A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.

Chapter 16-

Bella's POV-

It was… different with Marcus.

He was attentive and caring….and I was on cloud nine!

When I was with him, everything felt different…everything felt good…life felt worth living…a future I could almost look forward to.

He made me happy. So, so very happy.

I could not believe my luck that I had found someone like him in life. How did I get to be this lucky?

What had I done to deserve him?

I could almost see myself living to eternity with him!

Our date had been magical…and perfect…and everything beautiful….

I smiled to myself, shaking my head softly.

What was wrong with me?

Why was I swooning over him? I hadn't been before that one date of ours, but now…everything felt different.

Marcus had just shown me what our life together could look like…and maybe I wanted that.

Yeah, I could admit this to myself that I wanted that.

Who wouldn't want someone who was completely devoted to them- and only them- in their life?

Who wouldn't want to be blissfully happy till the day the ground consumes them forever?

Who wouldn't want a happily ever after without the risk of ever running into the bad days?

I had seen my parents together; no more a misfit couple ever found before!

I did not want such kind of a marriage- the arguments- the blame game- it was horrible, and so very painful.

Their marriage had been one of the reasons why I did not believe in the constitution of marriage; it had destroyed my father completely, and left my harebrained mother so neurotic and wary of the opposite sex. She just could never trust another for the better part of her life.

Sure, they had both moved on. But had they really?

Renee, till I spoke to her, still complained about how Charlie had ruined her life in the brief few years of their togetherness, the wounds refusing to fill themselves. And Charlie had been no better. He would start grumbling and groaning every time Renee was even mentioned in passing.

It had been almost pitiful to watch the two of them; it was clear that they hadn't been able to get a clear break from the other.

I could not deal with that; I had no patience for it!

If I was to do the whole marriage- and being together till death do us part- thing, then I needed surety. I needed to know that I wasn't making a mistake. That I wasn't going to regret my decision a week, month, year or decade in the future.

Now, I was aware that life is unpredictable, and you really can't get a guarantee on such things.

Even the happiest and most uncomplicated of couples have bad days. But I needed to know that my ship wasn't doomed from the port itself. I needed to be sure about Marcus…and I.

And our date today had helped. Definitely so.

It had just shown me what my future could look life, a step taken in the correct direction.

Now, I wasn't rushing to admit this to Marcus, or to propose something as horrendous as us moving into the same room. But yeah, surely, I could propose a second date?

I wanted to see where this goes?

"Bella,"

I looked up, startled, straightening my back as I ridded my face of any emotion, expressionlessly gazing at the intruder in my room, waiting to see what he wanted.

I could not kick him out; he was the part owner of this castle, and hence, my room, too.

"I wanted to see you."

You are currently seeing me, asshat!

"After all, my dearest sister's soul has reincarnated into you." he reminisced, a fond look in his eyes.

A look that looked completely, so, so very, fake.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Not this again!

How many times did I need to clarify that I wasn't Didyme? Did I need to get it tattooed on me before people began to take me seriously?

For, I was half tempted to do so.

"Now," Aro added, still speaking for some unclear reason. "I understand how you must be feeling…"

"Do you?" I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Of course, mio caro," he smiled, his overly sparkling white teeth out in display, causing me to take a step back in fear. "Don't be scared." He waved a hand in air, his act seemingly pretentious.

But maybe, that was just him?

"You don't need to be scared. Especially not of me." he grinned wide.

Is it so?

"But that is not why I am here today."

"Why are you here then?" I whispered the words out, apprehensive of his very being. "Marcus had come to meet you…"

"Oh, yes." He cheerfully admitted, clapping his hands in glee. "He needs time to accept the inevitable. But I have faith that he will come to see the benefit of my way rather soon."

"What is this inevitable?" I forced the words out, staring at him, confusion swimming laps in my mind.

What was he referring to?

Why had he come here?

And where was Marcus?

He would never leave me alone with the man, not unless he had to. He was aware that I did not trust Aro- any more than a person could trust their worst enemy, or would prefer to be in his company.

Not unless I had to.

"You, my dear," Aro gloated, "your future is the inevitable."

"Excuse me?"

Did he just say that my future was the inevitable?

How so?

"Marcus was not willing to understand this in the beginning," Aro waved a hand in air, nonchalantly gazing at me, pretending like we were discussing over the weather. "But I have faith that he now understands."

"Understands what?"

I did not recognize my own voice; it was such a scary whisper.

"That you need new friends."

Okay.

"I already have enough friends." I firmly protested, looking up and meeting his eyes.

He waved me off, treating me like that annoying pestering kid in the background. "Your human life is irrelevant. All your ties as a human no longer matter."

"Why are you here, Aro?" I let out a sigh, deciding to come straight to the point. "Is it to gloat over how my life has changed a 360 in such a short amount of time? For, if it is so, you don't need to bother. I am mourning over it enough already."

Aro evilly chuckled, his head bobbing up and down in superiority. "Oh dear, you call these changes? You have no idea what lies in your future!"

"Excuse me?" I gulped. "Can you be any less cryptic? Maybe?"

"Oh, Bella," he grinned, an eyebrow raised. "I will definitely come to miss your spark. Sulpicia, too, had once been the wittiest and sharpest tool in the box. But off lately, eh. Now, I couldn't blame her for that. Being locked in a dark room for centuries together…"

"No!" I gasped, my breaths harsh and quick, as a sudden thought made its way in my mind, shaking me completely. "You can't do that to me! Marcus will never let you."

"He agrees with me." he smiled, winking.

"I don't…I don't believe you. You are lying."

He had to be lying.

I was grasping at straws here, but truly, Marcus wouldn't betray me in this manner.

He had promised not to do so!

He had assured me that he wouldn't lock me up in a tower; he couldn't go back on his word.

I wouldn't let him!

"Oh, you, naïve child," Aro smirked, "I will ask Corin to make the arrangements for your stay in the tower. And Sulpicia and Dora need to be given the good news, too. They will be elated to know that they will now have a new person to talk to. Oh, the joy! Don't worry about that, though; I love sharing good news…"

"Why are you doing this, Aro?" I glared at him. "What are you to gain from this?"

I wasn't a threat.

I did not wish to be a threat.

I did not want anything to do with any of them, least of all Aro!

"I don't like change." He stubbornly shrugged. "It makes me insecure. And I detest being insecure; willing to do anything to change that status."

"I am…I am willing to leave." I pleadingly offered, my waving depicting my misery. "You will never see me again. Just don't…"

"Too late for that now." He offered me one last shrug, walking out of the room, my feet disappointing me, as I fell to my knees, unable to believe that Marcus would betray me in such a manner.

No. Aro had to be lying.

He just had to.

There had to be an explanation for this.

I wasn't getting locked up in some creepy tower for the rest of my life.

I refused to.

And I was willing to fight for my freedom.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Marcus pushed open the door to my room, walking in, his sturdy form hardly visible in the lack of the light. "Is anything wrong?"

"You tell me that?" I stared up at him, a humorless giggle leaving my lips.

"I don't understand." He hesitantly whispered.

"Of course, you don't!" I rolled my eyes in response. "I had a visitor today; do you know something about this?"

"No. Who?" he looked confused.

I couldn't tell whether he was genuinely this innocent, or if he was just pretending to be one.

Frankly, till I didn't get clarity on this matter, Marcus couldn't be trusted. All progress made between us today had instantly been lost. In those few minutes that Aro spoke to me.

Marcus would have to earn my trust again.

And he would have to prove Aro wrong.

"Your brother." I scoffed, pointing out the obvious. "He had good news to share with me."

"Oh?" Marcus questioned. "Aro…he came to visit you?"

"Yes." I agreed. "He had something to tell me. Something he was rather happy sharing. Apparently, I am to be locked up in a tower for the rest of my life, and you have given your agreement for that."

"Bella…"

"No, Marcus." I cut him off, anger shining through my eyes as I glared at him. "Just don't. Either, prove my conclusions wrong- prove that your brother is a big, fat liar, or get the fuck out of my room. I don't want to see your face."

He winced, shutting his eyes tight, the tension in the room thick as he stared at me with those pleading eyes of his. "I am sorry…"

"I don't fucking care about your sorry." I spat the words out at him, glaring in anger and disappointment. "Keep it to yourself. For now, just get out."

"Please understand…"

"What the fuck, Marcus? What do you even want me to understand? You are planning to lock me up in a tower! You had promised not to…"

"I have no other choice!" He stuttered. "I can't lose you. I can't. What happened with Didyme…"

"Sadly, you have lost me already." I humorlessly chuckled, shaking my head. "Until, you gain some sense, I don't want to see your face."

"Please don't." he begged. "You are my mate…"

"Yes, and the day you realize this, I will talk to you again. Now, if you will leave me alone…"

I all but pushed him out of the room, falling to my knees, as my tears refused to stop.

This couldn't be happening to me!

No, Marcus would soon come to his senses, mending his ways and proving Aro wrong.

Yes. I had to keep hope.

I had no other choice but to.