked back a sob and let the guards escort me to the beach where Cora was waiting for me.

Surprise. Surprise.

She looked extremely pleased; the cat that ate the canary.

I wanted to punch her smug face so hard.

'Congratulations.' She clapped her hands together. 'Your father will be delivered to you in six months.'

"I-I want proof that he's still alive." I demanded, trying to keep my tears at bay.

She glided over to me and activated my ring with a flick of her dainty wrist.

A small screen popped up showing Charlie pacing the length of his prison cell.

'This live feed camera will be on at all times. You can check up on your father whenever you like.'

My heart ached for my dad who looked so fragile and alone in his underwater prison.

How did she keep his imprisonment a secret for so long? How?

"If anything happens to him..."

'I already gave you my word, child. Now leave before I change my mind.' She drew invisible patterns in the air and a portal suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Goodbye, Jake." I whispered, barely keeping it together.

Oh God. What have I done?

.

.

.

The portal ended up taking me back to St. Barts instead of Haiti.

I was sobbing my eyes out by the time I reached the hotel where my mother was freaking out in the lobby. Mascara was running down her face and JP was trying to calm her down but failing miserably.

'My daughter is gone!' She cried. 'They took her away from me.'

'Shhh…do not worry. I'm sure zey will find her.'

"M-mom?"

They both looked up the second they heard my voice.

'Isabella!'

My distressed mother ran towards me and took me in her arms. 'Oh Isabella!' She stroked my hair affectionately then cupped my face in her trembling hands. 'Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you!'

"I…I was down by the beach." I lied, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Her Channel No.5 perfume soothed my nerves as I buried my face in her shoulder and cried for Charlie, Jake and Hunter.

I was going to miss them so damn much.

'You scared me half to death.' Juliana chided me, her tone strangely tender and surprisingly motherly. 'You've been gone for five hours. I-I thought…" She closed her eyes and held me closer to her chest.

She never finished her sentence. She just hugged me until Jean Paul suggested we go up to their suite where I fell asleep the second I placed my head on her pillow.

.

.

.

Seven weeks later…

Paris, France

Giving up the love of my life in order to save Charlie destroyed me emotionally.

I decided to move to France and forget about my life in Washington for a while.

My mother was very pleased by my decision and promised me more mother-daughter time.

Everything happened so quickly and efficiently thanks to her impeccable planning. We basically packed all of our necessities and moved to the City of Light two weeks after Christmas.

Hunter tried to contact me after that fateful day in Oceanus but I chose to ignore him.

Pearl tried to mention Jacob on more than one occasion, but every time she did, I would take off my ring and threaten to flush it down the toilet.

That mermaid was as stubborn as a mule.

She loved Paris though, especially the Eiffel Tower where I spent the majority of my first week admiring the city from above. I also mourned my short-lived happiness and cried a lot.

My secrets were eating away at me and there was no way I could share them with anyone.

Poor grandpa, his secrets killed him. The same secrets I've been keeping for so long.

If he were still alive, we would've confided in each other.

He would have carried some of my burden.

He would've believed me.

.

.

I glanced around the busy ballroom, a flute of champagne in my hand.

My mother was showcasing her latest jewelry line and the necklace I wore was the centerpiece.

Tiny Swarovski crystals glittered in the chandelier lights as I stood there in my elegant ivory gown, pretending to be happy for Juliana's sake.

Our relationship had improved dramatically over the past few weeks. We even went shopping for fabrics for her upcoming Spring/Summer collection. It was the perfect distraction, allowing me to concentrate on something other than my heartbreak.

Mom was under the impression that I had broken up with Hunter so she created a fashion diversion followed by visits to the Louvre Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and a sunset boat ride along the Seine River.

It was fun listening to her adventures in Paris, including her first internship at Chanel during her early twenties. She spoke with so much passion and nostalgia, unlike her cold Washington self.

It was obvious that she was in love with France, and Jean Paul of course. He was surprisingly decent and easy to talk to.

When he found out about my (fake) breakup with Hunter, he offered to hunt him down and teach him a lesson. It was sweet really.

A sudden flash of platinum blonde hair pulled me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and it was gone.

'Isabella, are you alright?' My mom asked in concern. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

"I-I…just need some fresh air is all." I replied before excusing myself and leaving the crowded ballroom.

My reflection shimmered in the French windows that led to the beautiful rose garden outside the hotel. I lifted my dress slightly off the marble floor and pushed the door open with one hand. The glass was cool against my palm and so was the Parisian weather. It was winter after all and my numb heart welcomed the chill in the air.

The Eiffel tower sparkled in the distance as I ventured into the quiet garden. It was such a romantic setting and it almost unraveled me, so I turned around and closed my eyes.

Don't cry. What's done is done. There's no going back.

'Open your eyes, Princess.' A soft, melodic voice startled me and I almost tripped over the tail of my dress if not for a pair of strong arms. Arms that were attached to broad shoulders wrapped in leather and a head of silky sunlight hair.

Hunter's emerald green eyes were staring back at me from beneath a curtain of thick golden lashes.

I blinked, thinking he was a product of my imagination.

He had to be. No one knew where I was. Not even Pearl. Unless that little bitch was playing dumb and happened to be in touch with Caspian.

"H-hunter…" I stuttered. "H-how did you find me?"

He grasped my elbows in his large hands and led me to a nearby bench. 'Pearl mentioned seeing the Eiffel tower so I hacked into your ring and extracted your location. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you were living it up in France.' He gave me a pointed look before letting go of my elbows.

I sat down and studied the soft satiny fabric of my gown. It was floor-length with a small delicate bow below the bust adorned with lace trimming. "Does it look like I'm living it up? Aside from the dress I mean."

He sighed and sat down beside me, his dark jeans grazing my evening dress. 'Yeah you do.' He replied. 'You look beautiful. Miserable but beautiful.'

Guilt flooded my heart and I felt overwhelmed by all the emotions his presence invoked in me.

"Why are you here?" I got up from the bench and folded my arms across my chest.

The cold temperature was making it hard to breath or maybe I was on the verge of a panic attack. My heart was beating incredibly fast and the garden felt too small and constricting all of a sudden.

'Easy question. I'm here because I was fucking worried about you.' He answered in an agitated tone. 'Your precious ring has been blocking my calls, your house in Washington is empty and the folks at Washington University said you've deferred for one semester. Oh and you told me you had feelings for me and walked away. That was the biggest fuck you I've ever had the pleasure of receiving.'

There it was, that same wounded look I saw in Jake's eyes when I lied to him over and over…

"What did you want me to do? Huh?" My hands fell to my sides and my voice was trembling beneath the burden of my lies. I wanted to scream the truth, shout it out at the top of my lungs.

I wanted to tell him everything but my deal with Cora was holding me back.

'Nothing. You've already done plenty.' Hunter rose angrily from the bench and grabbed me around the waist. 'You broke my best friend's heart and now he's plotting Cora's demise.'

"Good for him." I returned his angry glare, the heat from his arm scorching the skin on my lower back.

He tightened his hold on me and brought me closer to his chest. 'What are you hiding, Bella?'

"Nothing." I lied, swallowing the lump in my throat.

His catlike eyes regarded me seriously for a moment before I looked away in fear of what he might find in mine.

'Kiss me.' He requested out of the blue.

Oh God…

My entire body froze up like an ice sculpture.

I was so not expecting him to come all the way here and ask me to kiss him!

Gentle fingers stroked my right cheek, forcing me to acknowledge said request.

"I-I…"

'One kiss. No strings attached.' His bargained, tempting me with his sexy tongue ring.

"Fine, but you have to promise not to come looking for me again."

'Okay.' He said, gazing down at me expectantly.

I lifted my right hand and placed it on top of his maroon jacket.

Well, this is awkward.

'Should I bend forward?' Hunter suggested.

"Ummm…sure."

His left hand joined the one wrapped around my waist while my eyes remained glued to the ring on my finger. The blue diamond was sparkling beautifully beneath the moonlight.

'Bella. Look at me.'

I ignored Hunter's request and focused harder on the ring.

Memories flashed through my mind of my first time with Jake and his soulful eyes were suddenly staring back at me.

'I love you, honey.'

'I think I fell in love with you when I was twelve years old.'

'You were my very first love, Bells, and hopefully my last.' He kissed my hand, his lips scorching my skin.

"I-I…I can't do this!" I flinched, removing my hand from Hunter's jacket and pressing it to my chest. "I can't kiss you."

'I know.' He calmly said with a knowing smirk on his lips. 'You have zero feelings for me. Zilch.'

My eyes widened at his words but I already knew he figured it out.

"Yes. I lied."

'And why exactly did you lie?' His catlike eyes searched my face for the umpteenth time. 'What is Cora holding over your head?' He prodded.

"Hunter…" I tried to escape his penetrating gaze but he wouldn't let me. "Please don't tell Jake. He has to move on." I sobbed. "He needs to get married."

'You want the love of your life to marry someone else? Yeah right.' He snorted. 'Jacob is currently looking into your father's disappearance. He won't stop until he finds out what really happened to him.'

I stiffened at the mention of Charlie.

If Jake found out about the underwater dungeon, things could get ugly and fast.

"No! Tell him to stop looking." I grabbed Hunter's shoulders and started shaking him. "Please Hunter, if you truly care about him, tell him to stop."

He trapped my hands beneath his own, his eyes brimming with concern. 'Bella, you're scaring me.'

"You should be scared!"

My warning was loud enough for him to release me.

'Fine.' Hunter took a hesitant step backwards followed by another. He was staring at me like I was crazy.

'I'll deliver the message.' He added in a pacifying tone.

"Good." I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold finally reaching my bones.

Hunter noticed and shrugged out of his jacket before draping it over my shoulders. 'Stay warm, Princess. I'll be back for that jacket soon.'

"But…you promised you'd stay away." I protested.

'No.' He raised a blonde eyebrow in response. 'You didn't kiss me, remember?'

He pecked me on the forehead and then he left, his boots barely making a sound as he disappeared into the darkness.