28.

I leaned back against the door, letting out a tired sigh. After the confrontation in the afternoon, I couldn't keep pretending like every look full of contempt you threw at me didn't pierce my heart. Leaving had been the right choice. I'd driven for hours in a daze, tears streaming down my cheeks that seemed like they would never stop falling, before arriving back to the manor.

And I knew I had no one to blame but myself.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I opened my eyes and found my aunt in her chair by the bottom of the staircase, no doubt waiting for me to come home. I could see her face contorted in anger, and I knew she wouldn't let this go.

"Nowhere," I answered, tiredness clear in my voice. I pushed myself to my full height and walked around her toward the stairs.

Her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist hard.

"Ow! Let me go!"

For a woman who was on her deathbed, she was pretty strong.

"You were with him, weren't you?"

I shook off her hand and glared down at her. "No, I just went out for a drive. I couldn't take it anymore!"

"You stupid girl!" she hissed, grabbing my wrist again and pulling me down until my face was at her level. "You're going to ruin everything we've worked for the last two months. I need you to forget about the nephew and focus on what we came here to do!"

"But I love him!"

She scoffed. "You can't love, my dear. You can't afford to love."

"So, all I'm worth is being a whore for you?"

She slapped me, hard, and I gasped in shock.

"You are not a whore!" she cupped my face, and that was when I saw the tears in her eyes. "You are my daughter. I know sometimes it's difficult to understand the choices I've made, but please know this: You are not a whore. What we are doing is not wrong."

"Vengeance isn't right either, mom," I sneered down at her.

"But justice is," she cooed, caressing my stinging cheek. "He deserves everything that's coming his way, darling. He needs to pay for what he did to you and your father."

I shook my head, looking down to the floor. "He's not so bad... Em looks happy. He is happy."

She grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at her. "Don't fall for it, darling. I've seen his true self, and it's not the selfless man he pretends to be in front of everyone. He's got everyone fooled, but have you noticed how his eldest looks at him? Why he always makes excuses to not come for dinner?"

"Jasper? What do you mean?"

"Next time he comes here, ask him about Alice," she taunted, her eyes daring me to do as she said. "You'll see then that what we're doing is a long time coming." She released my chin, the force making me take a step back, and then she rolled away from me without a backward glance.

I just stood there with a million questions running through my head, wishing to be in the safety of my father's arms again.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered, sitting down on the bottom step. "I can't lose you, too, Edward… I just can't," I sobbed, covering my face with my hands, feeling as lost as I was before all of this even began.

I was travelling a dangerous path. I knew from the moment I'd signed up for this that things weren't going to be easy. I just never expected to develop these feelings. Everything was so messed up, and I had no idea how to get out. All I could do was carry on and finish what I'd started ‒ what we'd started ‒ for them.

All I could hope was that you would to be at the end of it with your love for me still intact.


Author's Note: Yes, that was Carlisle's wife, Edward's beauty, or as we all know her: you.

First time writing a woman's point of view. It wasn't easy. Kudos to all those female authors writing men's point of view.

Thanks to all of you still reading. Thanks to my beta MariahajilE. I truly appreciate your help.

You can find me on twitter: Riv3rBoy84. I post tiny teasers over there.

-JR