Here comes the chapter everyone wanted to read! Have I told you that this chapter will have twists? I think I did! So read it until the end before thinking about killing the Author (AKA Me)! (I wouldn't be able to finish the story if you did kill me LOL And I'm going to finish it today!^~)

Well… This chapter is dedicated to is, marie cullen18 and !^~ That's right, I'm dedicating this chapter to Brazilian girls! ^~ (Should I dedicate it to myself then? LOL)

Thanks, Aoi-chan! \o/ Awesome Beta! \o/

Chapter 36

EPOV

"What do you mean, Alice?" I asked shouting. "She lost her hope?"

"She seemed to be holding on to some strong hope, but since yesterday she seemed to begin to let go of that hope…" Alice cried.

"Me." Cain said.

"What?" We asked in unison.

"I was there and left, she must think I gave up on her…that Suzette must have made her believe that!" Cain stated.

"That makes sense! You were the only one Bella told what happened, you were her only hope, and if she knows you left she must be thinking that no one will rescue her." Alice stated.

"Hurry, please!" I told to the conductor.

We tried to focus on the plan the entire ride. Alfred, the conductor of the carriage, was going to wait for us in a secret place half an hour of the house. We wore cloaks that completely covered us and walked silently toward the house. It was almost night time and if someone saw us, this person would probably think they were seeing spirits. We got to the place Cain said was the entrance, it was a really small hole in the wall, hidden by some big bushes, just Alice was tiny enough to go through it.

"See?" Alice said lowly. "Being tiny has its advantages."

Jasper nodded and I sighed.

"Go on! And unlock the window for us to enter." I told her.

"Ok." She replied and entered.

Almost immediately we heard the small sound she made to open the window. We got in quickly and closed the window again, in order not to raise suspicion.

"You all remember the map, right?" Cain asked.

"Yes." The three of us answered together.

"Great, now go!" Cain said and we parted ways.

Cain POV

I knew he was there. If he wasn't there Bella would end up dead. He didn't torture Bella the other night we were here and that's what I'm gambling with. Riff was following right behind me. We were walking silently and paying close attention to any possible movement. I never wanted to kill someone as slowly as I wanted to kill him. Celestine was one of the few people that would talk to me even when my father ordered everyone to ignore me. She confronted him many times. She was no fool; she always saw my father's true colors. She was more of a mother figure to me than any other woman. This man took her away from me and then tried to take Belladonna. She was the friend I thought I would just have in Riff. She couldn't care less about who we were and would play anything I wanted with me and if she didn't know the game, she would eagerly learn if I taught her. She would even get better than me.

When Belladonna's parents died, a part of her died too. She would pretend to be alright but wouldn't do anything for fun or smile from her heart. I would only visit once a year after that. I couldn't take it to see her like that. I didn't go to her engagement party because I didn't want to see her indifferent expression. I was surprised when I saw her that happy with Edward and I vowed to help protect her new found happiness.

"Master Cain…" Riff called me. "We are almost there." He alerted me and I noticed I was spacing out way too much in a dangerous place.

I heard the sound of a woman with a babyish tone whining.

"Bella…" She whined louder. "It's all about Bella. I know she is your sister, but come on! I'm your wife and you don't even want to sleep with me…you get more excited whipping your sister than with me…"

I had to suppress a laugh.

"Not that I don't get excited seeing your sister suffer, I really do, but I just want some action too, you know?" She continued to whine.

Riff lowered himself to the floor and stood up fast. "She is whining alone."

"Let's hurry to Bella's room then!" I told Riff.

"What about her?" Riff asked me and he was right. She wasn't expecting an attack right now.

"Shoot her lower abdomen and use the Emerald Forest poison to make sure she'll die!" I told him and handed a bottle with one of the poisons that only the Hargreaves family had. "Take care, Riff, remember that your life is mine!"

He nodded and I took off. I ran through the hallways and got to Bella's room quickly.

EPOV

We headed to the west direction and saw Cain going to the South Wing. He said he would deal with the killer and I would take care of Bella. If my heart wasn't aching so strongly and begging for Bella, I think I would've argued. We followed the memorized directions and soon we were in front of Bella's room. I heard voices coming from inside.

"So, dear sister, why won't you talk with me?" A man asked frustrated.

Sister? I shouted surprised in my mind. I looked at Alice and she seemed just as surprised as I was.

I heard a whipping sound.

"Why won't you scream anymore? I've whipped you twice the normal amount!" The man screamed angrily.

"You'll kill her, James!" I woman shouted also angrily.

"She is dead, an empty shell…" He said and I could feel he was about to decide to kill her.

"He'll kill her!" I whispered to Jasper.

"Let's enter!" He replied. "Alice, stay in the shadow!"

She nodded and we kicked the door opened.

"What…?" The man asked as I pointed my pistol to him, Jasper pointing his to the woman. Something I would never be able to do, kill women.

"Drop that damn whip right now!" I hissed.

He complied.

"Oh, you came after all…" He said smirking. "Almost late, but that's how it's supposed to be, right?"

I ignored him and looked around the room and then I saw her. She was just wearing her undergarments, the back of it was ripped and the parts that were still in place were soaked with blood. Her hands were tied to the door handle of the closet in front of her. Her head was to the side; her beautiful chocolate brown eyes were lifeless and staring at nothing. I felt like crying noticing that he was right, she looked like an empty shell.

"You did this to her!" I growled at him.

"I have my right to do whatever I want with her. I'm her older brother after all!" He replied smirking.

I shot at him, but missed his heart. The bullet went into his left arm.

Bella looked at me and life came back to her eyes. Her eyes quickly reflected fear as I saw James, or whatever was his name shoot me in the heart. I could faintly see Jasper shooting him at the heart as I passed out.

Cain POV

I saw James shooting Edward and being shot by Jasper. Bella was convulsing weakly against the door handles trying to free herself. I ran to check on Edward's vital signs.

"Go untie Bella!" I ordered and Alice complied, without looking at her brother.

I placed my hand over his chest and felt something wrong, he was still wearing his black cloak so no one would notice the blood. But there was no blood. I took his cloak off and saw that the bullet stopped on something that was in his shirt pocket. I took it from his pocket and it was a blue sapphire shaped as a rose had stopped the bullet and in was still there, it would be hard to remove the black round bullet from the middle of the rose, but it would be an eternal reminder of this stupid idiot's luck.

Jasper carried Bella to Edward's side and she was almost crying when I showed her the jewel.

"This pendant saved his life, any idea of who the actual owner might be?" I asked and smirked.

"My birthday present." She stated really lowly.

"You just saved his life." I told her smiling.

"It just saved my life." She told me, getting the necklace from me and putting it on.

"I'm sorry, Edward." She said and kissed him on the lips, before passing out.

"Will she be all right?" Alice asked crying.

"Both of them will." I replied and smiled at her.

"Where is the woman?" Jasper asked.

I looked around and noticed that Suzette was gone.

"Damn!" I growled. "Jasper, search Riff and bring him here, she probably will…" And as I was telling we heard the sound of a shot.

A few minutes passed and nothing, complete silence, until Riff entered the room.

"What was that?" Alice asked.

"The head maid shot herself." Riff told us. "She said she'd rather kill herself than have us killing her, something about honor."

At least she decided to die with honor, as she lived in shame. I thought.

"Jasper, place Bella on the bed, her back up, so Alice can treat it." I explained.

"What about Edward?" Alice asked.

"Who cares about him! The bullet didn't even hurt him." I told her and smirked.

"That's not a nice thing to say, it actually hurts a lot." Edward said as he massaged the place the bullet should have entered his chest.

"That's nothing compared to what Bella has suffered and still is suffering." I told him as Jasper laid Bella down on her bed.

EPOV

I woke up feeling a strong pain in my chest and as I remembered I was shot I wondered how I could be still alive. As Cain told me that Bella had it worse and I forgot about myself, running to her side.

"You came to save her life and she was the one who ended up saving you." Cain said and Alice giggled.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I gently caressed her pale cheek, it turned slightly redder and I got happy thinking that even when she was unconscious she could recognize my touch. Jasper carried her and nothing. Cain examined her, also nothing. I touch her cheek and she blushes slightly.

"The necklace." Cain said, pointing to my shirt's pocket.

I touched the place where the necklace was and gasped, it was exactly the same place where the bullet hit me. "The necklace…" I said in awe.

"I guess now it surely is the most important birthday present she ever received." Cain stated and laughed. "It saved the life of her most important person."

I smiled widely.

"Cut the goofy grin." Alice told me. "And help Jasper and Riff to get rid of this corpse" She said pointing to the corpse of the man that tortured Bella. "I have to clean Bella's wounds and bandage her up, so her wounds don't get infected. Cain, find the medicine and bandages."

Everyone went out and did what Alice asked. Jasper and I helped Riff to get the killers body to the same room that had another one of Bella's torturers, then getting Suzette to the same place. We decided we would burn the corpses when Bella was better.

As we finished our assignment, I went directly to Bella's room, meeting Cain by the door.

"You can't enter, Alice is treating her wounds." He said and smirked. "Unless you want to check her body." Then his smirked turned into a grimace. "If you even try, I'll shoot you! You'll only see her body after the marriage!"

"Don't worry, I'll just sit here." I stated and sat on the floor.

"Better." He said and smirked.

"So Cain…" I began nervously. "I heard the killer, James, if I'm not wrong…I heard him call Bella 'dear sister'… Was he really her brother?"

"He was her half brother." Cain replied. "Her mother had an affair with a commoner before marrying Belladonna's father; he was the fruit of this relationship."

"And Bella never knew him?" I asked, though the answer sounded obvious.

"No, she didn't." He replied. "Even Celestine just found out a few years ago."

"Edward, come in!" Alice called. "Cain, let's go call some servants to bring some soup to Bella."

As I entered the room, Alice left. I closed the door and ran to Bella. I kneeled in front of her bed, placing my head right next to hers.

"You're really fine, Edward?" She asked really lowly.

"I can't believe you." I said seriously. "You were almost whipped to death, haven't eaten or drank water properly and you are asking me if I'm fine?"

She laughed weakly. "Yes, I think that's the case."

I smiled hearing her laugh, but quickly became serious and she too stopped laughing.

"Don't you dare to do something like that again!" I told her seriously. "I almost went crazy!"

"I'm sorry, Edward…" She whispered as the tears ran down her face.

I wiped them away and kissed her lips sweetly. "I missed this."

She smiled and replied. "I also missed it."

"I'm glad to know." I told her and winked, causing her to giggle. "Now promise me that you will never risk you life again!"

She sighed and replied. "Ok, I promise…I don't think I'll be able to stay away from you anymore…this period was enough for a lifetime."

"I'm glad to hear it." I said and was about to kiss her again, when I heard someone clear his throat.

"My cousin needs to drink her soup, so no harassment now, ok?" Cain said and Alice giggled.

"Stupid cousin…" I heard Bella mutter and laughed.

After Bella ate, one of the maids came to check on her. Bella told her the truth and the maid said that the servants would help Riff, Jasper and I to eliminate all of the evidence of the three deaths that happened that day. After throwing the bodies in the fire and watch them become ashes (Bella praying for their souls), Riff and Cain decided to head back to inform our family that Bella wouldn't be able to go to them so they would have to come to her.

Bella would sleep most of the time and after eating breakfast and lunch on the following day she had already regained some color and force. She was almost speaking in a normal tone. Alice was constantly changing her bandages, helped by an old maid called Theresa.

By the end of that day, Cain and Riff returned with the others. Rose immediately tried to attack Bella with a hug, but Alice quickly positioned herself in front of Rose.

"Bella's back is really damaged, Rose…I'm sorry, but no hug. I mean it, a normal hug would already hurt her, imagine a hug from those nails." Alice said fiercely.

Rose nodded and got both of Bella's hands. "I was so worried about you, Bella!"

"I'm sorry, Rose." She said and cried.

"We're just happy that we'll be able to see you falling a lot more, maybe even at the wedding!" Emmett said while laughing.

"It'll just happen if you don't take good care of me or make me trip on purpose!" She told him, glaring as he smiled evilly back.

"I would never ever do that to you, Little Bells…" He said, keeping his evil smile.

"Ok, I don't trust you… I'll find someone else for the position!" Bella told playfully.

"You would never find someone as good as me!" He told her confidently.

"I already have a few names on my mind." She stated as I saw Jasper's eyes shine, Emmett also noticed.

"Ok, I promise you I'll take good care of you, now don't place another person to walk you down the aisle." Emmett pleaded, sounding like he was almost crying.

"Fine." Bella replied and winked at Jasper, who winked back. I couldn't control my laugh.

"Bella…" Mary called shyly.

"Yes, Mary?" Bella called patting the space beside her, and Mary sat there.

"Can I hold the end of your veil?" She asked looking to her hands that were folder on her lap.

"Of course, I wouldn't want any other girl to do that!" Bella replied and smiled sweetly.

"Eddie boy, the bet is still on!" He said and winked at me.

I looked at him and nodded. Thinking that this would be the easiest bet I would ever win. Our daughters would be born way before his next kid, I just knew it.

"Glad to know." He said and smirked. "I'm already thinking about what I'll have you doing when I win."

"I already know what I want you to do." I replied and I really did, that would be great.

Both Emmett and I laughed and after a while we noticed that Rose, Bella and Esme were glaring at us.

"Oh, come on!" Emmett and I said at the same time.

"Oh God…" Rose and Bella said and sighed at the same time.

"I'm so happy that we play the normal couple here…" Alice chirped and everyone looked at her.

"I agree with you, my pixie." Jasper said and Alice smiled.

"If she told you to jump out of the window you would say that her idea is wonderful, Jasper…" Cain stated and sighed. "Pathetic in love people…"

"Oh, come on, Cain, I know you love us! You know you love us!" Bella said and winked.

"That doesn't change anything! And one time is enough!" He said and laughed.

"I know." Bella replied.

"Bella… I think it's time." Cain said, turning serious suddenly.

Bella nodded and began to tell all of us the whole story. She apologized the entire time, stopping sometimes to cry a little. She told us about finding out that she had a brother, that he was the one responsible for her parents' death and also for her grandmother's death. She told us about how he threatened to kill Alice if she told someone and all of us if she didn't meet with him. She told us about how Suzette was the one that ended her parents love and how she considered her a second mother and felt betrayed. By the end she was just sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, I never wanted to deceive you, but I couldn't risk your lives…you gave me all I had lost and much more…" She said between sobs.

Esme kissed her cheek and told her. "We love you, Bella. There's no need to apologize."

Bella nodded and closed her eyes, falling asleep and seeming peaceful.

*****-*****

So… Edward didn't die… And Victoria, James and Suzie died! LOL And Bella prayed for them! Jasper was the one who killed James! I bet you didn't see that one coming! =P

Anyways… I hoped you liked the chapter!^~

I wanted to thank everyone for following this project with me! *-* I'm really thankful! *-*

OK! I DON'T WANT TO SURPRISE YOU BUT I'M KINDA SHOUTING HERE!!! LOL 1001 REVIEWS!!! OMG!!! EXACTLY 1001 REVIEWS!!! *-* OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!!! THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!! *-*

Seriously you just won my day for me! *-* Thank you so very much! *-*

Until next chapter… (I'm going to go jump up and down like Alice and scream to mom that I got to 1k before she comes to call me mentally disturbed! LOL)

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