BPOV
My heart ripped into shreds as I took one last look at my husband before I drove round the bend. His arm was awkwardly stretched out in front of him like he was finally letting go of the strings that held our marriage.
The trees that shielded our house and kept our secrets hidden cleared as I turned onto the freeway.
After driving around with no destination in mind for hours I decided I needed somewhere to stay. My parents were shocked to say the least when I knocked on their front door but just ushered me towards my old bedroom when they saw my tear stained face.
The room was the same as I had left it three years ago, the same lavender sheets, the same cream walls, the same *NSYNC posters and the same glow in the dark stars. A small sense of relief washed over me as I walked into the familiarity of my childhood bedroom.
After a few moments of whispering outside the door my mother came in and sat next to me on the bed.
"I'm guessing this is about Edward." She stated as I nodded my head in answer.
"Do you want to maybe talk about it?" She questioned.
I wanted to laugh and scream at her that it was their fault but I just shook my head instead.
The hand that was placed on my bed moved up to cup my face before my mother pulled me into her embrace and stroked my head just like when I was little. The tears began to fall again as I sought comfort that I needed for the last three years in my mother.
She sighed and pulled my face back so she could look into my eyes.
"Sweetheart, its three in the morning, why don't you try and get some sleep while make sure your father doesn't go out and hunt Edward with the rifle he's got?" She said gently, the slight humour she added made me smile but when I heard his name my eyes began to water again.
My mother tucked me in and gave me a kiss on the forehead before exiting the room. The emotions of the day washed over me and soon I found myself falling asleep with the tears still falling.
The vibrations of my phone woke me up and I snatched it from where it was making the horrid noise. Thirty-eight missed calls. Twenty-three voice mails. Seventeen texts. A few were from Tanya but the majority of them were from Edward asking where I was, if I was safe and lastly begging me to come home.
Home. I had no home.
I wasn't ready to talk to him, by any means of communication so I replied to Tanya instead.
I'm at my parents house don't worry about me. Pass the message on to Edward that I'm fine and safe.
After I cleaned and dressed myself I followed the sweet smell of waffles down to the kitchen. My father was in the kitchen reading The Seattle Times while my mother prepared the last batch of our breakfast while whistling along to the radio.
"Oh, I didn't see you, hunny. Why don't you sit down I've nearly finished with these." My mum said pointing to the waffles with her head and patting the chair.
Although the smell was delicious, my stomach churned when my mother placed a waffle on the plate in front of me. However, my father's eyes had been fixated upon me since my arrival into the kitchen, assessing me, so I gingerly picked up my knife and fork, forcing down a few bites.
My father huffed when I placed my fork down declaring I was done. He opened his mouth to say something but my mother's sharp look cut him off. She understood that I needed time and didn't need to be bitched out, probably from her own experiences of heartache and silly fights between her and my father. Although they were never to an extent that she had to leave the house, but my parents loved each other and our situations were so far apart.
The rustling of clothes and a soft thump on my face woke me up from my peaceful slumber. Another sharp and hard object hit my leg and...
"What the hell?" I screamed as a rubber band snapped against my forehead.
"Finally you're up, princess."
"What the hell are you doing here?" I groaned our only to notice a stack of clothes on top of me and a heeled pump.
"Did you really just chuck this shoe at me?" I questioned holding the death trap up.
"You sleep like the dead. What can I do?" Tanya giggled out.
"God I hate you!" I huffed and slammed myself back into a lying position but before I could close my eyes again a hand wrapped around my arm and yanked me off the bed and onto the floor.
"Woah, calm down Mrs Muscle!"
"Yeah, yeah. Get out of bed then." Her eyes were steely and I knew fighting would be futile.
I walked out of the bathroom and saw Tanya waiting patiently for me on my now done up bed with her heeled pump back on her foot.
"Er, you are not wearing that."
I looked down at my attire of a pair of sweatpants and one of my father's old t-shirts.
"What's wrong with this?"
"Come on, I know you have better style then that."
"But why dress up when I'm at home all day?"
"Oh no you're not."
"What?"
"We're having girl's day. Shopping, dinner and clubbing."
"Perfect." I muttered sarcastically.
"Please, you've been brooding for a week. It's time for stage two of dealing with heartbreak."
"And what are these stages?"
"Stage one is what you've been doing all week long. Stage two is having fun with your girlfriends. And finally stage three is to do the first two while getting totally wasted and catching every guy's attention."
"You should write a book 'Heartbreak for Dummies'. Best seller right there." I rolled my eyes as I mocked her stupid 'heartbreak stages'.
"There's my witty Bella, I thought I missed you." Tanya replied before walking to my closet while mumbling to herself.
Although she stopped short and let out a shriek.
"What the hell is this?" She questioned pointing to the lack of clothing in wardrobe, at least I thought so.
"Firstly where the hell are your clothes and secondly why the hell are all the items in here for teenagers."
"Well as you've so wonderfully forgotten, I got married three years ago and the clothes I didn't want to take I left here. I told my mum to give them to charity but I guess she hasn't got round to doing that yet. And to answer your second question three years ago I was in high school, not that I'm much older than a teenager."
"Oh yes how can I forget? It must be your attitude of a middle aged women."
I decided not to reply instead silently fuming at the fact she called me a middle age women.
Clothes got thrown at my face and I sullenly got out of my comfy clothing. The clothes Tanya chose hadn't seen daylight in almost three years and my body had grown slightly causing the jeans to be bordering discomfort and my breasts practically falling out of the tank top.
"Perfect!" Tanya exclaimed gleefully once she made me do a ridiculous twirl.
"This is not perfect." I disagreed. "This is slutty."
"Oh come on, there's no harm in showing a little skin Nun Isabella."
"No but I can barely walk in these jeans and this top looks like it's from the children's section."
"Oh stop whining. I kept it take for you."
I huffed and slipped on my worn on torn Converse's, ignoring the shiny red stilettos, before stomping my way down the stairs.
Picking up my bag from the side table I walked out the front door and over to Tanya's care patiently waiting for her while wishing this day would end quickly.
"God I'm so full." I moaned.
After a hugely expensive shopping spree, leaving me feeling extremely guilty. Here we were at Plaisir Coupable, a restaurant that only had chocolate on their menu.
Without thinking I indulged myself using a very shiny card that hardly saw daylight. It was what he gave to me after we got married. I had some money sitting in my personal account but paybacks a bitch right? So I used his money. Well legally our money. Technically his money. Never the less I felt guilty.
"Stop brooding." Tanya snapped at me. "I mean it's your money anyway."
"Legally it's our money. Technically it's his. I mean he earned it, it's just in our bank account."
"Semantics B, I mean he didn't give you that card as a keepsake at the bottom of your purse. It's not like it could hurt I mean the money you've spent in a tiny fraction compared to the millions Edward owns." When she put it like that... "And stop flinching every time I say Edward's name."
God, I felt like a petulant child being told off by her mother.
After settling the bill we set back off to my parents.
Once we got there I was primped and papered like a princess. Well a slutty one considering what I was wearing.
The dress I was forced into was a long sleeved LBD that fell above mid thigh and scooped at the back. I felt extremely sexy especially when paired with the red stilettos I had ignored earlier.
Doing one final take in the mirror, I smiled to myself, a real smile. I looked great, sexy but classy which upped my confidence.
Tanya had gone for a much more revealing look choosing a tight black skirt that ended midi calf and a backless berry coloured a bodysuit which left a full view of her side boob. Her outfit was paired with stiletto the same shade as her top that criss-crossed up her calf.
"Oh hell no! What the hell is wrong with you?" I screeched causing many heads to turn as I glared at the sign in front of me 'Club REJ'.
The bouncer's head turned and gave me a half smile, waving us over. Of course he knew who I was. The owner's wife.
"I hate you." I seethed earning a frightened reaction from the cloak clerk.
"Oh come on, don't be like that. Ethan wanted to come here..."
"So this isn't a girls night?"
"It is but..."
"Whatever." I stormed off to the bar.
A hand slammed on the side of me. I looked up to see Tanya with fury in her eyes.
"You need to stop acting like a child. You're going to have to face Edward sooner or later. Anyway what's the chances of him being here?"
Low considering Edward was a silent partner and Jasper dealt with the main day to day dealing but I didn't want to admit that to her.
"High considering he's the part owner and is looking for the next hot thing to take home tonight."
Tanya gave out a frustrated grunt before leaving me alone at the bar to drown my sorrows.
The bartender came round and I ordered a couple of shots. As soon as they appeared in front of me I downed them and ordered my next drink. While waiting for it I examined the club. It was classy and sophisticated, not that I expected any less from the Cullen siblings.
Feeling someone's eyes on me, my eyes swept the room until they caught a pair of green eyes. He was here, standing casually in a pristine suit sans tie with the top couple of buttons undone. His hair was wild and his usual smooth skin was replaced by a few days old stubble. In one hand he held a crystal rocks glass filled with amber liquid and the other flittered through the mop of hair. Of course he looked gorgeous especially given his rough look.
Feeling lightheaded I stumbled around to face the bar and ordered another drink before plonking down on the empty bar stool.
"The drink is on me. In fact anything the lady has ordered add to my tab." The closeness of his voice made me jump as he shouted above the music to the bartenders who replied with a quick 'yes sir' before scurrying over to the next customer.
"You pay at your own club?" I snorted once I gained composer.
"No, it just helps with recording sales, just in case anything goes wrong you know? Not that I use it much considering I have a mini bar in my office." I could hear the smirk in his voice, whether out of pride or arrogance, I wasn't sure.
Once again a snort forced itself out of me, "Does it charm yourself with the ladies..."
My words hung in the air and a quick glance at Edward's face showed some remorse mixed with frustration.
"Bella please..."
"NO! Just stop. I don't want to hear your excuses. We can't end this so called 'marriage' and you can do whoever you please."
Edward let out a frustrated grunt before I could finish the sentence. He swirled the bar stool I was sitting on around so I came face to chest with Edward. The musky smell of man whirled around me and my hands tightened around the edge of the bar stool willing myself not to run and face up to the man who broke me. Oh how I wanted to run.
The feeling of hands on my shoulders made me jump, they moved upwards until my face were cupped within them. The more he moved forward, the more I moved back until my back hit the bar.
Edward moved my hair making it gather on one side of my neck and whispered in my ear, "I'm sorry Isabella, I can't tell you that enough."
And just like that he was gone.
Arsehole.
I couldn't tell him that I didn't need his apologies and I couldn't walk away with all my dignity like I had wanted.
A few more shots found their way in front of me and I downed them quickly before setting off to find Tanya. I found her on the dance floor and dragged her out of the club towards the car.
We didn't speak as she drove us home and we didn't speak as I once again cried myself to sleep.
The next morning the reflection in the mirror was horrid. My eyes were red and puffy with black streaks across my cheeks and my hair all over the place. After brushing, washing and dressing I made my way downstairs where Tanya was waiting with a steaming cup of coffee and I pile of buttered toast.
"I'm surprised I didn't turn into stone after waking up to your face." Oh she never does stop with her remarks.
As per usual ignoring her was the best option for me instead I rolled my eyes and she laughed silently to herself.
As I made my way to get milk from the fridge I spotted a bouquet of brightly coloured daises sitting on the countertop. Out of curiosity I checked the tag on the side of it.
Bella, I know you don't want to hear from my right now but these reminded me of you, a hidden gem. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you but I hope we can resolve our issues. I have a lot of explaining and grovelling to do. Please please please call me.
Edward
I grabbed the flowers and chucked them straight in the trash.
Tanya's expression turned from shock to pride.
"I didn't know you had it in you. I'm proud of you but need to talk to him B, it's been two weeks. I saw you with him yesterday by the way you cried yourself to sleep it didn't seem to be a good conversation. You need to resolve this or find closure." Tanya gave my shoulder a squeeze and a sad smile before leaving me to my own thoughts.
I know I know, it has been a very long time. I apologise. Some of you have been asking if I am going to finish this story. The answer is yes. I plan on finishing all my stories. The question is when? Well even I don't know the answer to that. I am so so so busy at the moment. I know I may lose some readers but I hope you guys stay with me or come back to read it in the future. Anyway don't forget to leave your thoughts behind, I love reading them