This story is dedicated to all Abuse and sexual assault victims.
May this story remind you of your power.
Summary: Bella thinks the death of her abusive father will mark the end of her troubles. What happens when she discovers her troubles are far from over. What more underhanded tricks will she play to reach the life she envisioned for herself and her children? What challenges will arise from her entanglement with the mafia families? What demons will she need to conquer to get to her dreams?
I don't own twilight. I own my characters' experiences, pasts, and internal struggles.
A new couple alert
Adding more gasoline to the flames of the rumors, Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen were seen leaving together Millie Moris's birthday party together. Being friends with Moris, the elusive producer and CEO was an obvious invitation. The model, on the other hand, is not. She was Edward Cullen's plus one. Granted, they didn't arrive together but sources allege that he left her name at the entrance. The same sources claim that since arriving at the party the couple were attached at the hip.
It's worth mentioning that Bella starred in the music video of the song Glow by the recent number one hitter Matt Brown that was produced by Cullen.
"So I have a question," Bella tells him over coffee in his studio. "Go ahead," he tells her.
"How do you know Millie? If I had to spend the rest of my life guessing the people you are friends with, I would have never thought of Millie."
"We went to high school together. But also behind the public image and the facade, Millie is a very different person. She is extremely innovative, always finding new endeavors to expand to. She might have gotten her initial fame as a party girl and a socialite that is famous for being famous. But she leveraged that to start so many businesses. Also, Millie is involved in many charities. So maybe you wanna hang out with her and take some notes," he tells her sounding slightly aggressive.
Bella looks slightly offended and sorry as she rushes and says, " I didn't mean it as an insult. It's just that your friendship came as a surprise to me because of how different you both seem. I am not criticizing her. If I came off as insulting, I apologize. I didn't mean it that way. Since I have already managed to annoy you, I will get out of your hair."
She gets off the couch and walks towards the door of the studio feeling both guilty and embarrassed by the entire thing but also bewildered because what she said was not offensive by any means she was trying to get to know him and understand what kind of a person he is.
God, you had to stick your foot in your mouth, didn't you? God forbid you behave like a normal person for a couple of minutes. You had to have your craziness shine through.
She opens the door only for Edward to get in her way and stop her from passing through. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to sound aggressive. It's just that people tend to speak negatively about her so when you asked me about her I assumed that you didn't like her and jumped to the defense."
She walks back to her seat and tells him, "you never have to tell me about society undermining women or disdaining them for doing nothing and being perfectly normal."
They stay silent for a moment each sipping their coffee respectively. Each one of them is deep in thoughts.
"I didn't expect you to be a jokester."
"What? Did you expect me to be stiff? Is that the vibe I give?" he asks her looking slightly offended. "It's nothing like that. I don't know enough about you to decide what kind of a person you are. But from our previous interactions I assumed that you were more serious, so it was refreshing to fake date someone like you, cause if am gonna be honest. I am covering both of us in the stiffness department."
He laughs loudly at her. "Cracking a jock at your own expense, I didn't expect that," he tells her after he laughs.
"Well, I am like a pandora's box. What you find might not be pretty, but you can count on me to bring excitement into your life," she replies laughing with him.
"You are not one hundred percent accurate since you are pretty," he tells her smiling softly.
"Of course, I am," she tells him fluffing her hair, crossing her feet, and leaning back.
"You are also very humble," remarks dryly. "Of course my dear. I am phenomenal, amazing dazzling, I am practically a blessing to this earth," she replies sticking her nose in the air comically.
He laughs at her reply and she follows suit. "Okay, I need to leave now cause there is only so much of Peter and Adam that Seth can handle," she tells him jumping to her feet.
"Are you ever going to tell what's the deal with Seth?" he asks following behind her to the door.
She goes out of the door and closes it partly till he can only see a part of her then replies, "if you are super nice to me, someday, I might do it." Then she flecks his nose and walks away.
The newest couple in town.
Our newest IT couple, Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen have been getting seen all around the city of New York over the last 2 months. Swan was seen leaving his office and studio a couple of times seeming to be in a good mood. They have been seen dining at NYC's finest restaurant and walking in central park. So far there is no visual sight of her children meeting Cullen but sources close to the couple told us that they are in no hurry. "Isabella is in no hurry to introduce her children to any man, and Edward admires her tenacity when it comes to protecting her children and respects her boundaries," the source revealed to Daily Pop.
It's worth mentioning that Isabella's godfather, businessman Aro Volturi, is the brother-in-law of Cullen's maternal Aunt given that his sister's mum married Marcus Volturi and Isabella also happens to be best friends with his stylist and brother's girlfriend Alice Brandon.
Over the last two months, Bella and Edward have built a tentative friendship. They don't hang a lot. They don't go out of their way to hang out. Almost all of the times that they hung out together they tipped the paparazzi to their location. They rarely call each other and when they do it is usually to talk about their arrangement.
But they do hang out together and when they do they spend the entire time talking. They talk about every topic under the sun. They talk about work, their lives, family, and anything they can think of. They laugh together till tears are streaming down their faces. They eat together. They take walks together.
Slowly but surely, Edward has become a good friend of hers.
"You know, for two people seeing each other casually, you and Edward hang out a lot," Alice tells her when Bella visits her to try on one of Alice's latest designs. Since their last fight, Alice has been working extra hard and getting everyone she can to be seen wearing her clothing. She is currently fitting her in the dress she will wear for Matt's album launch party.
"You know, for someone who identifies as an, I don't stick my nose in other's business, you ask many questions about my personal life," Bella replies.
"And you and Edward have yet to answer a single question of mine. So come on, what is the deal with both of you," Alice tells her as she walks back and appraises her handy work.
"You know you make it out to be something bigger than it is. All there is to it is that we are two people who enjoy hanging out together," Bela replies shrugging her shoulders while turning left and right for Alice to see.
"Except that both of you are staying silent on this relationship. If it was only you, I wouldn't say a thing. You like to keep your cards close to your chest, but Edward doesn't and for the first time since I meet him he refuses to tell me anything about his relationship," Alice states pouting.
"We are done."
Bella goes to the room to change and tells her from behind, "that is because I requested that he not do so."
"But why?" Alice whines. "Because you can't keep a secret," Bella tells her opening the door and handing her the dress. "Come on Bella, I have never spilled the bean on any of his relationships to the public before. Why would I do that now?"
"Sure you won't tell the rags, but you will tell Phil," Bella tells her as Alice trails behind her to the kitchen. "I wouldn't," Alice proclaims.
"Sweetheart stop the whining. You're not a child. I would know that I have two of those at him," she replies as she makes them both a cup of coffee and slides Alice's on the counter towards her.
Truth is that Phil probably figured out that they are fake dating cause if he hadn't he would have called her and demanded to know the guy in her life. But she uses the Phil excuse knowing that he will go along with it if confronted because she knows that as much as Alice won't intentionally tell on them, she will do it by mistake.
Alice opens her mouth to argue more when Bella's phone rings. She raises her hand silently asking Alice to keep it quiet for now as she takes out her phone and answers it. "Hello Ted, to what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me?" she asks sarcastically.
While the two of them initially got along, the next day of shooting he was extremely short to her and snappy. He gradually cooled but by then his behavior made her feel insulted to the point that by the end of the shoot she told him, "when in the future you find yourself in a scandal, a huge one. I want you to know that I am the one who orchestrated it."
Needless to say, she is in no way, shape, or form interested in running into him by mistake, let alone having him call her. "I have an offer for you," he replies. "Not interested," she snaps at him. "You will be once you know it," he tells her calmly in opposition to her snappy tune. "I will bite, what is it?"
"Meet me in an hour at the location I give you and I will tell you."
After saying good buy to Alice, Bella walks the distance between Alice's place and the location he sent her. On the way, she sends Edward the location and a voice record in which she says, "hey Edward listen. Ted, your friend just sent me the location I sent you and asked me to meet him there to tell me about an offer. I am assuming it's a work one. Normally, I wouldn't bother you, but he is your friend and he was being really weird and all over the place the day after you visited on set. So I just wanted to let you know, just to be safe."
The elevator dings and she steps into the studio. "Come in Isabella," he tells her opening his arms in welcome and leading her towards a kitchenette area in the studio. He gets behind the counter and asks her, "what would you like to drink? There is alcohol, coffee, and tea."
"Nothing, thank you," she tells him stiffly disturbed and slightly uncomfortable with the 180-degree switch compared to how things were the last time they met. "Nonsense, you have to drink something. You don't expect me to behave this rudely, do you?" he asks playfully.
"Water. Tape is fine," she answers. At least she can see him filling the glass and know what it has and where it is coming from. "There you go. Now I will make myself a coffee and then we will get to talk," he tells her handing her the glass of water and returning to making his coffee.
He finishes making his coffee and then leads her to the seating in the corner beside the glass windows. "So how has life been treating you? Must be exhausting to work as a model and be a mum."
"Let's cut the crap. All mums work so me modeling doesn't make me special. And we aren't friends. I am here because I have an offer and it better not involve me providing you with sexual favors cause it will never happen."
"Why are you so stiff? Life is not just work," he tells her leaning back and sipping his coffee. "Do you have an actual thing to share with me or should I leave?" Bella demands raising her voice. "Sit back and relax and I will tell it to you," he tells her sitting her coffee aside and leaning forward.
"Okay, go ahead."
"I am in the pre-production of a movie that I am the second director of. As so, I have the authority to cast one of the characters. It's not the main one, but it is something nonetheless. Five scenes which is not huge but enough for one's talent to shine. The pay is not huge but will provide the actress with a lot of exposure," he tells her.
"What does this have to do with me? I don't know many actresses that I can recommend for the job," Bella tells him not sure what this has to do with her.
"I am not telling you this so you could recommend me someone," he replies patiently. "Then why?" Bella asks him already regretting the fact that she answered her phone.
"Because I want to cast you."
Hey guys, I hope you liked this chapter.
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