All the loose ends were tied up with deceptive ease. Money in very large quantities soothed almost every situation. I was more grateful than ever for Rosalie's help, for without her I was sure I'd have failed to get custody of my daughter.

Scott wisely retreated, burning with hatred. Our final goodbye was anything but cordial.

"Do you think Chloe will like this colour?" Rose asked me, holding up a beautiful sea green length of fabric.

We were decorating a room for my daughter and I was giddy with excitement and a little apprehensive. We were in a swanky department store where you had to make an appointment to shop there.

I smiled. "I think she'll love it! The ocean is a firm favourite of hers. She also loves turtles and dolphins."

Rosalie spoke to the assistant and chose several more pieces, holding them up for my inspection. I wanted to kiss her. Of course I couldn't because we were in a public place, but the need to was overwhelming.

I stared at her until she looked up at me questioningly. Rose read my expression and her own gaze darkened to cobalt.

"Thank you." I told her simply. Two words couldn't convey how grateful I was, but it was a start.

She nodded and smiled at me. "It's my pleasure."

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The night of the Oscars came far quicker than I'd imagined. It was a roller coaster ride from the moment we started having our hair and makeup done.

It was an experience not to be missed to have a professional do your face and hair. It was as though we were royalty. I tried to relax but my nerves were suffocating me.

I couldn't believe how we looked at the end. It was us, just perfected.

We drank champagne and dressed, with help.

The limousine ride was surreal. Rosalie put up the divide and entertwhined our fingers. I watched our hands, my heart in my throat.

"Relax, Izzy." Rose said softly. "This is just like last time."

I tried to smile but it faded before it truly began. "This is nothing like the last time." I said, my voice quivering a little.

"Its a little bigger." Rose allowed, tilting her head slightly as if to consider it, but her smile was mischievous.

She looked sensational in her gold gown. Sexy and very sophisticated, she was every inch a movie star, I thought in awe.

"A little?" I questioned, raising my brow.

"Okay, maybe a lot. But I'll be there with you the whole time."

Not really, I thought. It wasn't as if she would be holding my hand. I nodded anyway, not wishing to spoil the moment.

"You're so fucking beautiful." I told her, concentrating on her perfection to distract myself.

Rose looked at me from under her lashes, a small sensual smile playing along the edge of her lips. "So are you."

My heart leapt at the look in her iridescent eyes. But just then, the car pulled to a stop.

I drew in a shuddering breath to bolster my confidence and Rose squeezed my fingers before releasing them entirely.

"You can do this." She whispered as the door opened and she got out of the car.

There was a surge of voices and the flash of a multitude of cameras. I drew in yet another lungful of air and stepped out too.

The voices and the cameras were confusing. I knew they weren't interested in me, I was only being photographed because I was with Rose.

I walked down the red carpet slowly, terrified of somehow tripping or making a fool of myself. I heard them mention that I was Rosalie's colleague and friend.

There was the inevitable furor of comments about me being the same person who had been a part of the scandal in which Rosalie had been embroiled with a few months ago.

Rosalie didn't care about it as much anymore, which was obvious because she'd invited me here tonight.

"If you hide something in plain sight, it's that much harder to find." Her voice near my ear made gooseflesh erupt across my entire body. "Smile Izzy, lift your head high and smile. They're here for us."

"No, they're here for you." I whisper-hissed, while keeping a smile on my face.

We weren't that close to each other, although we stood together. I found my gaze drawn to Rosalie. Her beauty was, as always, mesmerising to me. I longed for her. I desperately wanted to possess her.

And then, Rosalie did the unthinkable.

Casually, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, she held out her hand to me as she moved forward along the red carpet. I stared at her hand.

Did she realise what she was doing?

My heart sprinted wildly and my mouth was bone dry. This couldn't be happening! I must be dreaming.

She turned to me ever so slightly and smiled, her dazzling gaze both enigmatic and amused.

I hesitated before reaching for her hand, I could barely hear the crowd over the blood roaring in my ears. At the first touch of her skin my heart skipped a beat and my belly flip flopped.

The photographers went mad, clicking away as if their lives depended on it. I watched the shock register on every face in the crowd as though I were watching a slow motion car crash. This was Rosalie's life - her entire career!

I stepped closer to Rose, my lips beside her ear. "What are you doing?"

"Claiming my girlfriend." She smiled, it was that wide grin I adored.

"Really? Now?" I was aghast. "Everyone on the planet will see this."

Rose put her arm around my waist and turned us to face a new set of photographers. We were so close I could smell her perfume.

Hesitantly I put my arm around her too and a surge of adrenaline threatened to choke me.

This was really happening!

Rosalie has decided to reveal our relationship now, in this very public manner, to everyone.

I was overwhelmed, terrified and happier than I'd ever been in my life.

"Rosalie! How long has this been going on?"

"Are you dating?"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

The questions were shouted at us, but always a professional, Rosalie ignored the very invasive and personal questions like a queen.

She squeezed my hand, her delicate, elegant fingers sliding through mine so that there could be no doubt of the nature of our relationship. There was nothing platonic about the way our fingers were intertwined. Rose leaned into me ever so slightly, her head tilted towards mine possessively.

"Smile Izzy," she whispered. "These pictures will be everywhere in the next hour."

I carried on smiling, my heart threatening to burst.

"I love you" I told her softly.

Rosalie smiled at me and pulled me even closer until her soft lips were beside my ear, intimately.

"I love you, so goddamn much." She said, her voice trembling.

We moved along the red carpet and it was like a dream. The bright lights, the clicking cameras and the woman I loved holding me close, announcing to the world that I belonged to her.

It was too much. It was everything I'd ever wanted. It was perfect.

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Authors note; No, that's not the end. More to come. Please can someone review. Thank you