CHAPTER TWO
EDWARD
"You sure about her?" I ask.
"Edward she's a complete sweetheart," my sister sighs, "she's so kind and warm. She needs the money and I know she'll work hard for you. Please give her a chance."
"I gave her the job," I throw my keys down on the little entry table, "she starts tomorrow."
"Just don't work her as a slave," she warns, her facial expression is practically audible.
I can hear her glaring at me. I'd been thrown the look enough to know when she's doing it without looking at her.
"Alice, do I tell you how to dress your anorexic idiots?" My tone is bored.
"When was the last time you even came to one of my showings. I have women of all shapes and sizes," she chastises me, "maybe if you dumped that bitch you'd have more freedom. She has your balls so tight."
"Alice," I warn.
"Seriously. Tanya is a bitch and I always knew it. Don't let her get away with it this time. She is unfaithful while you pay for her to do it," she says, "meanwhile your company is suffering. Get out now. Don't go through with this wedding."
"I'm trying," I say, "it's complicated. She's digging for dirt and she's finding it."
"Wait? You're joking," she gasps, "she didn't find out about…"
"She did," I say, "let's just drop it. I have work to do and I need to feed myself."
"Okay. Well, don't break my bestie, please. I really like her and don't need her hating me cause of my idiot brother," she says.
"Say hi to Jasper for me," I say.
Alice planned to marry one of my oldest friends in two months. At least one of us would make it down the aisle. I'd spent all day cancelling on vendors without my fiance's knowledge. By the time she got home from a lavish day of spa treatments and cocktails at my expense she would probably know.
I hang up, kick off my shoes and sit on my couch.
"What'd I do to be so unlucky with relationships?" I ask myself.
Tanya and I had started out strong. She'd been a quick bang at the nightclub turned into a fiance after a few years of unhappiness. She'd practically begged me to propose, so I did, thinking it would probably be as good as I could get. Women were intimidated by me. They saw the Rolex, the flashy cars and the name wanting just a quick ride before departing to a man more suited for suburban life. I however loved the bachelor pad lifestyle. Granted my party days were over, but I enjoyed the odd soiree.
We were a year into dating when she cheated on me the first time. She said it wasn't consensual. I'd believed her. Why wouldn't I? She said she'd gotten drunk at a party and couldn't remember who had covered her body with his.
The second time was with a university friend. Well, friends. Three of them. We'd separated for a bit after that, but she'd snuck her way back in after a year. Claiming she was changed, claiming she loved me. History was always my excuse, along with my hope for better.
This time she didn't cover her tracks. Men's cologne, a holiday… purchased on my credit card. It was as if she didn't care.
I knew I didn't love her. So did she. But we pretended for her stupid socialites, for my stupid business. To appear happy in crowds while we hated each other at home. I'd gotten myself in so deep I couldn't dig out. But I was growing tired of it. Something in me had changed today.
A long time ago I had just accepted I was unworthy of love. Unworthy of happiness. My past was proof.
"Edward," she screams from the front door, slamming it behind her, "What the fuck?"
I should have poured myself something to deal with this.
She waltzes into the lounge room wearing the heels I got her last Christmas. Dior. Just three of a kind.
"Yes?" I sigh.
"You cancelled the fucking cake? Without consulting me?" she snaps.
Oh boy.
"I did," I nod.
She crosses her arms, glaring fiercely at me. If looks could kill I'd be a dead man.
"I'm waiting for a reason," she growls.
"Because we're not getting married," I stand, "I cancelled the venue, the band and the planner too. Maybe you can wear the white dress for the guy you're fucking at my expense. He might get a kick out of seeing your lying ass in it."
"What!" she screams.
"Pack your things. Whatever you can carry," I grab my keys, "I'm going to get a pizza. When I return you're to be gone or I call the police to have you removed. You don't get to just live under my expensive roof while fucking some accountant."
"I'm fucking nobody. Not even you," she shouts.
"Don't waste your breath. He and I had a huge chat today right before I cancelled everything. You can tell our guests that our wedding has been cancelled due to the circumstances of your sluttiness," I slam the door hard behind me.
I should feel heartbroken. But I don't. This was over long before it had even started.
For the tenth time this hour, I consider ripping my hair out.
All morning Tanya had sent me threatening messages about my past, my company, and my future. I'd ignored each one. She'd left as I had asked, but she still had a key. The locksmith would be around to night, a courier around to pick up the last of her things.
I press my intercom annoyed.
"Jessica," I say.
"Yes, Mr Cullen?" he answers immediately.
"Where is my assistant? It's 8:02 am," I say, "she's late."
"I'll find out, Sir," she answers.
I glare at the intercom before turning to my computer. My fingers quickly type in my sister's account. I scroll until I find a picture of her.
Isabella Swan.
There's no denying she's stunning. Her awkwardness was endearing and she clearly wasn't scared to speak her mind. I knew she was a strong, opinionated woman. A quality I was excited to see more of.
I maximise a photo leaning in to look at her closer.
Shamefully I study her body. Her figure is a dream for any man, her hair had the perfect shine and her face was the simple beauty women paid for. It's not a wonder Alice had grown so obsessed so quickly. She was intoxication in human form. A blonde woman held a hand on Bella's ass, fingers high in the air making the peace sign. Bella stuck her tongue out happily, Alice made a goofy grin. My eyes stayed glued on Bella dissecting each wrinkle and freckle the monitor could show.
My mobile phone buzzes and internally I groan as I answer, popping it on loudspeaker.
"What do you want?" I ask.
"I love you so much too, Eddikins," my brother laughs, "look. So. I need your help."
"What with?" I'm trying to shake the irritation but with Emmett it was impossible.
"This girl I'm dating. She's so incredibly hot," he sounds as if he's on the street somewhere, I can hear traffic in the background, "Honest her ass is out of this world. If we were those kinds of brothers…"
"We aren't," I interrupt.
"Alice said you were unengaged," he says.
God, news travels fast. I'd texted her only last night.
"I thought it was the brotherly thing to offer," Emmett continues, "But I'd never let you touch her. I'm greedy. Anyway. I want to do something for her. Maybe dinner. Can you get us a reservation at that fancy place? Oh, send your assistant to get her a gift. I need something for a woman. She may have been hopeless but she would know what female gift to get."
"So much sentiment," I scoff, "I actually have a new assistant. But she's mine. As in she works for me. So you can go to Macy's like a big boy and pick out something yourself."
"You know you've been a real dick since you proposed. We need to get you laid," Emmett says.
I begin to snap back, but Bella bursts into the room wearing a pencil skirt that needs to be outlawed immediately globally.
"I'm so sorry. My taxi driver kept going the wrong way," she huffs, "he tried to take back streets and wouldn't listen when I told him I lived here and knew he was ripping me off."
"Emmett. I'll deal with you later," I hang up.
"Oh you were on the phone," she bites her lip anxiously.
My eyes narrow in on her lips. They're so plump.
"One thing you should know," I stand, "I hate tardiness."
"Of course," she nods, eyes downcast, "It won't happen again, Mr Cullen."
"Edward," I correct.
She looks up at me nervously.
"I got your coffee," she steps forward placing it on the desk, "your dry cleaning too."
She shakes the hanger slightly, it ruffles beside her.
"Oh and I spoke to Ernie downstairs," she says, "he said there's a delicious sandwich place down the street you like to take lunch at. I already ordered you your usual. The owner went to school with my mother. It's such a small world, huh."
She talks a lot. Especially when she's nervous. Words spill out.
I hate that it amuses me. Tanya never behaves this way. She was rigid all the time.
"Your office is across the hall," I sit down taking up my coffee.
"I get an office?" she asks before I take a sip.
"Did you not want one?" I raise a challenging eyebrow.
She shakes her head.
"No," she says quickly, "I've just… never mind."
"Go get yourself acquainted with the office," I instruct, "come back in about thirty minutes. I have a meeting and I want you in here taking notes."
She places my shirt on a coat rack by the door, before picking up her handbag by the door and walking out across the room. I smile to myself as I watch her step into the other room through my windows. Her hands skim the surface of her white desk before she turns to look out the window.
With her back to me, I raise my cup to my mouth, stopping as I notice the lid.
"Keep this one away from your shirt :)"
What have I let my sister do?
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