Warning: ableist/derogatory language, abortion talk/threats (from Renee), miscarriage threats/talk (from Renee)
It's Renee's POV here so if you want to stab her, that's normal and expected. Keep a mind of the tags and the warnings, and let us know if we should add any other warnings.
We hope you enjoy this bonus upload as a Samhain treat. Happy holidays and Blessed be!
Ps: We just began a new story called "The Rise of Mercy" for the Harry Potter Fandom! if you like Harry Potter fanfiction check it out! we put almost as much work into it as this one and really hope you enjoy it!
Day 7
Manipulation Part 2
March 5th, 2003
Renee's POV (3rd Person)
Renee had just come from a diner near her hotel in Port Angeles and was heading to Forks. She had left Phil there since he'd wanted to pick up some of that 'slop this bumfuck town called food' as Renee described it. As she drove through town she fumed silently.
Those little leeches are slowly turning my husband against me! He's been whining these past few days about leaving the things here! I want to tell him I'd like to do nothing more than leave all their shit and them here and never look back, but I need them to parade around.
In the new club Renee had joined, all the wealthy women would only ever talk about their children—gods knew why. Every time Renee was forced to listen to them she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. In her opinion kids were nasty, demonic things to be looked at for a little while and then returned with the receipt stapled to their foreheads. Unfortunately for Renee, those ladies actually cared about their children so, instead of vomiting as she wanted to, Renee had decided to get her own back.
At first it had been easy to fit in and go along with it. She had constantly bragged about the girls' scholarly achievements—not that Renee had ever really cared when they 'broke academic records'. But she bragged about it because it impressed those women. And that was all Renee wanted in her ridiculously vapid mind. She aimed to be the centre of their group, the most interesting member. And in her mind she already was—until one of them had asked to meet the girls.
She had tried to say the girls had left to see their father before college, but the women asked why they never visited. Renee had put them off for a week, making up bullshit stories about phone calls every night, but she could see she was losing them.
So she made up a story about sticking it to their father and bringing her girls home. She had been particularly proud of making one woman cry in support of her, saying it was a beautiful thing to bring her daughters home for a better education.
But now she was regretting not telling them an easier sob story. One about their father turning her girls against her despite what a cruel man he was, and how she could never get them back. At the time all Renee could think about was the attention those girls would get her. Now she just wished they'd all died a horrific death.
I don't know why anyone wants those freaks! Mary Alice is an insomniac who needs too much attention; Rosalie is a meek and cold little fish who wouldn't do anything but lay there and think about shoes; and the only useful thing about Isabella is that she watched the other two monsters so I didn't have to! Renee slammed on the horn as the car in front of her slowed. Move, you old bitch! She scoffed as she passed the furious woman. Besides, who wants those damaged goods anyway?
"Even if that whore is pregnant, her bastard will probably come out so damn retarded it would be a mercy to drown the thing!" Renee's face twisted into a hateful snarl. "If those pills failed, the only reason is because that bitch spread her legs as often as the wind changed direction! She's nothing but a filthy whore! She and her sisters should be grateful I didn't abort them like my father wanted me to."
With an ear-splitting screech of her tyres, Renee tore down the street and slammed on the brakes, barely missing the back of Charlie's cruiser as she pulled into his driveway.
She stormed into Charlie's house, slamming the door behind her. She hardly noticed when the picture of his mother dropped from the wall and shattered—but Charlie did. He ground his teeth and clenched his fists around the material of his couch. He wanted nothing more than to throw her in a cell and lose the keys. He wanted to scream and yell at her for what she did. He wanted to—
Charlie dug his fingers into the couch. Bella has a plan. Don't mess it up. She hates you enough already—don't ruin her plan too.
That thought alone was enough to calm him down. At least enough to take a deep breath. To not unleash his rage on his ex-wife for everything she'd done. Instead, he picked up his newspaper and began to read. He had his role to play, after all.
(Charlie Swan is a good man. He loves his town, his people, his beer. But most of all he loves his daughters. It truly devastated him when Renee took them away, and so now as she's trying the same again, he can feel old wounds resurfacing. But for his daughters he will pretend he doesn't know his ex-wife poisoned his eldest daughter until she was infertile. He'll pretend he doesn't want her to take a long walk off a short pier. He'll pretend today is a normal day, as he sends Renee off to dig her own grave.
But Renee should take warning. Charlie Swan is a good man, and they say the good ones always snap the hardest.)
Renee glared at the broken frame of Charlie's mother. Ugly hag! You never thought I was good enough for your pathetic son. Even after I birthed those parasites he loved so much! I'm glad she was in Seattle when I went into labour—I would have hated to have her in the delivery room!
"Charlie!" She huffed, throwing her coat over the hook. "This has gone on long enough. Tell the girls to pack their bags!"
"Ah look, evil has arrived." Charlie's voice drifted in from the living room and Renee stormed in there to find him reading a newspaper. "Have you come to poison any of my other children?"
"But it looks like evil is out," she replied in a saccharine voice that made all listeners wish for a quick death. "Has the bitch killed anyone else while I was gone?"
His hands clenched around the newspaper so tightly it ripped in half. He turned around to snarl at me. "Get out of my house."
She rolled my eyes at his dramatics. "No. Now go and get the she-devils and tell them to pack their bags. I'm sick of this nonsense and I'm leaving this stupid town with them today. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."
He clenched his jaw and slowly turned his back on heragain. He opened his newspaper like it wasn't torn in half and flipped to the next page. "They're not here."
"Then fetch them," Renee snarled, losing her patience.
"No." He flipped another page of his newspaper. "Rose and Ali are out have wild sex with their lovers," he said calmly. "And Bella is out shopping with her baby daddy."
Renee's snarl became nastier as she glared at the back of his head. Look how calm he is! Those beasts must get their whorish behaviour from him! She took a deep breath and calmed herself. She always enjoyed being the one to always keep her composure, no matter the situation, and she would be damned if she would let her ex beat her at that.
"Sure, 'shopping'. Fucking anything that moves like the whore she is is more like it. What, is she off blowing guys at the station to bribe them into liking her?" Renee scoffed. "Who knows who her parasite belongs to? I'm sure that boy isn't her only visitor. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Harrison Clearwater, or William Black took a spin," she sneered
A growl ripped from him and the rest of the paper was ripped to shreds but she didn't wait for his ridiculous defence of them. "I don't have time for you, You get a handle on the sluts and I'll bring the pregnant whore back in."
She rounded for the door before almost comically skidding to a stop. "Wait a minute. It's Wednesday. Why aren't those brats in school?" She spun around like she had just one the lottery.
Truly her ego could only be matched by her idiocy.
Charlie turned around, a sickening smile on his face. "Didn't you hear? Principal Green called."
Renee's face screwed up in distaste at the name. Back when she had lived in Forks, Green had been one of the men not chasing her—something she had found particularly disgusting. Though of course, in true conceited fashion, Renee spun the story that he was madly in love with her and was just playing hard-to-get.
"He's given my daughters the week off to deal with their birth giver since she decided to drop by, unannounced."
"You're still jealous, aren't you?" Renee snorted. "How pathetic, Charlie."
"I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you," he said with a calmness that surprised even him as he turned another ruined page that was essentially just ribbons of paper. "And don't ever talk about my daughters like that again." His voice held a hard edge.
Renee rolled her eyes; in her eyes he was all bark and no bite. She thought him so pathetic ever since she'd left him. In her mind, he hadn't even fought for the girls when she'd left—she just carried them out one by one. In reality he had been so in love with her and so heartbroken he had thought she was bluffing, that she would be back after a weekend away. It took him three months to realise she wouldn't.
I didn't actually want them then. She glared at the back of his head. I'd grown bored of motherhood by then. But I knew Charlie wanted them desperate, and I was going to be damned if I let him be happy while I was miserable.
"I wouldn't go to town if I were you," Charlie called out as Renee headed for the door. "No one likes you here, but if you cause your usual scene, they're going to hate you."
She did not like how pleased he sounded, but there was nothing she could do about that. And as quickly as she came, she left. In her garish rental ferrari, of course.
I hate it here! she seethed. If I'd had it my way, I would have nothing to do with this bumfuck town!
After the divorce, the only reason Renee had let the girls visit Forks had been Lilian, Charlie's mother. She had a way about her of always knowing your secrets, and being able to predict things before they happened. One day she had bought antibiotics for Alice, and the next day the child had gotten an ear infection. It had creeped Renee out entirely, particularly when Bella became utterly enamoured with the woman.
There had been one occasion when Lilian had handed Charlie a packet of papers that stuck in Renee's mind. It had been around the time when she had begun to think about leaving, and the way Lilian had stared Renee down when she handed over the packet had sent shivers down her spine. Renee was entirely convinced those were the divorce papers Charlie eventually gave her.
They were.
I hated that bitch! She was just as creepy as Isabella! Renee swerved around a car not driving double the speed limit. She threatened to help Charlie sue for custody if I didn't give him visitation. At that time I hadn't moved to Phoenix yet so that meant I would have had to stay in that bumfuck town for longer.
It was after Lilian Swan died when the girls were seven that Renee stopped them from visiting. Charlie was too heartbroken and deep in grief to realise he had any rights to demand at that point. So Renee had won.
Then when she married Phil, it no longer mattered to Renee. At that point she considered her daughters a 'drain on her funds' but she was loath to give up the two thousand dollar child support she received a month from Lilian's trust for the girls.
To make matters worse for Renee, her own mother left the girls her entire estate. It was a small house in Seattle Renee had always hated and twenty thousand she would have spent in a week, but since she was a gold-digging, narcissistic trout, she saw it as a betrayal. On top of that, her mother had stipulated only the girls could withdraw funds from the trust. Renee planned to trick them into signing the house they knew nothing about over to her and selling it for a pretty penny.
Of course, Bella already knew everything about the house and the trust, and she was thoroughly looking forward to that conversation with Renee.
As she drove at a ruinous pace, Renee thought about her ex's last remark.
Charlie's obviously bluffing. Everyone in this town loves me! she thought, deluding herself. Those idiots worship anything shiny. Obviously they recognise my superior breeding and class. I am above them in every way. Those penniless women are probably constantly wishing they could be like me! They go green with envy every time they see my designer shoes and coats.
The men obviously want me, she continued her delusions. I am ten times as gorgeous as any of these small town mushrooms. Lucky Phil is here to show them that their old carcasses don't interest me. I have a young, rich man to satisfy me. So keep all your grubby hands to yourselves. She laughed to herself.
As she turned onto the main street she slowed down. She had no intention of ruining her car by hitting someone unfortunate to be on the sidewalk. Particularly as she passed a group of cops she smiled demurely at.
A few of the young officers are passably good looking. But too poor to sully myself with. When I step out on Phil it certainly isn't going to be with some peasant trash.
As she drove down the street, she noticed the townsfolk staring at her car. She puffed up with pride at what she misconstrued as envy. Especially the sharp glare an old woman and her mother sent her.
That old cunt looks like she's one foot in the grave! She must realise not even her children will be half as wealthy as me in their lifetime.
Renee smirked and Miriam held herself back from murder.
Parking outside the only furniture store in town, Renee took her time getting out. She wanted everyone to be looking on with envy and arousal. When her show was over, she looked up at the store and her face twisted in disgust. It was a two story structure that tripled as a furniture and clothing store, as well as a pharmacy. Renee hated it.
Even more so as she walked inside. To her everything looked cheap and suitable only for burning. Charlie—and other decent human beings—would describe everything as 'sturdy', 'long-lasting' and 'lovingly handmade'. To that Renee would always ask "what's the point of a dresser that lasts ten years if it's butt ugly?" or "why bother with a chequered shirt that lasts even longer if it has no form, no silk, no lace?"
She sneered at everything she passed. 'Long-lasting' and 'sturdy' are for the lazy slobs who live on payouts and can't afford the quality stuff you can throw out after one use.
After seemingly forever, Renee found her. The pale stringbean that was the apparent father of her child stood by her side and Renee rolled her eyes. Bella leaned into him, her eyes closed for a moment as she basked in the feel of his arms around her.
How pathetic. She's attached herself to the son of a doctor. Not even a real doctor. Just a backwards town hick of a doctor. She curled her lip. And she actually likes him. Look at how she smiles at him when she thinks he isn't looking. And those insipid round eyes! Disgusting.
Renee then noticed a few other locals from town. Ones she recognised. Perish the thought. I need to get out of this backwater before I actually begin remembering names. The old bats are probably haunting these holes trying to recapture their youth.
They were the ladies—three of them—who were often found in the 'hot spots' in town. Places Renee used to visit back when she lived in Forks—when she pretended she was younger and cooler than she ever was. The ladies stood near the couple; everyone in the baby aisle.
Renee sneered. They must be having grandkids arriving soon. They look old enough to have kids in their twenties or so.
That was another thing Renee hated about Forks. That the young men and women who 'should be out partying' were starting families. Disgusting. It's just what the whore and her little conquest are doing.
"Bella, sweetheart," she called out cheerfully, watching in delight as the girl's head snapped up and her eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell me you were baby shopping? We could have gone together to somewhere in Seattle! Made it into a lovely day out!"
She walked past all the idiots staring at her with what she believed was obviously envy and awe, and smiled like didn't notice them. Bella's eyes flicked to her with a look of disgust that made Renee want to rip her hair out, before she stumbled against her idiot and looked at her with fear in her eyes.
What the hell? What is she playing at? Renee watched as the boy—she couldn't remember his name. Was it Elliot? Enrique?—clasped her upper arms with a gentleness that made her gag. He glared at Renee over her head with all the ferociousness of a toy lamb.
Two of the ladies stepped between Renee and the young couple. Her eye twitched in annoyance, thinking they couldn't see where they were going. Behind them Bella bit her lip and curled tighter into Edward like she was afraid of her. Renee narrowed her eyes. She knew Bella wasn't afraid of her even slightly—no matter how much Renee wished she was. She didn't know how Bella had guessed, but the moment she'd found out about her infertility, she had guessed Renee'd had something to do with it.
The next day Renee had been rushed to the emergency room for ingesting rat poison. The sisters had been eight and Bella had looked at the police with a straight face and told them Renee had been using the poison liberally around the house due to a rat problem. Not that they'd had any rats of course, but her sisters and Renee's own mother had corroborated the story without blinking. After a week in hospital she had finally been released. From then on she refused to eat anything Bella made or even eat her takeout at home for fear of another 'incident'. Until she met Phil of course, and had to pretend to be a loving mother again.
But Bella had made her point wonderfully, and Renee had never bought those pills again. Even if the damage was already done.
With a start Renee realised that was exactly what Bella was doing; putting on a little show for the boy she obviously had by the balls.
"The only thing you're likely to get for my baby, Mother, is a coffin," Bella spat with a shaky voice as if she were finding the courage to speak.
She smiled tightly. "Really, Isabella. You say the most ridiculous things." She laughed, a sound she believed to be melodious and stunning, while Edward and the ladies winced at the grating noise.
They must hate that my voice sounds better than the little whore's, Renee thought with deluded satisfaction. Phil's team mates often told her that her voice was so unique she should only sing or laugh on special occasions as it was always good to leave people wanting more. And that too much of a good thing often spoils your appetite for more.
So proud of her voice, Renee had been boasting of her talents to the women at the club to the point where they were repeatedly inviting her to karaoke night. Renee would continue to decline their invitations for another few weeks before graciously ending their suffering.
After which all the women at the club would want to wash their ears out with soap. Or bleach.
"I'm serious, Mother. You made it very clear that you don't want me to have this baby. And that you want to take me away from the man I love, so please just leave. You're not welcome here," Bella said through tears, but her voice carried, and Renee knew she had done it on purpose.
"Okay, that's quite enough out of you! You're coming with me right now, young lady," Renee spat. This bitch is making it so difficult to even pretend to like her!
Edward stepped in front of her and Renee's lips twisted at his audacity. I'm the one that needs protecting! Not that monster! I was the one that little devil's spawn terrorised all these years, aided by her two puppets! Not to mention all that pagan crap! They humiliated me!
It was the first Sunday after the sisters had turned seven that Renee had been so deeply embarrassed. Truly it was nothing like what was to come, but it was the first time she had been so humiliated in public. She had forced them to go to church with her that day, only to realise her mistake too late when she saw the white gowns under their coats and the 'devil symbols' on their necks, wrists and ears. They had walked up to the pastor and told him they were pagan but had been forced to come. The man had nodded politely and said they were always welcome, but the damage to Renee was already done.
"No!" Bella said, trembling as if she were being told to walk to her death.
Really she's being ridiculous, Renee thought, almost rolling her eyes.
"Enough of this little show!" She gestured at Bella to come with her. "You're embarrassing yourself! You will come with me, pack up things and we will be on the first flight leaving tomorrow. I don't care what you say! I have had enough of this nonsense."
"Hold your tongue, young lady," one of the ladies hissed. "That is no way to act in public!"
"Listen, this is none of your business!" Renee pointed at the woman, her finger trembling. "This is between me and my daughter! I should have never let them come here. Two are off being sluts and the third one's now some bumpkin's whore carrying some bastard in her abdomen! I'll never let them set foot in this backwater again!"
Bella and Edward clutched each other, shaking and not able to let go. They truly did look in love, despite Bella's thoughts otherwise and Edward's doubt.
"How dare you!" The woman stepped forward. "What a disgusting thing to say about your daughters! They are kind and wonderful young girls, and I thank the Lord they turned out nothing like you! You have always been ungrateful and malicious to anyone who does not blindly worship at your feet."
"You ought to treat your daughters with more respect," another one snapped. "And yet you intend to drag them away from their loving father, and three lovely young boys who love them dearly!"
"How dare you!" Renee stood taller, enjoying how she towered over the women. "I'll say and treat them how I like! They are my daughters! And they're pagan," she spat the word out like it somehow offended her. "They don't even believe in our lord!" She scoffed. "As if he would give them anything anyway!"
Bella glared. "For the millionth time, Mother, we simply believe everyone is destined to follow different paths! No one religion is right or wrong—"
I cut her off. "Oh, do shut up! No one cares about your devil's practice! Why Phil puts up with it I'll never know! And you'll probably raise your bastard the same way! You'd be better off losing the damned thing!"
Bella's eyes widened and she let out a strangled gasp that wasn't entirely faked.
CRACK!
Renee clutched her stinging cheek and stared at the tiny old woman in front of her. She looked like a strong wind would blow her over, but the pain in my cheek showed otherwise.
"You do not speak to her like that." She glared up at Renee. "You do not speak to anyone like that. Do that again, and I will wash your mouth out with soap and give you a hiding your ancestors will feel."
Renee's face burned with more than just the sting of the slap. How dare you! I'll have you arrested for assault! My ex-husband is the Chief of Police!
She opened her mouth to retort, however at that moment Bella clutched her stomach and paled drastically. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she dropped like a stone. Edward caught her, his words frantic as the women rushed to them. Renee's face twisted in displeasure. If there was any justice in this world he would have missed and she would have fallen on her stomach, taking care of her little problem.
"Bella? Bella? Bella, love, can you hear me?" Edward's voice was tinged with panic.
"I hope to god she miscarries that bastard," Renee grumbled, still clutching her cheek. At that moment she saw Bella clench her jaw. She was faking!
Now Renee could see this whole thing through a new light. Of course she's faking! The little bitch fakes everything! She could have been an actress if she wasn't such a raging whore!
Renee watched, her anger growing.
She's definitely faking the pregnancy too! If she has her way and stays in this backwater town she'll probably have a "miscarriage" and blame it on me! I swore silently. And now she's playing everything up to get this stupid town's sympathies! They're all such simple-headed idiots for falling for this!
"If I'd had my own miscarriage, I wouldn't have to deal with any of this," Renee snarled quietly, thinking no one could hear her. But two behind her did. Miriam and her mother had followed her from the street and heard everything.
Renee didn't have time to duck as the woman's cane came down with a sickening crack. "You are a horrible woman!" Miriam's mother hissed. "You don't deserve to be a mother! You walk around all high and mighty looking like a bejewelled rat, thinking you're Helen of Troy or some such great beauty, but you aren't! You are a disgusting and vile woman whose face could crack a mirror within seconds! Under all that disgusting gunk you slather on to make yourself look better lies nothing but an ugly, bitter woman undeserving of the blessings she has!"
One of the women checking Bella's pulse glared at Renee. "Your daughter just fainted, and you don't even care?" she spat.
Renee couldn't believe their 'audacity'! She was astounded anyone could be fooled by the charade, as though she herself hadn't just moments ago. "Oh please, she's just doing this for attention!" she sneered. "And I deserve all of my blessings, thank you!" She snarled, gesturing to her hideous outfit and jewels.
"The blessings are your daughters, you ungrateful cow!" another one snapped.
Renee huffed and turned on her heel. "You're all useless; letting that girl manipulate you! I've had enough of this crap for one day, I'm off to get a massage. Lord knows I'm owed one!"
But before she could storm out, one of the women she actually recognised—Miriam Hardy—grabbed her wrist. She got in Renee's face. "Get out of my town. You have disrespected everything we stand for here, and if I ever see you again, I will have this entire town ready to tear you to shreds," she hissed. "Do I make myself clear?"
Renee scoffed. "Oh please, everyone here envies me. I can easily undo whatever crap you old bats manage to stir up. I'd have the town back on my side and eating out of the palm of my hand by sun up."
Miriam's smile was chilling. "I hope you try."
Renee rolled her eyes, not letting herself be scared. "What could an old crone like you possibly do." She smirked nastily. "Gossip and titter about me in your knitting circle," her voice oozed disdain.
The woman continued to smile coldly at her. "First of all, the town has never been on your side. And second I may be an 'old crone' but my 'knitting circle' and I have just enough connections in Port Angeles to ruin you there too."
Renee barked a laugh. "What do I care about two inconsequential towns' opinions of me?" really, as if that were supposed to scare me?
The woman's grin turned predatory now. "Oh, don't you know that there's a major league building in Port Angeles where managers, sponsors, and team owners go when they're in the area?"
Renee's heart stuttered.
"I'm sure the owner of the Jumbo Shrimp—who's great friends with my cousin, the Washington Nationals owner, and in Port Angeles at the moment—would love to hear about the things going around town lately. Like how the wife of one of their newest players allegedly poisoned her daughter until she was infertile and now wants to murder the miracle child that girl is having anyway. He might just rethink a few of his contracts."
Renee's heart stopped. She couldn't help but glance over her shoulder at Bella who had 'miraculously' woken up with a smirk in her eyes that made Renee's stomach roll. She turned back to the woman. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"
With that, she ran out of the store, but not before hearing Miriam say one last line: "Enjoy your new life, Renee. You might not have it for long."
