A/N: Thank you for all the support! I really appreciate it! I'm working on prewriting more chapters so I can have a more consistent update schedule. Special thanks to Mel Cee for betaing-all mistakes are my own:)
We are creeping up the prologue and a time jump is on the horizon...Let me know your thoughts and predictions. Thanks again!
Age 16
Ring. Bella who once longed for when the phone rang now dreaded the sound. Ring.
"Fuck!" she muttered, running to find her cell phone. The one Edward gave her that she forgot to put on silent.
Cries were coming from the back of the house causing Bella to cringe as she continued her search. Finally she found the phone in between the couch cushions.
"Hello," she grumbled into the phone, not even checking who was calling.
"Well hello to you too!" Edward chuckled on the other end of the line.
Bella walked back to the room where the crying came from. There lay Lillian in her bassinet. She was two weeks old, and if Bella thought she was tired before Victoria gave birth, then she was sadly mistaken. Bella picked up the newborn and rocked her, the phone now leaning against her cheek and shoulder.
Turned out that Victoria's stomach bug was no bug after all. It was a baby; she got pregnant with her married therapist's child. After the shock wore off, Victoria actually got excited and straightened up her act for a while.
Sure, she was still prescribed a low dose antidepressant and she was a raging bitch to both Bella and Charlie, but she was more sound of mind and even got out of bed most days.
During those long eight and a half months, Bella couldn't decide whether or not it was a good or bad thing. The compassionate side of her was happy that something shook Victoria enough to change, but the selfish side of Bella was agitated that Victoria was more demanding than ever.
Since the baby's father remained at arm's length throughout Victoria's pregnancy, Bella had been at Victoria's beck and call. Getting ice cream, cooking more meals, cleaning up after Victoria and her morning sickness, all while taking care of herself and Charlie.
Too bad, Victoria's change in demeanor was short-lived. The second Victoria gave birth, she was back to being holed up in her bedroom or out God knows where with God knows whom. She hadn't even bonded with Lillian, like she should have.
"Sorry, Edward, the baby was up all night and I forgot to put my phone on vibrate, so I just woke her after I finally got her down. Victoria went out, and I'm alone with her again." Bella cried. Breaking down was not one of her favorite things to do, especially to Edward, but she felt overwhelmed and couldn't stop it. Things between them were rocky enough given their distance, so she didn't want to seem like she was burdening him.
"Bella, come outside," Edward said calmly. Telling her to relax at a time like this was pointless.
"What? I can't go anywhere. Did you not listen to what I just said? I'm stuck at home with a baby that's not even mine. I don't even want kids." Fuck. Bella never meant to say that aloud, but with the sleep deprivation, she had no clue if she was coming or going. She had no idea about Edward's stance on children or what their future together may hold, but she didn't want to deter him with her opinion on having children.
If Edward had any thoughts on the matter, he didn't comment. What sixteen-year-old would? But then again they weren't ordinary sixteen-year-olds…
He inhaled a breath; getting angry wouldn't solve anything. "Bella, please, come outside. Bring Lil."
"Fine," Bella spat into the phone. She grabbed the blanket out of the bassinet, securing it around Lily, and made her way to the door.
As soon as she opened the door to the old house, she was staring at Edward. Edward waving from a SUV of some sort. He had his sunglasses on, and his hair was shorter—he now cut it every six weeks—but she was thankful it was still in its normal disarray.
When he made his way out of the car, she saw Edward was wearing his lacrosse uniform and was a bit sweaty. Bella cringed, hating when he wore his sports uniform; it was just a reminder of his life without her.
She had a baby to care for and clothes covered in spit up, not to mention bags under her eyes from the nightly wake-up calls. He had a brand new car, designer clothes, and a newfound social life.
The pair couldn't be more different. Their love and history was the glue holding them together but at times, it felt like just barely…
"Hey baby! Check out my new ride! Liz and Ted gave it to me as an early birthday present." He smiled proudly. He would have been happy with a Honda Pilot, but Ted insisted that nothing was too good for his boy, and he had purchased a fully loaded Range Rover.
"You don't have a license yet!" Bella blurted, missing the social cue where she should have been happy for her boyfriend.
"Yeah, about that. My parents pulled some strings with the DMV and I got to take the road test last week and passed," Edward admitted sheepishly. He moved closer to Bella and peeked under the blanket to see Lillian's face. Edward had only seen her once before when she first came home from the hospital. It had been a long two weeks without his Bella. Hell, it'd been a long eight or so months of Bella being Victoria's stand-in husband.
"Congratulations!" Bella mustered up a smile and leaned in gently, careful of the baby in her arms to give him a hug.
After kissing her forehead, he maneuvered his hands under Bella's and took Lillian from her arms. Edward gestured with his chin for Bella to open the front door, and he carried the baby into the house.
Bella watched as Edward softly cooed to Lillian. Anyone else would have swooned at the sight, but instead, Bella got the usual pit in her stomach when she thought of babies.
Edward entertained Lillian while Bella made dinner: simple penne pasta with sautéed veggies. Bella often wondered if Edward judged her cooking now that he was eating gourmet meals. Speaking of gourmet, she thought of the party Edward had invited her to for his birthday next month.
"Is Liz still okay with me coming to your party? She didn't seem too thrilled to have me at their Christmas gala." Bella shook her head, trying to put the thoughts of Edward's parents and their disapproving faces out of her mind.
"Yeah, they said it's fine. I think Ted and Liz were just surprised that you actually came. I was still so new to their family then. I think we are all better transitioned now. These sort of things take time," Edward stated.
Bella cocked her eyebrow, looking at him like he had three heads.
"Too much?" Edward said, a bit embarrassed. He had just parroted the monologue that Liz recited to him when he felt out of place.
Bella nodded, sliding the plate of pasta toward him and walking around the kitchen island to grab Lillian and place her in the bassinet. Edward stood and shook his head, proceeding to put the baby down.
Now that his hands were free, Edward walked toward Bella and engulfed her in a big hug. "I missed you so much," he murmured into her hair.
"I missed you more. You have no idea."
Edward grabbed her chin and lifted it upwards, giving her a kiss. His tongue grazed her bottom lip, asking for permission. She parted her lips, wrapping her tongue around his, massaging hers against his. Bella leaned into his body, tightening her grip around his torso, and Edward moaned.
The couple was so distracted by one another that they failed to hear the front door open.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" a voice shrieked.
Turning their heads, untangling themselves in the process, they saw that there stood Victoria in the doorway of the kitchen. Her fiery red hair was in a big heap at the top of head, her manicured nails rested on her hips, and she proceeded to tap her foot against the linoleum.
"You two think you're both slick. Sneaking into each other's room for years. You coming to visit any time you fucking feel like it." She gestured toward Edward. "You were enough of a burden while you lived here. Give it a rest. Orphan girl over here isn't worth the hassle." She crooked her thumb in Bella's direction, making a disgusted face.
"I apologize for—" Edward started but was quickly interrupted.
"Don't!" Victoria yelled, holding her hand up. "Save it!"
Victoria turned and started walking to Bella, who jumped back to lean against the kitchen counter. "You think your life is so fucking hard. Trying being stuck with three brats and no fucking man. They don't stick around for shit."
Bella's chest started heaving as Victoria was a few inches from her face. Her same manicured fingers trailed up and down Bella's cheek. She couldn't look at Edward; she didn't want him to get involved. Bella also didn't want Victoria to see her like this. He was past this portion of his life.
"Don't touch her!" Edward roared from behind Victoria. He was restraining himself but he couldn't stand back and watch her treat Bella this way.
Victoria scoffed and continued her motions. "Mhmm, how about this, Bella, your little rich boy is forbidden from coming here and you're forbidden from leaving this house except for school." Victoria nodded while tears streamed down Bella's face.
Satisfied, Victoria pulled her hand away from Bella and smirked in Edward's direction.
"Oh and Bella?"
Bella croaked out, "Yes?".
"Change the baby. Don't you smell that shit?" Victoria pulled Edward by his bicep toward the door, ushering him out. Ignoring his pleas, she closed the door in his face as he yelled, "Please."
Bella stood there in shock, unmoving.
Victoria pursed her lips and snapped her fingers in Bella's direction.
"Charlotte still with Siobhan?"
Bella nodded, walking over to Lillian, while the tears continued to fall.
All Bella had was Edward. She had hope in them for the first time in a long time. Bella had been so worried about Edward's adoption and the impact it would have on their relationship. Edward had proved her wrong, making efforts to include her in his new life. Even though she felt like a fish out of water in his world, it was nice to be wanted. Victoria forbidding Edward to see her would crush her.
Bella had to figure something out. She always managed to keep her head above water; she just wasn't sure how she would manage it this time.
An hour passed and Charlotte returned home with Siobhan after gathering clothes for her summer wardrobe. Upon Mrs. Cope's departure, and Siobhan's arrival, Bella and Charlie quickly realized that Mrs. Cope neglected many of her duties. Ultimately, she neglected them in many ways as well.
While Siobhan still hadn't caught Victoria doing drugs and she hadn't seen anything too out of the ordinary in the house, Siobhan was on high alert. Sure, she was young, but that ensured that she was sharper than other case workers. In her gut, she knew something was off in the Burton household, no matter how many times Bella and Charlie assured her everything was fine.
"Hey, Bella, how are you, honey?" Siobhan asked, eyeing the sixteen-year-old carefully. "Is everything okay?"
Bella was no longer crying, but her face and eyes were still red and puffy. She nodded, not trusting her voice.
"You know if there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here. You can tell me anything. I want to help." Siobhan smiled grimly. She felt pity for the girl. Bella was sixteen years old, a few months from seventeen, and had no prospects of being adopted. Aging out was never the goal. Her heart broke for the poor girl and the struggles she'd had to bear and the struggles that were still ahead.
Charlie gave Bella a hug, not knowing what was wrong but knowing it had to be big for Bella to be so openly upset.
Siobhan gently reminded the girls that she was there if they needed her, and she walked to the door.
"Bella, you'll get summer clothes next Saturday."
"Thank you!" Bella managed to say, twirling the locket that Edward had given her.
Siobhan got in her car. Charlotte walked over to the window and made sure the car was gone before she asked, "What the hell happened?"
"Edward…Victoria forbids…his birthday…leaving me…have to stay in the house." Bella was a blubbering mess, leaning against the back of the couch.
Charlie slowly walked over to her pseudo-sister. While they might not have been sisters by blood, they were sisters in every sense of the word.
"Okay let me guess? Victoria forbid you from seeing Edward and leaving the house, which means that you're going to miss his big birthday soirée with all the rich snotty people?" Charlotte knew Bella all too well.
Bella nodded, over and over again, then started shaking her head, wanting to forget her reality.
Charlie knew this wasn't going to end well.
Over the next week, Bella was a zombie. She operated on autopilot: cook, clean, change baby diapers, school, cook again, clean, listen to Victoria bitch and moan, and then bed, which consisted of crying into her pillow.
Edward called Bella's cell phone every night, and Bella would come up with excuse after excuse not to talk to him. It was Friday night when Edward couldn't handle Bella's avoidance pining any longer. He drove up to the house, parking around the block so Victoria wouldn't spot the car, and he hopped the fence into the backyard.
Knowing Bella's routine well, he saw her through the glass sliding doors. She had her hair piled up at the top of her head and was stirring something on the stove. Somehow Bella looked thinner. Edward always worried about Bella. She always took care of others but never herself.
Edward saw Victoria come toward the kitchen and the glass doors, so he crouched down below the window over the kitchen sink. After a few moments, he attempted to take a look. Carefully, slow like a predator stalking its prey, Edward looked into the window. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding as he saw Victoria walk up the stairs, carrying a plate of food.
He went over to the sliding doors and checked to see if they were locked. Edward pulled the handle to the side, relieved, yet annoyed from the lack of safety precautions, as it started opening. Nobody ever thought to lock the back doors.
Edward walked behind Bella. Just as she suspected someone's presence, he covered her mouth with his hand to stifle her scream. He wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she whisper-yelled at the love of her life.
"I missed you. Even the Wicked Witch can't keep us apart." Edward smiled cheekily, letting go of her body.
"Edward, if she catches you here, not only are you dead, but I'm dead, and to tell you the truth, I'm tired. Tired of this whole fucking mess!" She slid down to the kitchen floor with a huff.
Edward took a seat on the floor next to her, not caring about wrinkling his dress slacks.
"Bella, I love you and I know everything sucks right now, but there's only a little while longer until you're eighteen and then the world is at your fingertips. I have money now. You know how you always wanted to live on the beach—we can do that!"
Bella smiled, looking at him wide-eyed and full of hope. "You'd do that for me? With me?"
"Of course, B, you know you're mine forever." He took her hand in his and brushed her knuckles against his lips.
Bella nodded, standing to escort him out the door.
Too bad things weren't as easy as they seemed…
Bella went to sleep Friday night with a new outlook, full of optimism and light. She also got her first good night's sleep in what felt like forever. Before going to sleep, she did her nightly ritual of counting her money that she kept in an old shoebox under her bed. Bella won her art competition that Ms. Emily pushed her to join. She submitted a portrait of a little girl curled up next to a wild-haired little boy, stroking her hair. Edward was her favorite subject so it only made sense that she would win while using him as her muse. Edward also gave her the locket she wore around her neck that night. It was inscribed, but Edward had told her not to open it until he gave her the green light.
Bella began saving money for her future with Edward, so counting the money gave her something to look forward to.
The next morning, She made her way down the stairs and saw Victoria sitting at the kitchen counter with her computer. This was odd because Victoria never sat down here and she certainly never brought her computer with her.
Victoria spun in the swivel chair, eyeing Bella, who was chewing on her fingernails.
"Isabelle, I'm going to give you one chance, and one chance only, to tell me the truth. Was that boy in this house last night?" Victoria questioned while pointing to her computer which held security footage of Edward breaking in last night.
"Victoria, I'm—" Crack. Victoria backhanded Bella across the face.
Bella stood there stunned; she couldn't believe this was her life. She palmed her cheek as tears streamed down her face. Her cheek stung and the tears only clouded her vision.
"SHUT UP. All you ever do is pine for that boy. Sorry to break it to you, but you're never going to end up with him. You're scum on the bottom of his shoe." Victoria laughed as she closed her computer before she grabbed one of her pill bottles, making her way up the stairs.
Lillian chose that moment to start crying. Charlie, who heard the exchange from the hallway, went to grab the baby from the bassinet. Bella needed a break. Bella needed a change. Bella needed out of this house.
Charlie knew she had to make a choice. Bella would not survive being torn down anymore. She just couldn't win. This wasn't a life.
Charlie did the only thing she could think of—she made a phone call that would change their lives forever.
A month later
Bella walked through the huge building, struggling to keep her balance. She wasn't used to feeling this sort of pain, but it was her new reality.
Heels. Bella never owned a pair of high heels, let alone wore a pair. Siobhan took her shopping to buy a new dress and shoes for Edward's birthday party.
She hated this. Hated Edward's world. Hated caviar on trays carried by waiters who looked at her like she didn't belong. She hated Liz and Ted staring at her with pity written all over their faces. She even hated Edward when he was at these events. It was like he conformed to become one of them; he didn't stand a chance in the shark-infested waters otherwise.
Edward's birthday was being held in a loft, and it was a "small" gathering of 200 of his closest friends. Meanwhile, he barely knew any of them, yet he went around thanking them for coming like he was the mayor.
Bella refused to go with him, urging him to do his duty and catch up with her later. She looked on as he walked away. Bella fell back in her chair. Her assigned chair. Fuck! She hated this place.
"A little overwhelming, right?" Bella heard someone next to her chime in.
She looked over and there was Esme, Liz's sister and Edward's pseudo-aunt. Esme and her husband, Carlisle, were among the few welcoming ones during events like this. Bella met them at Liz and Ted's Christmas party. Esme and Carlisle were the only people who spoke to her all night apart from Edward.
Bella nodded, taking a drink of her mocktail. "Yeah."
"It doesn't get any easier. You kind of just get used to the feeling of nausea when you're in the presence of these people," Carlisle chimed in. Ted gave him a job as CFO of his company as his IPO skyrocketed. Before that, Carlisle was working in the financial department at the local hospital. Esme was a school teacher. Despite her sister's exorbitant wealth, they refused any other help apart from Carlisle's job. Carlisle was extremely qualified but was never given the opportunity until now.
"How is your new home? Edward told us what happened. Must be so hard moving again." Esme cooed sympathetically. She took a genuine liking to Bella and saw how much she and Edward cared for one another.
Charlie made a call to Siobhan the day Victoria slapped Bella across the face. Siobhan checked the house more thoroughly and found Victoria's stash of drugs, both prescribed and illegal. She opened an investigation into Victoria, which resulted in her losing her ability to foster children. Along with that, whether or not she gets to keep Lillian in her custody was still being determined. Bella and Charlie were separated. Bella didn't realize how much she would miss her favorite pain in the ass.
Bella was sent to a foster home with five other children. There were so many children in need of a home, but there was also a shortage of foster families. So while Bella was stuck in an overcrowded home, she was at least able to get more peace than she was used to. The foster parents were an older couple, Kate and Garrett. They were in their sixties and were trying their best to help a crooked system. They were tight for money but did their best to care for the children that came their way.
"It's fine. Overwhelming to move again and be separated from Charlie. She was Edward's foster sister too. I'm grateful Edward purchased her a phone so we can keep in touch. But I still worry about her, you know?" Bella said, chewing her fingernails.
Charlie was placed in a home with three other children, all of them older and close to aging out. Irina was a solo foster mother. She was a nurse, who was rarely home. Charlie didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.
Of course, Esme and Carlisle had no idea the void and worry Bella felt. They never suffered such losses and didn't grow up the way Bella did: as something disposable.
Nevertheless, they nodded compassionately.
"Oh, Bella dear, please stop biting your fingernails. Disgusting habit!" Liz called, coming up behind her, both her hands on the back of her chair.
Bella turned around to face the woman who worked her way into Edward's heart. Bella struggled to remember her own mother. She knew she was good and warm. Unfortunately, Bella didn't get the same feeling where Liz was concerned.
"Ice queen," Bella muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me?" Liz cocked an eyebrow at the poor orphaned girl.
"Oh I was just saying I need more ice for this," Bella quipped sweetly, giving her a toothy grin as she raised her glass.
Liz pursed her lips and opened her mouth to say something but saw Edward approach from the corner of her eye. She glowered at Bella before turning to Edward. " Oh sweetheart! Do you love the party? Please tell me you love it."
Liz adjusted his tie as Edward chuckled at his mother's need for his approval. He felt so important, so loved.
He smiled. "Yes, Ma. Everything's perfect. You did great." Liz smirked down at Bella.
Bella's mouth gaped open at hearing him speak to her so jovially, let alone call her mom.
Edward wrapped his arms around Bella. "Care for a dance, my lady?" He winked while offering one of his hands to her.
Bella swallowed visibly and nodded, rising from her seat.
"You know I'm a terrible dancer, right?" Bella reminded him, biting her lip.
"Liz gave me a few pointers that should help us both," Edward boasted.
Bella was flabbergasted at Edward's confidence. Where was shy Edward? Is this who he was in his new world?
Edward twirled her around the dance floor.
"Sorry for the dog and pony show. Liz wanted to do something nice for me," Edward tried to explain.
"You mean Ma?" Bella tried to sound light-hearted but it came out harsher.
Edward cringed. "You caught that? Liz wants me to call her that. Start feeling like this is my real family and all that."
I thought I was your real family, Bella thought. Instead of vocalizing her sorrow at seeming to be replaced, she rested her head on his shoulder, relishing in Edward's presence.
"Happy birthday," she whispered. "I love you."
Edward let go of her waist with one hand and gripped her chin to kiss her lips. "Thank you. And thank you for being here. I love you more," he said sincerely.
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," Bella choked out honestly.
They enjoyed the rest of the night. For once feeling like a real teenage couple. Dancing, laughing, drinking fake cocktails.
What went unseen by the both of them was the looks of disdain coming from Liz and Ted.
