BPOV

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Edward asked for the hundredth time.

"Sure. You go and mingle." I dismissed him with a wave of my fingers. I was too tired and it was his duty to show his face around, so why keep him wasting his time sitting here with me?

"Ok." Reluctantly, he agreed.

We were at the Company's Christmas party just after dinner and truly satisfied after the wonderful speech my husband gave easing the rumors of a crisis, even he managed to calm the employees when he mentioned everybody's job was safe that he almost received a stand-up ovation.

The moment he left, a few older gentlemen came to him, so I knew I had time to look around. Well, from my seat because there was no way I would give another step on these shoes. As a matter of fact, I was going to take advantage of the long tablecloths and quickly lifted my legs to rest on Edward's vacant seat.

The first couple I managed to see, and I was so ready to criticize them, were Stefan and Tanya. Sure, it's a Christmas party but isn't black tie formal. Stefan's tuxedo was... interesting. Like if you made one with Hugh Heffner's robe. Now, I can't say it's ugly, but there's something... no. Then Tanya had, for the first time since I met her, a decent dress. She looked elegant. It was a deep blue gown, a bit too formal, but nevertheless, it was elegant. Now I finally start to wonder who advised her to dress like a ho when she was younger, because if she dressed like this always, I would be really jealous about her. She looked beautiful and it will be the last time you heard me admitting it and I will deny ever acknowledging it.

Then my eyes wandered around the room. Carmen was talking to a group of old men, who were nodding to whatever she was saying, yet she kept giving glances to Edward. Like she wanted to hear or interrupt his conversations. I had to keep an eye on her.

Then my bestie Rose, she was the belle of the ball, he, he. She managed to look sexy and professional. Wait, that sounds wrong. She looked like the executive she was becoming, but also feminine and beautiful. I had to take a picture to show her later. It will help on those days when she feels bad. She was talking to Alec and I was sure to know about what.

See, we finally know who is behind the mess with Osorio inc. The problem is we still need to find a few hows and mainly the why. Because we really don't get it. Rose also wants to find definitive proof to shove the responsible's ass in jail. Though Alice said it will be difficult, and because of who is the guilty one, maybe there won't be charges pressed if only to avoid scandal.

So Rose is getting the final bits of missing information we need to confront and accuse the responsible. I'm supposed to convince Edward to set a reunion with the main people involved, but I still can't find a plausible excuse that won't let out our plan.

Rose didn't mention if she planned to explain everything to Alec, he's as busy as Edward and equally aware but in his favor, he has better acting skills. He could lie and keep our plan secret.

Then, two tables to the right, I saw two women glaring at each other. One I think is Jessica, Carmen's assistant, but the other I don't think I ever met.

"It's Bree." Jane plopped to sit next to me.

"Uh? Was I talking my thoughts again?"

"Yep. Lately, you've been doing it a lot. So let me give you the scoop on those two. Both had 'something' to do with James, but were unsure if he really liked them or not."

"Which we know he doesn't."

"Exactly. He had invited Bree to the party first but she rejected him, then he asked Jessica, but when she found out he asked Bree first she dumped him. Now those two were waiting for him to beg to one of them."

"He didn't, I'm sure."

"Exactly again. So now they are alone blaming the other. All because James also knows how to dance. You should feel lucky that Edward dances with you, he wasn't always so up to do it."

"Meh. We danced when we first met. And now I'm a fat cow who can't stand the tiniest heels."

Jane patted my belly. "It only means this beauty is about to come out. How do you feel?"

"Tired. All I want to do is sleep. And everybody is telling me to use this time wisely because once she's born it will be a luxury."

"What do you think about Lauren?"

"Who invited her? I thought this shindig was only for employees and their plus one." I asked and Jane answered shrugging her shoulders.

Lauren, unlike Tanya, didn't have someone to advise her and brought her usual tight inappropriate dress. She was following Jasper and Alice like a lost puppy. That's right. Alice forgave him, and all he had to do was helping with our plan. With eyes closed and doing everything we asked without question. Brilliant if you ask me, I may use it in the future.

Alec came for Jane to dance, and was left alone again. Five minutes later my eyes were closing and I knew I had to get Edward so we could go home. He must have a hunch or something because he was at my side immediately and helped me to stand up.

"Bella, you are about to fall asleep. Come, let's say our farewells to my parents and then we can leave."

xxx

Edward was humming some weird song all the way home, and lulling into sleep faster.

"You'll have to carry me to our bedroom, and I'm a whale!" I told him.

"You know it never bothers me, I'm strong. See this bicep." He flexed his arm and I had to praise him because he's making an effort to make me laugh. Ok, that sounded awful. My dear husband is a strong man, but this time, what he was trying to get was a laugh.

I kissed him silly because he deserved it.

The light changed to green and I was sure the car behind us would honk to make us move. I turned to the back to see why they were so patient...

"Edward, that car is following us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They have this ridiculous little pink heart on the corner of the windshield. Look there's a 7-eleven over there. Let's stop."

He did as I asked, noticing how the other car slowed their speed and changed lanes just like us. He parked but the other car just passed us by, and before he opened the door of the car, I sneaked a peek on the passenger's window of the other car. I could swear that was Maria.

"Come here. I think I know to whom belongs that car." Edward said in a defeated voice.

"Kate? Maria?"

"It's one of the cars the company gave two years ago to the head of departments. So yes, that was Kate."

xxx

EPOV

When will we get rid of those two? I knew by sure that while Esme still kept Maria working for her, the relationship was only professional and cold. She said Maria didn't give her a reason to fire her, but she's keeping her distance.

Now Aro just told me he was sure Kate was looking out for jobs on San Francisco, that she was out of town with her family. How come she was right behind our car following us?

I don't doubt my uncles intentions, Aro and Eleazar are trustworthy if only a bit dumb. They must be telling their plans to someone on the other side, someone who works for Osorio, but who?

Then while I was doing my rounds at the party, I clearly heard Rose discussing a certain plan with Alec. What the fuck? She's my sister and if I can trust her... shit, then I don't know who can I trust. All I could hear was how she asked him to inquire if Jessica wrote a mail to an Elisa Hunter then she gave him a range of dates to look at. She asked him to keep it secret, even from me. And Alec agreed!

But then I looked to my wife. While she was about to fall asleep before, now she was too awake and wringing her hands. Now that I think about it, Jane mentioned she was on...

"Bella, are you helping Rose with her plan?" Yep, if she thinks I know what is she talking about maybe she will spill. I still remember that conversation between Jane and Rose. They are onto something.

Now, Bella can't lie to me. She gets nervous, babbles something awkward, and changes the subject to something outrageous that she hopes will make me forget what I was asking before.

"Hmm, maybe." She was looking to her belly, probably because she couldn't look at her feet. "But, but, it's because we need to get rid of... of..."

"Of?" I asked. If I keep pushing she will break.

"Urgh! All right. We may know who's behind all this mess."

"And why aren't you sharing this with me?"

"Because you will spill and blow out our plan. As soon as I tell you who is behind all of these, you will run to confront he... that person."

"At least you can tell me why? What if I accidentally help that person with his plans?"

Bella seemed to think about it. "I can't tell you why." I was about to protest when she stopped me. "Because we don't know. We found that all the clues lead to one person, so we know who did it. And we know how they pulled some of their stunts. Really, there are a lot of things we don't know."

I began to pace around Bella, trying to find a plausible reason for they to hide their plan from me. They would need me at some point, right? But when I lifted my eyes, I noticed Bella was shivering.

"Oh, sorry sweet girl. Let's get in the car and go home. I think we need a cup of cocoa and we can discuss that plan of yours."

xxx

Two hours later, Bella still hadn't shared the name of the culprit. But she made me aware of what they planned to do to confront him. Or her, somehow I was beginning to see who may be behind all of these. But if that was true, I honestly couldn't understand why. If I was right, all of these was pointless.

"So all you require is that I set a meeting on the Wednesday after Christmas with my father, Aro, Eleazar, and all the heads of department." So they had a date. Bella was nodding. "And what excuse or with what reason I will ask for them to come? It will be on vacation time."

"Well, duh, we want to confront that person without the rest of the company knowing. And I didn't ask for all the department heads, only the ones involved. We don't want someone like Stefan coming. Rose talked to your friend Pete, and we think if you make them believe they have great news but we need to decide a course of action before the year is over they will come. He's weird enough to make them believe it."

I nodded, it seems they really planned all the details.

"You know Stefan still may come. He has a way to find out, and he believes the company will crumble without him."

Bella sighed and said. "Whatever. As long as he keeps Tanya away I won't complain. Now, what are our plans for Christmas? Esme told me she expect us to arrive at noon and we're supposed to spend the night in your old room? I don't think we will fit into your bed."

I laughed. "When there's a will, there's a way." She slapped my arm playfully, and I carried her to bed. I was still upset because she didn't tell me the name of the culprit, but I had to admit, she told me everything else. Now, should I mention that I know where is Victoria hidden? And that her name isn't Victoria Hunter?