The evening progressed like it usually did at other political functions, people mingled while d'oeuvres and drinks were served. Edward and Bella stayed by each other's sides through most of that part of the evening but at dinner they were separated into their separate camps. Senator Volturi wanted Edward seated at his table and Senator Cullen wanted Bella at his table as well.

Edward listened to his colleagues put down Senator Cullen and his staff, but he didn't contribute to the conversation and just spoke softly to Emmett who was seated nearby. Emmett seemed somewhat down due to the fact that Rosalie hadn't been able to attend the function, but he told Edward that it didn't matter since it was really a work night for him anyway. Edward just nodded, wishing he was seated by Bella. An uneasy feeling was settling at the pit of his stomach, especially when he noticed Felix, Jane, and other members of the staff quietly conversing across the table from him while occasionally throwing glances towards Senator Cullen's table.

He wondered if they were nervous about Aro's speech. He was surprised when he arrived earlier in the evening and discovered that Aro had asked to speak first. Usually he wanted to speak last so he could leave a lasting impression. He was also surprised that Felix and the other staff writers weren't busy making last minute changes to the speech. Up until this morning they had made it sound like almost everything had to be re-written.

Shaking his head from his thoughts he noticed one of the function's organizers giving him a signal that it was time for Senator Volturi to head backstage. He quietly mentioned to the Senator that they should make their way backstage. Aro nodded, and after giving his wife Sulpicia a kiss on the cheek, he headed in that direction followed by Edward, Emmett, and Felix.

Once they were backstage, Felix handed the folder containing the speech to Edward as Aro adjusted his tie and waited to be announced. Edward flipped the file folder open and scanned the contents quickly, just to make sure everything was in order, but as the words in his hands really hit him his brows drew together in confusion and then widened in horror before they flew up to look at Felix. He found Felix looking at him smugly while the Senator looked at him intently. Emmett seemed to be the only one that was confused.

"What's up, Chief?" Emmett asked in confusion before looking at the other two. "What's going on?"

"This isn't what…," Edward started to say, but before he could say anything else, Aro interrupted.

"What Felix wrote? No, though he did make a few changes. It's quite good." Aro chuckled and studied Edward intently. "Give me the speech, Edward," he said, holding out his hand.

Emmett continued to stand there, looking confused at Edward's horrified look as he stood there holding the folder tightly in his hands.

"Give me the speech, Edward," Aro said in again, his tone low and filled with malice.

Edward's eyes met the Senator's and he knew right then and there that he had a choice to make. He knew that Aro wasn't good at memorizing things and he would never make it through the speech without the papers in front of him. He also knew that the Senator knew exactly what he was doing—he was forcing Edward to choose, Bella or his career.

He wanted nothing more than to grab the papers and turn and run, instead he found himself holding out the folder to Aro with a shaky hand as Felix chuckled nearby and Aro's sinister smile grew as he said, "Now that's a good lad."

After taking the folder the Senator turned and made his way onto the stage, smiling and shaking the hand of the woman that had introduced him just moments before. From the wings, Emmett was whispering to Edward, asking what in the hell was going on, but Edward was scanning the audience, looking for Bella, but he didn't find her, at least not right away.

He didn't see her till he looked across the stage to the other wing where Bella was standing with Jasper and Senator Cullen. He felt himself breaking into a cold sweat as he saw her smiling at him from across the stage where Carlisle was waiting for his turn at the podium. Her smile turned into a look of concern when she noticed his expression, but then, the words that Senator Volturi had just started speaking seemed to penetrate and her look went from concern, to confusion, to sheer horror in a matter of seconds.

Edward didn't notice as Senator Cullen and Jasper's own expressions reflected those on Bella's face. He only noticed as Bella's eyes met his again, this time with a look of hurt and betrayal. It was fleeting through as she turned her back to him and started to talk with Carlisle and Jasper.

Edward had made the wrong choice and in doing so he had broken not only her heart, but his own.

He pushed Emmett away and flew backstage, taking a back entrance towards and alley where he promptly threw up.

What had he done?

)( )( )( )(

Bella was backstage with Jasper and Senator Cullen waiting for Senator Volturi to begin his speech when she noticed Edward behind the wings on the opposite side of the stage. She smiled at him, but then noticed that he seemed ill. She was considering excusing herself to go check on him when the words that Aro was speaking penetrated her thoughts. At first she was confused, wondering how this could be. Then she realized what was going on.

Her words.

Carlisle speech.

How had this happened? She looked at Edward again and realized that he wasn't ill, the look on his face was one of betrayal.

"How did this happen?" Senator Cullen was asking no one in particular.

"What the fuck is going on, Bella?" Jasper seethed under his breath.

She couldn't even form the words and just shook her head, not knowing what to say.

Jasper just shook his head and turned to Carlisle. "You got this, Carlisle." He straightened the lapels of Senator Cullen's jacket. "We both know that having speech writers for you is a formality. You are a top notch orator and can think on your toes. You stick to tonight's talking points, but you say it in your own words. Nothing has changed."

Carlisle, who had looked flustered for a moment nodded at all that Jasper was saying, a look of determination coming over his face.

"You are the future of this country and you are the one that's going to lead us into another great era," Jasper continued. "You are worth ten Volturis! The country deserves better!"

Carlisle nodded again and didn't even glance Bella's way as she stood silently by, feeling lightheaded as her heart pounded in her chest.

"You got this," Jasper said again in Carlisle ear just as Volturi concluded his speech and the audience gave him enthusiastic applause.

Carlisle took a deep breath, nodded again and watched as the same woman that had introduced Aro came back on stage, shook his hand, and waited for the audience's enthusiasm to Aro's speech died down…it took quite a while.

The speech was a hit, just like Bella knew it would be.