The Mistress of Reinvention

ooOOOOOoo

Bella.

"Look, Bella I can't force you to open up to me… I don't benefit from pressuring you into opening up. You need to do it on your own time, at your own pace, for your own benefit." Dr. Zafrina said as she sat across from me, notebook in hand, legs crossed, hair in a high ponytail. Nothing but serious business face on. She said it after what was about five minutes of silence. I threw my head back in frustration. I wasn't trying to be difficult I genuinely wasn't, it was just so hard. I had spent so long not saying anything and if it was anything it was a half-truth or a full bold-faced lie. I had no idea how or where to even start.

"Why don't we start with how you feel right now?"

"I feel antsy."

"Why?"

"Angela's cotillion is tonight and I have to be around a lot of people that I try to avoid being around."

"What kind of people is that?"

"Rich ones… rich people and their kids. Not to mention I haven't been to a cotillion in years." I said she leaned back in her chair.

"So, you've frequented cotillions?"

"Some… I told Edward and Angela I've never been to any."

"But you have?" She pushed gently I nodded.

"Yeah… I've been to five."

"Five?" She said a little shocked as her eyes edged to my converse. I let out a little laugh.

"Yeah… five." I whispered getting choked up.

"Whose cotillions, were they?" She asked.

"All of my siblings…and… mine." I choked out. She smiled softly though, we were making headway. She knew something, something truthful.

"Wow and why have you kept that from Edward and Angela." She questioned.

"He thinks my family is dead."

"And they're not?"

"No, not physically anyways just dead to me."

"And going to this cotillion makes you antsy because it reminds you of when you were with them? Right?" She pointed out. I nodded.

"Not just that." I answered quietly. She sat up and her eyes softened.

"What else does it remind you of?"

"It reminds me of a time that I was Angela."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked. I passed my hand through my hair and bit my lip, already having said too much.

"Nothing."

OOOOo

I was walking up the steps going through my mail not really paying attention as I did. So, I was surprised when I heard her.

"Bella, right?" I looked up at the top of the staircase to see her.

Angela's mom.

I smiled softly.

"Mrs. Webber, Hi." I said curtly as I shoved my mail in my sling purse. She eyes it with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything else after it. She was a beautiful woman, but I knew the face she was currently sporting. It was the same one her daughter usually had on before she became attached to my hip. Angela's mother did not like me very much and I was about to find out why.

"Hello, Angela told her father and I that you would be driving her to this cotillion? Correct?"

"Well… my boyfriend Edward and I were going to bring her we weren't aware that she already had a ride"

"You made the assumption that we'd miss our only daughter's cotillion?" She challenged. I tilted my head at her. Realistically, I knew exactly the best way to handle women like Angela's mother. My mother was a woman like Angela's mother, but the pettier part of me couldn't flatter her and play nice.

"Well you're barely home and missed everything else I just assumed-

"What did you just say to me?" She said her eyes darkening. I just scoffed before I walked over to my door.

"If you want to bring Angela to her cotillion that's absolutely fine. She's your daughter and at the end of the day what you guys decide is up to you…. But I'm just going to make this clear. I care about your daughter she's like my daughter and you're not going to keep me away from moments like this… because I have put a lot of my life into making sure that she's okay and I care about her." I said. She just stood there with her arms crossed.

"I don't appreciate someone with no kids telling me how to parent."

"I would never and have never done that. All I know is what Angela needs-

"You're basically her age, you don't know what she needs from a parent-

"Actually, I do because not too long ago I was a girl getting ready for my own cotillion with bigger problems than my dress and wishing I could talk to my mother about those problems. I know what Angela needs… she needs you, but she settles for me cause you're not around for anything that doesn't involve her wearing a nice dress for the society pages." I shot back. I didn't say anything and was about to but then my door swung upon to reveal Edward, his tie loose from a long day at work with a beer in his hand.

"Bella, is that you?" He asked. I walked up toward my door and Mrs. Weber and I came into view.

"Mrs. Webber, how are you?" Edward asked always the gentlemen. She hid her horns and smiled. Edward Cullen was Esme Cullen's son after all and that was a trophy in itself. Lord praise Edward for falling out of such an elite vagina. He hooked his arm around my waist and kissed my forehead.

"I'm great Edward, Bella and I were just working out the kinks for Angela's ride to Cotillion." She said.

"Angela's coming with us, right? She said she wanted to go in the vanquish." Edward said mostly to me. I just gave him a look to remind him that we were not Angela's parents, though we often forgot.

"Uh I think Angela's going with her parents and we'll have to see her there." I said to him. Edward understood the look in my eyes and just gave a simple nod.

"Not a problem, we were planning on going out to dinner after the ceremony did you want to come?" Edward asked Mrs. Weber.

"I'm afraid I can't. Angela's father and I are jetting out of town to Cabo right after the ceremony." She said all smugly as if either of us gave a shit.

"Glad to hear it." Was all Edward said before he yanked me into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "Well she's a piece of work."

"Oh, she's a piece of something." I said as he chugged down some of his beer and proceeded to unbutton his shirt.

"How was therapy?" he asked as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. I kissed him back I liked after work Edward. When we started dating he would take me to fancy bistros after work and as nice as it was, this at times was better. Just him no fancy wine list, just a beer and a half-undone tie.

"It was good we're making headway." I said my voice dripping with sarcasm. It was my idea to go to therapy. There was so much I wanted to talk to Edward about on a daily basis, there was so much of my past that I wanted to talk to him about. I just didn't know how, I would start and get scared like a little sick chicken and run away, I explained that to him a few nights after he gave me my ultimatum in the darkness of his apartment as we laid there on the bed.

"Edward?" I said softly to him, he was slightly dozing off but not all gone yet.

"Ya." He said quietly.

"I don't want to keep everything from you anymore, I genuinely don't" I whispered sitting up on the bed. I got on my knees in front of him and he blinked a few times, confused when he saw the tears on my face.

"I didn't say those things so you'd be pressured to tell me all your trauma just so that you'd know that I'm serious and I want us to be about each other-

"I am serious about you Edward. I am so. Serious. About you. I just don't think you'd ever forgive me for everything I haven't said." I whispered. He saw up and put his forehead to mine.

"Are you a murderer?" He asked I laughed through some of the tears, I shook my head.

"No I am not… but Edward there's so much about me that.. I just don't even know where to begin." I started as I cried. He gave me soft look, like he understood the inner battle I was having. He just nodded before he took my hand.

"Start with healing from whatever it is you want to heal from Bella. No matter how you decide to do that I will be right here. We will figure it all out okay?" He whispered.

"Maybe I should try therapy?" I asked him not looking at him in the eyes ashamed I even suggested it. He lifted my chin with his index finger.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of… I'm proud of you for taking the steps you need to take to feel better. Bella we can have a bright future you know? I know you freak out everytime I so as mention it so I try not too but we can have a beautiful life together you know? I see it with you."

I smiled softly, playing with his fingers as tears fell.

"White pickett fence? Two kids? Whole nine yards?" I questioned looking at him he smiled, he kissed my forehead.

"Whole nine yards Bella." His eyes smoldered into mine and I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

"I'm going to fix myself, because I want that with you Edward. I'm going to fix myself for you... for us." I promise.

"And I'll be right here, the whole time with you." He vowed.

"Sometimes therapy can take a while to really help you know?" He said walking over to the couch and pulling me into his lap. I sat there and made myself comfortable, loving the way it felt to just be like this.

"Really?" I asked

"Mhm." He said taking another sip. I studied his face as he played with my fingers.

"You went?" I asked, though it was more like a statement. He nodded his eyes meeting mine.

"After Tanya… I just –

"You don't need to-

"No, I want too… after she left me it was like I was looking at everyone like they were on the verge of setting me on fire, I didn't trust anyone. I thought my life was over I thought I was going crazy I never left my apartment I almost lost the company." He said the last part softly.

"Oh." Was all my stupid ass could say.

"Yeah so Renesme forced me to get my ass into therapy and if it wasn't for her holding the fort down at the company, I think I would've lost it…all." He said I played with his hair as he spoke. "You know and Embry that was hard too he was… my best friend." He choked out. I put my chin on top of his head and he held me tighter. "There were days I would wake up and I would pray that I died… and that was when I realized things could get really bad, if I didn't talk to someone, first six months in therapy I just thought this chick was talking random B.S. She said I'd fall in love again, I'd find purpose again, said one day I'd be happy again and I couldn't picture it… but here I am, sitting here with the most beautiful woman in the world… looking forward to a whole new plan." He whispered looking up at me. I laughed a little at the last part.

"A plan." I said feigning shock. "With little old me?" I joked his eyes met mine but they weren't in a joking tone.

"I struggle with not wanting to scare you off but… if you'll keep me around for that long then -yeah I've thought of some stuff." He said his voice drifting off. I kissed his forehead and took his face in my hands.

"Tell me?" I whispered.

"Well I was thinking maybe we can move in together soon? Somewhere where we both decide and somewhere that's… ours." He said. Tears gathered in my eyes and he looked like he regretted saying anything.

"See this is why-

"No… No I want too Edward… I want that more than anything." I said he smiled so bright and I didn't doubt that mine matched his.

"We'll start looking before Paris?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded laughing through my tears before I attacked him with my lips.

OOOOoo

"And with that we present The Waldorf's annual Cotillion." The presenter said into the microphone. I smiled as I saw her, Angela wearing the necklace my mother gave me.

"Angela?"

I called as I came backstage where all the girls were running around and doing last minute touches. Angela was at one of the many vanity's by herself, she was fixing her lip gloss her eyes looking lost in thought. I looked over to the side to see Mrs. Weber with a glass of champagne, talking to another mom… gossiping. I rolled my eyes.

"Ang?" I called again, when she saw me she let out a breath.

"Oh, thank God." She said wrapped her arms around me. "Nothing is going right my hair won't cooperate and Alice was totally wrong that necklace isn't perfect." She said as she cried softly. Ripping the necklace she had on, off.

"Hey." I said laughing as I held her. "You're just nervous calm down." I said quietly. I went to the vanity and fixed her makeup and when I was done doing that, I took one of my most treasured pieces of jewellery. A Harry Winston Diamond encrusted choker, that I wore at my cotillion. When I showed it to her, her eyes widened. Her manicured fingers traced the necklace as if she was afraid to ruin its perfection.

"This is a Harry Winston necklace." She said softly.

"I wore it when I was your age for something like this, my mom gave it to me she wore it on her wedding day to my dad."

"Bella I can't take that." She said tears in her eyes. I don't know why it was so emotional for the both of us but it just was.

"Of course you can." I whispered softly as I turned her around and put the necklace on her. She fingered it looking in the mirror.

"It's perfect."

"I thought it would be." I smiled.

"Your mother had impeccable taste." She commented and my heart thudded in my chest when she said it. I nodded softly in agreement.

"Yeah she did." I said.

"Role call ladies, line up." Said an organizer.

"Edward and I will be out there okay?"

"Okay." She said with a bright smile, beaming at herself in the mirror fingering the necklace I just gave her.

"She looks like a little princess and not like the catty crazy girls I know these society princesses tend to be." Said a voice from beside me as I watched the girl's ballroom dance. I looked to be met with Esme Cullen herself. She sat down beside me.

"Esme I just want to enjoy this night I don't want to get into a catty fight with you." I said being bluntly honest.

"I know who you really are." She said ignoring my past comment. I didn't flinch but I did freeze.

"What?" I said softly.

"I know who you are Isabella. It took me a while I couldn't put my finger on it, you were so out of place but yet still you fit so easily didn't you." She said as she sipped her champagne her eyes on the girls now. I swallowed.

"It all made sense once I was looking at the segment on Charles Swan…. You must know the one I'm talking about." She edged her voice barely above a whisper. I nodded.

"I do."

"You were a cute kid… very cute. I almost didn't recognize you, I almost missed it but you know what gave it away?"

She said amused at her findings.

"No Esme I don't, what gave it away?" I was looking at her now.

"The Cotillion footage… your cotillion footage. There you were being escorted by Mike Newton of The Newton's" She said amused shaking her head. She had this look in her eyes a look that showed she was wrong but still smug that she figured it out.

"Turns out Edward does have a type even if he doesn't know it." She said leaning in her chair. I flinched at that though, because it was true. Esme Cullen had said something that was true.

"It bugged me you know it really bugged me that I couldn't figure it out when I first saw you. How did you know all the customs, how were you wearing a vintage Givenchy when you're an assistant. At first, I thought maybe Edward was going above and beyond and showing you the best things money could buy but…. But it still didn't make sense because you didn't have the look or the attitude of a pretty woman incarnate, did you? No, you had the attitude of someone who knew she belonged here and that's why I was confused… because you looked like you didn't. But then there you were, head of blonde hair in that segment hiding in plain sight-

"Don't tell him." I cut her off taking a deep breath. She just raised her eyebrows at me, I thought she would get angry, fight me, roll her eyes but she didn't. She just looked at me confused.

"Why? You come from a good place you come from good people-

"No, I don't Esme." I said quietly as I cried. "I come from a bunch of crazy people who don't seem that way because they can afford to hide it." I reasoned. She let out a breath, both our eyes went to Edward who was in the corner talking to a colleague.

"Isabella your mother and father are worried sick about you… but he doesn't know that does he?"

"He thinks they're dead"

She scoffed.

"Do you know them?... my parents?" I asked softly I figured she would, people like them tended to know each other even if they didn't live in the same state.

she nodded her head softly.

"Your father let Carlisle and I use his vacation house on that island he has… the one that was named after your sister after she passed. Isle-

"Isle Victoria." I whispered. She nodded.

"Isabella what happened… was not-

"You don't know how things changed after she died you don't know what happened when we all found out the truth, you just know what Rene chooses to tell you." I whispered in defence. Defending my decisions. Esme leaned into me.

"You're right, your father and mother are simply friends that I'm not entirely close with, so I don't know the inner dealings of what happened, but I do know one thing… your mother and father love you. I will admit people like us tend to… smother. It doesn't always come out right but Isabella… you're someone's daughter and you just disappeared." She whispered as she fingered a wave of my hair brushing it behind my ear.

"You're on the verge of starting a life with Edward… You should be honest with him Isabella he's my son and he deserves that… but you also deserve it also." She said quietly sounding more human than I'd ever heard her sound. Edward took this time to come to our table he looked a little confused, at our friendly stance. His eyes said it all.

"What did I miss over here?" He asked.

"Nothing I was just telling Isabella here that she cleans up nicely. I'm almost proud." Esme said

"Her name is Bella, mom." Edward said in a tone defending me. Something flashed in both Esme and I's eyes when he said that. I looked at her pleadingly and she just nodded somewhat quietly.

"Sorry sweetie." She said leaning to give Edward a kiss on the cheek, and then she walked away. Edward came and occupied her spot.

"Sorry if she made you uncomfortable, I'm gonna talk to her and tell her that she needs to back off of you and learn to accept you and if she doesn't-

"We actually had an okay conversation… she was actually nice to me." I said matter-of-factly. Edward looked a little taken aback.

"Really?"

"Yes, maybe she's coming around."

"Yeah…. Maybe she is." He said wrapping his arm around me and kissing my temple. Not realizing that despite being in love with me, as of today his mother was the only person in both our lives, who knew exactly who I was.

OOOOoo

Things are getting warmer. Bella's past is unearthing itself. Let me know what you guys think! Please review and tell me what you think about everything.