Unanimous decision that Bella has every right to be upset with an acknowledgment that Edward and Rose are only trying to look out for her. I can agree with that.

Thanks to my team for making it happen. And you for reading and reviewing!

"Why is someone named Mike Newton asking about my husband?"

Edward doesn't respond right away; his face is impenetrable as he stares at me before heading over to the kitchen to put whatever he bought at the store onto the counter. Next, he takes off his jacket and hangs it on the hook on the back of his front door.

Then, he looks over at me, and now he lets me see a glimpse into what's going on inside his head. "It's just another security measure."

"With who? Who is Mike Newton?"

"A friend of mine on the force," he sighs, standing in front of me. "I stopped by the station a few weeks ago and showed him a picture of your husband in case he ever does try to come here for himself."

"How did you get a picture of him?" I ask in disbelief before it registers. "Rose."

He nods, looking down shamefully at the floor before looking back up again, regret washed all over his face. "I wanted to tell you, Bella. It didn't feel right keeping it from you, but you were doing so well."

It's been a long time since I've felt anger boiling in the pit of my stomach, but I recognize it now. "So, do you and Rose do this a lot? Talk behind my back and make decisions for me?"

"God, no. It was just this one time," Edward is quick to say with a firm shake of his head.

The thought of Edward and Rose talking doesn't fill me with jealousy; it quickly replaces my anger with fear. "Why?" I ask suddenly. "What is she not telling me?"

"Everything's fine, I promise," Edward offers quickly for reassurance. "Rose has been working with a detective back in Rhode Island to try to sort this out without having you go back there. She's been talking to detectives and lawyers because she, we, want you to be able to go on with your life."

"I am," I counter, opening my arms wide to motion towards the lake and my cabin and the open-air that have done wonders for my mental health, "but can't you see how you two doing things without me knowing, making decisions for me without my consent are just the kinds of things he used to do to me?"

"I wanted to tell you, baby," Edward admits, the regret in his voice palpable. "It killed me to keep it from you."

"Then why did you?" I ask hoarsely, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Honestly?" He shakes his head with a sarcastic laugh at himself. "I listened to your sister when I probably shouldn't have."

Rose has always tried to make the right decisions for me, ever since we were kids.

I don't think she realizes just how much I've grown over these last six months. I'm no longer the scared little girl she last saw in Rhode Island.

"Sounds like Rose," I say to him in understanding, acknowledging without words the hard place Rose had unknowingly put Edward in. Either way, it's my own company I prefer at the moment, and I grab my jacket hanging next to Edward's on the back of the front door. "I'll be back."

He knows better than to keep me here when I no longer want to be, but I feel his eyes on me as I walk back to my cabin. Not ready to confront my sister just yet, I head to the shower, stepping out of my clothes in a hurry to rinse away the mess of the day.

Rationally, I know they didn't do anything to hurt me; they truly believed what they were doing was helpful. Sparing me details about my husband, while, on one hand, is considerate, on the other hand, is controlling - deciding what information I can and cannot handle is a decision that is up to me and no one else.

Once the shower has heated me up and simultaneously cooled me off, I call Rose and tell her my feelings. She's easy; we've had our fair share of sister squabbles over the years. In the end, through tears, we promise to keep each other in the light - no more secrets in the dark.

My conversation with Edward runs deeper.

I watch him from the app of the security camera on my phone as he makes his way over to my cabin, his head hung low and the weight of the world on his shoulders. For someone trained to keep their emotions at bay, he sure is wearing his heart on his sleeve as we sit on my couch together.

"All you needed to do was tell me," I say softly, tired as I remember how much energy it takes out of me to have these emotions surface to the top again. "I would have understood why you needed Mike to know."

"This is all new to me," Edward admits shyly. "I don't know the first thing about relationships."

"Well, I can't say I'm much better at them, either." I laugh tiredly. "But I know talking is the best place to start."

He nods, reaching for my hand and sighing when he feels me slip my hand into his. "It's hard for me to...not go overboard when it comes to you and your safety. I've spent most of my life preparing for the enemy, and I know you're some bad-ass husband killer now, but it's hard for me to remember you have a history rolled up with this guy. I'm used to dealing with nameless, faceless assholes."

"Well, he is an asshole," I reply. "But he's an asshole I need to know about. No matter if I'm doing great or not so great. Dealing with him is part of my healing."

"I know." He whispers, bringing my hand up to his lips for a kiss. "And I'm sorry I took that from you. I listened to Rose when I should have listened to you."

"At one point, Rose did know what was best for me. She had no choice, you know?" I smile softly at him, thinking of everything Rose had to be for me. "But she doesn't know who I am now. I do. And so do you."

"I do know you," he replies and moves to tilt my chin so I can see the feelings swirling in his eyes. "And I love you more every day."

"You love me?" I whisper once I'm able to find my voice.

He nods. "I think I always have."

Later in my bed, after he's done proving it to me, I feel it, within the very marrow of my bones, and tell him just before we drift to sleep.

"I love you, too, Edward."

Not only do we get the first I love yous, I personally loved to see Bella standing up for herself. It wasn't often she had a chance to do that when she was married, if at all, so this chapter, for me, was a fun part of her transformation to write.

See you tomorrow!