THE OTHER WOMAN

DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

EDWARD

July 23, 2015

I let out a gust of breath when I sit back in my chair after Mr. Mueller exits my office. I run a hand through my hair and stare intently at my desk. It is just eleven in the morning and I've had meetings since seven. I am already drained from this hectic week, and it's only Thursday. I have to travel to Boston tomorrow for the keynote speech at Northeastern on Saturday.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I was up until two in the morning because I had to finish reading the social audit of our company and the business plan for Volturi Construction. I think I need to go a vacation by myself.

I hear footsteps pounding towards my office and a chuckle escapes my lips. Little fists protest weakly against the door and I stand up. I stride over to the door and hear Victoria admonishing from the other side.

The door opens and Victoria has an apologetic expression on her face. I have no idea why she apologizes to me about this. It's not like this happens every day. I shake my head and bend down to the little figure's height.

"Hey, buddy."

I ruffle his red hair and he laughs, hugging me tightly.

"Edward!"

I chuckle and lift him in my arms.

"How are you, Jared?"

"I'm good. Mommy and I go to zoo last Sunday." He tells me animatedly and I laugh.

"Wow, that sounds like fun."

Jared is Victoria's five year old boy. He is very smart for his age and has an incredibly boisterous personality. I like that he is warming up to Seattle. Maybe moving from Chicago was a wise decision for both of them.

I set him down.

"I'm sorry; he just wanted to meet you. His babysitter will be here any minute now." Victoria says efficiently and I turn to stare at her.

"This one is better?"

"Yeah, her name is Emily. She seems very nice. Jared loves her."

I grin.

"Good, that's good." I nod. "You let me know if there is any problem with her, I'll have Julie find another one."

"No, I think Emily is doing just fine. Thank you." She says the latter part earnestly and I frown.

"What for?"

"Everything." She says and I chuckle.

"It's no big deal. Anyway, get the laptop; I think we need to visit tenth again."

Victoria beams at me. "Excellent," She looks down at her son. "Say bye to Edward. Then Emily will be here."

"Yes!" He smiles excitedly and I laugh. "Bye Edward!"

"Bye, little man. I'll see you soon."

Jared releases his hold on my hand and sprints towards the empty lobby as his carefree laughter echoes off the walls. He is such a happy kid. I chuckle when Victoria runs after him because she might find him someplace else if she doesn't keep an eye on him.

I take my jacket off and roll up the sleeves of my shirt before leaving my office. I check my emails and text messages just in case Bella has something to say. I am disappointed when there is no text from her. But, it's not like we are best friends whom she would want to talk to all day.

The elevator dings when the doors open to the tenth floor. Victoria and I step outside and Kyle is right by my side the very second the doors open. He gives me a detailed narration about everything that has been going on in the office today. Victoria has nicknamed him, Omniscient; the one who knows everything. Kyle truly has his eye on every part of this company.

I frown when I hear music coming from the cubicles through the glass doors. They are assigned for the Urban Planning projects. Why the fuck are they not taking their work seriously? God, Alex has screwed up badly with them. I need to handle this mess before our projects exceed the deadline due to this fuckery.

"Ready?" Victoria asks efficiently.

I let out a tired sigh. "You look more excited than I do."

"Believe me, I am. I'm not going to miss out on the fun."

Oh dear lord.

I stand at a distance and patiently gaze at the mess created around the work cubicles. No wonder the HR department has so many complaints about this group of people. Victoria is hot on her heels as she steps inside the room and takes a seat in an empty chair. Her gaze is intimidating as she types furiously on her laptop without anyone's notice.

I give Kate a call after she sends me an email about Volturi Construction.

"Hey, Cullen!"

"Where are you?"

"Two floors down."

I chuckle.

"Well, I'm on tenth. Get here. I need to discuss something important."

"Alright. I'll see you in twenty; I am just going to finish up a bit of work."

When I step inside the space, pin drop silence fills in the room. The chattering and laughter stops, I don't hear the music anymore and people are frozen in their seats. I glare at the man standing between two cubicles that notices my stare and scurries back to his seat.

There are around twenty people present and I check the CCTV cameras present in the room. Why is nobody giving a shit about this? These employees don't seem like the kind who could handle the Urban Planning projects we have in the works under Alex's supervision. We need to switch team members.

I don't think I have ever had troubles about team members giving me a hard time. Sure, I can be lenient in some cases but that is after the work is over. Thursday is an important day in our office and they are all being shitheads.

"Who is the section chief?" I glower at the anxious employees and my face is seething with anger. "Who is the section chief?!" I yell in a deafening volume and watch a couple of them wince.

"James Smith." I hear a common name whispered from everyone's lips.

I turn to Kyle. "Get him here right now."

"Anything due for today?" I ask Victoria and walk over to where she currently sits.

"It's Thursday, of course. Four Project Management reports, two R&D reports and one sustainability goals report." She answers in a clipped tone.

"When were they assigned?"

Victoria checks the date on her desktop.

"Two weeks ago."

"Let's see if they are ready then."

Twenty minutes later, I'm lashing out at the group of three employees because of their incomplete Project Management report when I see Kyle striding in my direction. And not alone. I see the Section Chief who stands by his side. I glower in his direction but the man is busy staring at his shoes.

"You," I say menacingly and James hesitantly meets my murderous gaze. "Get in here."

James is dressed in a wrinkled suit and his blonde hair is in a rugged, dirty mess. When he approaches my direction, I notice that his eyes are bloodshot red and he is avoiding any kind of eye-contact.

I look at Kyle to confirm my suspicion and he nods at me.

"James, is it?"

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Last chance, do you hear me loud and clear?"

James nods and buttons up his suit. "Yes."

"Not one project management report is complete, what the hell are you doing on this floor? I hear people having fun. I don't want to see this happening again!"

"S-Sorry, Mr. Cullen."

"I want to see the reports by the end of today. Overnight them, I don't care. Not once have any of our projects started late, I don't want there to be a first."

"Yes, sir."

James finally stares at me and I see his repulsion towards me in that two seconds.

"Where were you?" I ask with an unreadable expression on my face. I can feel all eyes on the two of us.

"The b-bathroom."

I grab the collar of his shirt in my hands and James stares at me with an alarmed expression. I can smell the stale scent of booze on him which makes me almost puke. I tighten my grip on him and he coughs a little.

"You listen to me right now, James. This is my office. Everyone works under my rules. If you want to drink when working, you better start finding yourself another job. And if I find out that you were snorting drugs of any kind on the premises, I swear to god, you have no idea what I can do. Am I clear?"

Fear gripped his eyes with every word I uttered and he nods stiffly.

"There is going to be a drug screening for all the employees next month. Your results better be clear." I whisper and let go of him.

I check my emails when I realize that James is still standing in front of me. I look at him.

"I'm going to look into these reports myself. You had better get started."

"But, I thought Mr. Platt—" I cut him off.

"Get to work." I mutter and call Alex.

"Hey, what's up?"

I sigh. He must be busy.

"Can you come to the tenth floor, I have something to discuss."

He groans on the other line.

"Is there another complaint? I can't handle them anymore."

"I need to sort something out. I know you have a lot of work piled up but this won't take long."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

My eyes fall at the entrance of the room and I find Kate patiently gazing in my direction. I smile and make my way over to her.

"Hey, when did you get here?"

"When you unleashed your inner Loch Ness Monster. Edward, you need to calm down."

"You don't know how this group of people is."

"Entering your brother's territory, are you now?"

I laugh. "Well, I am just offering to help and I don't have meetings for the next two hours."

"It's great he has you here, I have no idea how things were before we got here." Kate whispers conspiratorially and shifts closer to me. "They didn't even have the audits ready."

I shake my head.

"Why you like to gossip, I'll never know. Anyway, I asked you here for the reports."

"Edward, are you sure about Volturi Construction? Why don't we consider a company from London? I hear Smith—"

"Kate, we have been through this. It's not just about profits this time. Volturi is doing excellent, we can help them grow. We can collaborate with other firms, get more ideas, it'll be great for the future. Setting up a construction company in London sounds like a terrible idea when we have something here in Tacoma."

She smiles. "Alright, alright. I'll get the stats to let you and Alex know about it."

"That sounds great. Are you heading home early?"

"How do you know everything?" Kate asks with a curious smile.

I smirk at her. "It's one of my many talents."

"Kyle told you, didn't he?"

I chuckle. "I have my sources around the office. How do you think I found out about this ruckus?"

"Alright, handle your mess then. I'll be out of your hair."

"Bye, Kate."

"Bye, Cullen."

Alex arrives by my side seconds after Kate leaves. Heidi; his assistant, greets me hastily and excuses herself to answer a call.

"What is it?" Alex asks and looks over my shoulder at the people inside.

"This floor. It's in a lot of trouble."

Alex and I discuss whether to keep this team for his commercial project or merge them with my people for the residential project that I have taken on. Given that James is a drunken nightmare and sooner or later will be fired; we conclude to have them stick with me because my project is already underway. I'll have to tell Kyle to brief them in the next week.

I remind Alex that his meeting starts in the next two minutes and he rushes towards the elevators. I find Victoria speaking to Kyle about something regarding the reports. I walk over to where they both are.

"Vic, is there any report even remotely complete?" I ask and she nods at me.

"Yes, the sustainability report was drafted almost a week ago."

"That's impressive. Whose is it? I would like to take a look at it."

"Bree Tanner."

"Kyle, where is Ms. Tanner?"

Kyle points over to a small woman at the far left who is gesturing something to a man as they both intently stare at the computer screen.

"Thank you."

I stride over to where Bree is currently helping her colleague and her brown eyes widen when she glances in my direction. Her cheeks turn pink and she stands up straighter. She fiddles with the pen in her hand and avoids looking at my face. Why does she resemble Bella in so many ways? Even her hair is brown.

There is no comparison though. Bella is well… perfect.

"I take it you completed the sustainability report last week?"

"Y-Yes, Mr. Cullen." Her voice is mellow and tolerant.

"That's great; I would like to take a look at it."

Bree becomes flustered and starts rambling.

"Should I email it to you or um, do you want me to take the draft to your office? Do I need to have a hard copy with me or would a softcopy be alright? I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. I really don't know how it works. Mr. Platt read it in his office and…" She trails off and takes a deep breath.

I chuckle, and her ears turn pink.

"Why? We can discuss it here."

"Mr. Platt would—"

"Well, my way is pretty simple," I turn to Kyle and he wheels a chair in my direction. I take a seat and she has an alarmed expression on her face. "We discuss it here after you open the report. Sound less intimidating?"

"Yes, sir." Her shoulders gradually relax and she gets to work.

"Alright."

Five minutes into the discussion, Kyle walks over to me with my ringing phone. I sigh softly and check the caller ID.

It's Aunt Jane, so there is no way I can ignore it.

"I met her!" She squeals from the other line as soon as I answer the call.

"You're screaming." I mutter and continue reading the draft report.

"Of course I am."

Her words revert back to me and I frown.

"Met who?"

"Bella, of course."

My heart skips a beat and I slide my chair a little away from Bree and Kyle.

"What? Why?"

"I went to her store and bought the book she had suggested. It's a good one."

"See? She's smart and funny."

I can't help feel proud about myself. There is nothing wrong with her. Even Aunt Jane likes her.

"I found out a bunch of things about her."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"Aunt Jane, I think we can talk about this later. I have some very important work to do."

"No, I'm doing this for you. You have to listen." She says firmly and I let out a defeated sigh.

"Okay," I hear rustling of pages from her line and I shake my head. "Oh god, did you list them down?"

"Of course."

I chuckle. "You really have stalker tendencies."

"Whatever, do you have a pen and paper?"

Not paper.

"Hold on," I turn to Kyle. "Get Vic here."

Victoria walks over to me with the laptop and I motion her to wait for a moment.

"Note down what I tell you." I murmur and she nods.

"Yes, please continue." I say to my aunt.

"Bella loves carnations."

I laugh. "How did you possibly find that out?"

"I heard her talking to a little girl."

"Dear lord," I mutter shaking my head and dictate the information to Victoria who types it into the laptop.

"Make sure you mention as favorite flowers because she also likes lilies."

"Yeah, okay." I murmur and turn to Vic. "Carnations are favorite and type in lilies as second favorite." She nods.

"Oh and she likes kids. She is really good with them."

I swivel my chair in Victoria's direction. "Likes kids."

"Likes reading the classics, I saw her reading Romeo and Juliet. And her blush is just adorable." I know.

"Favorite books; classics." I watch Victoria type it. "Next?"

"Oh! She also conducts a book reading session for kids on Saturdays; you should check it out. Maybe read a story for the kids. Women like when men like children."

"I'm going to Boston this Saturday."

"Can't you postpone it for Sunday?"

I consider my options.

"Well, no," I look up at Vic. "Reading sessions on Saturdays. Is there anything else?" I ask the latter part to my aunt.

"That she likes you."

"Okay," Vic is already staring at me. "That she likes m—Wait, what? No, don't type that." I snap and she nods firmly.

Aunt Jane laughs on the other line.

"Of course she likes you. I saw her smiling when she saw the book I was purchasing. And she obviously remembers suggesting you that book to you."

"It's not happening." I say softly and my voice sounds defeated even to my ears. Aunt Jane huffs on the other line.

"You know what, Edward? Fine! If you don't want to date her, I'll introduce her to Alex. She is beautiful, funny, and smart and whatever other flowery crap you say about her all the time. If you can't, I'll have my son ask her out. I know she'll like him."

She already does.

"No!" I stand up from my seat, nauseated by the prospect of Alex dating her. There is no fucking way in hell that's happening. "Please, don't."

"Then will you ask her out?"

I want to, so much.

"I can't." I whisper.

"You leave me no other choice."

And the line goes dead. I run a hand through my hair and notice three pairs of eyes are staring at me. I change my demeanor and clear my throat.

"Vic, please put a printout of this on my desk by the time I leave this floor, Kyle get me the update on the R&D reports. And Bella, I'm sorry—Bree, please continue."

Wow, Bella always leaves me flabbergasted.

July 25

"... and then the boy chased his sister around the store with a spider in his hands."

I laugh and Matt holds the door open for me to step out of the car. I lean against the banister of the porch steps and stare at the flyer pasted on the wall.

"It's not easy handling kids."

"Least of all for me."

I chuckle. "Oh, Bella. He could've been worse. He could've put the spider in her pants. Trust me."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've done that to my sister." She laughs softly and I smile at that sound.

"I would've guessed you were a wild kid."

"Why yes, I was."

"And how was your speech?"

"I tried to keep it short so that nobody fell asleep."

"So, you're coming back to Seattle now?"

"Tomorrow morning. I just thought maybe I should take a look around the city, I haven't been to Boston in years."

"Where are you?"

"Guess?"

I climb the four steps and walk inside the store. I breathe in the sweet smell of Vanilla flowers that are emanating around the confined space.

"Um, the aquarium?" Her response comes out like a question making me snort.

"Close, but no. I'm at the Little Clatter bookshop. Have you heard of it?"

She gasps. "Yes! It's an antiquarian bookshop! I've seen it in pictures, it's great. Are you in there right now? Really?" I can hear the disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, really."

"How is it?"

"It's three stories high," She sighs impatiently making me smile. "They have regular books on the first and second floors and rare ones on the third floor."

"Wow that sounds amazing." I can hear her smile. "I wish I was there."

Me too.

"So, anything you want me to get you? Any particular books you'd like? Romeo and Juliet?"

Bella just laughs on the other end of the line.

"Romeo and Juliet is an unputdownable book, I just finished reading it for the hundredth time, actually," Aunt Jane was right.

"I'm more of a Wuthering Heights person. But I already have the books I need, and a store if I don't have one, so it doesn't really matter. Thank you though."

Why does she never like big gestures? I have never gone out with a woman who would refuse to buy anything for herself when I'm spending my money. God, she is unique.

"No problem. How is your weekend moving along so far?"

"It kind of blows. It's five in the evening and I have absolutely nothing to do. All my friends are out and I'm alone in my apartment."

"Where's Jacob?"

"He's working," I can hear the curtness in her voice. I chuckle. "Apparently, there is some annual…um, I don't know. But, I guess it's very important."

"Oh? That's sad."

"Like you didn't know." She mutters.

"Well, he doesn't work under me. I only speak with the directors."

"So full of yourself."

I laugh.

"I knew you'd say that, I was waiting for it. Also, I moved Jacob to a better spot. He's on the job training but he always gets to participate in the discussions about the project with our team. I'm sure he looks much happier now, I have him around more-friendly faces."

She sighs softly. "That he does. Thank you so much. And I thought he was working with you?"

"No, maybe next month. We're still working on the sustainability reports."

"I'll never understand your work."

"What? It's simple, I'm an architect. I design buildings and supervise them."

"You have a bunch of audits and reports, what about those?"

"I run a big business; these reports have to be performed annually. When it comes to owning a business, a lot of shit follows after that."

She giggles a little. "Yeah, it'll take me a lifetime to understand that."

"No, it won't. Maybe I can show you around my office to see how everything works."

"I'll think about it and I should leave you to look through the store now. I'm sure you'll have fun."

She's about to hang up. I hate that.

"Here's hoping. Maybe I'll buy myself a copy of Wuthering Heights."

She laughs on the other line. "Do that. Let me know how you feel about it. I have to go make dinner now. Bye, Edward."

"Bye, Bella. Have a nice evening."

"I'll try."

"Me too." I murmur to myself and before something unspoken spills out of my mouth, I end the call.

It's like walking on eggshells when I talk to her. I have no idea what I might mention. Something I shouldn't.

I keep the phone in my pocket and finally take a look around the antique store. God, it looks old and just so perfect. Bella would love it here. Even her bookstore is well-built but there is something about an 1875 store that is so comforting and solacing.

The bookshelves on the third floor are crammed with books and luckily I find a first edition copy of Wuthering Heights amidst the other books. I notice that Jane Eyre is perched right next to it. Maybe Bella would like this book as well. I hold the books in my hand and take a good look around the classic bookstore that I have always wanted to see.

I return to the ground floor again and make my way to the billing counter. I find two teenagers working at the desk and I pass my books to them. I try to avoid their subtle attempts at flirtation and quickly pay for the books.

I exit the store and my hand reaches for the books but a piece of paper rustles against my hand instead. I roll my eyes when I read the phone number and message left for me by one of the girls at the counter. I crumple it, and throw it in the nearest bin.

If only Bella was here with me. But she isn't and I have a sleepless night to look forward to.

July 26, 2015

I park my car alongside the ten others and wonder what the fuck is going on at my parents' place. Fuck, I hope they aren't having a party. I'm not up for a party. I'm lacking two days' worth of sleep and I barely slept during my five-hour flight. Alice is barely able to contain her excitement as she sits next to me.

"I'm so excited!" Alice squeals and I roll my eyes.

"Alice, what's going on?"

"I don't know. Mom and dad have a pretty huge announcement to share though."

"They never mentioned anything." I murmur and she sighs softly.

"Do they ever?"

I chuckle. My sister makes a good point.

"You're right. And please, please don't leave my side tonight. I am not ready to meet and greet people."

Alice lets out a tinkling laughter. "Oh, Edward. Don't worry; I can see Tanya's car is here, you won't have time to miss me."

"It's not funny." I mutter and she sighs.

"What's wrong? You've been very grumpy about her the past couple of days."

"I don't know. I just don't feel right about her. I am thinking about breaking up with her." I admit softly and realize that it's the first time I have said it out loud.

Alice squeals happily. "Oh! I'm so happy for you! Now, you can finally go find another girl who is better suited for you." I grin, staring at her ecstatic face.

"Why are you so happy anyway?"

"Well, it will save me the time talking about fashion with her," Alice says haughtily. "Seriously, she tests my knowledge. At least I work for a—"

"Alice." I chide her softly. "Should I do it tonight?"

"You won't find a more perfect night. But don't be too insensitive. If she asks there someone else, say no."

But there is.

"Why not?" I frown.

"Women don't like to hear that. You're standing in front of her and telling her that you have feelings for someone else, how do you think she'll feel?"

I stare at her for a moment. "I don't care."

"Yeah, let's go."

Alice loops her arm through mine when we enter our parents' place. I am relieved that Alice won't leave my side tonight. She is gossiping about every person in the room and it is helping to distract me.

But, life never really has a straight solution to every problem now, does it?

"Edward! Alice! Oh, I missed you kids." Mom gives a big smile as she walks over to us.

Why pretend to care about your kids in front of other people?

"Did she now?" Alice mutters and I give her hand a soft squeeze.

"Mom, hi."

I hug my mom tightly and she places a kiss on my cheek when I release her. Her hugs are always warm and that hasn't changed.

"Mom!" Alice gives an even phonier smile and I hold in my laughter. "Oh, I love your dress." They pull back and mom frowns at Alice.

"Honey, why aren't you wearing the red dress that we bought last week, this isn't truly appropriate for dinner."

I look at Alice's clothes. She is wearing high waisted gray pants and a white shirt tucked into the waist. Okay, she can't wear this for dinner?

"Well, mother I came here with the idea of having dinner with my family and then go back to my store. I wasn't expecting it to be a James Bond theme party."

"Alice." Mom admonishes and then turns to smile at me.

"Carmen and Eleazar are here, sweetie. Why don't you go say hi to them?"

"I will, mom." I smile and she pats my cheek before turning to walk away.

"Why is she like that?" Alice murmurs and sags into my arms. I smile and place a kiss against her hair.

"Come on, we've been taught better than that. If you want to skip the talk, look for Aunt Jane." I smile politely at everyone as we try to find Aunt Jane but someone else is already walking in my direction.

"Edward! Darling, why didn't you answer my calls this morning?" Tanya whines as she walks over to me. I am repulsed just by her dress. It's barely anything. Alice sighs next to me and plasters a smile on her face.

"Tanya! Look at you, you look amazing!" Alice greets Tanya, giving her a quick hug. Tanya hides her distaste of Alice when she finds me glaring at her.

"You look great as well, cute shirt." My sister just nods and stands by me again.

"You know what? I'm going to leave you lovebirds alone."

Alice announces and I want to glare at her but I remain standing with a blank face. She gives me a thumbs up and disappears within a few seconds.

"Edward, why didn't you—"

"I was travelling back to Seattle this morning, I'm sorry." I murmur and she smiles, taking a step closer to me.

"You look handsome tonight."

I manage a smile on my face but try not to cringe when her fingers stroke the lapels of my jacket. I hate it when she does that.

"You look good." I cough awkwardly and keep a respectable distance between us. When did things get uncomfortable between us?

"Thank you," She beams at me. "Esme, Rose and I went shopping and I really thought this dress was cute for the night. Anyway, I was thinking maybe I can come over to your place later. We can have a nice closure to this weekend."

"Tanya, we can't. I have work to do, I wasn't in town yesterday and I have to finish a couple of reports." She pouts.

"Can't the people who work for you do it?"

"They are my reports."

"But we haven't had time to ourselves for over 6 weeks now. I don't even remember the last time we had sex. Isn't that sad for being called the hottest couple?" I roll my eyes.

"Not tonight. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something important."

"What is it?"

Here we go.

"I really don't think that—"

"Edward! Tanya! Oh, there you are." My ears perk up when I hear Aunt Jane. I look over Tanya's shoulder and watch her walking towards us with Alice in tow. Thank you.

"Aunt Jane!" I grin excitedly and push past Tanya to hug her. I give her a tight hug, muttering a quick thank you which makes her laugh. She pats my back and we pull back. I hear the clicking of heels approaching us.

"Aunt Jane, how are you?" Tanya asks, faking a smile on her face. Aunt Jane and Tanya basically hate each other.

"Tanya, hi. Where's the rest of your dress?" Alice coughs trying to cover her laughter and I look away as a smile threatens to curve on my face. God, I love her.

"It's, um, just this way."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Would you excuse me? I'll be right with you in a second." Tanya looks at my aunt pointedly and walks away making me sigh with relief.

"That was great." Alice grins and Aunt Jane smiles, placing a kiss on Alice's cheek.

"You kids look tired, have you been working this weekend? I know Edward has; what about you, Alice?"

"Yeah, we have a show next month. It's a lot of pressure."

"You should take a day off and come over at my place. Alex too. Get some time to relax. We can have a barbeque, just us four, doesn't that sound fun?"

Alice jumps excitedly at that. "Yes! That sounds great, I'll call Andre and cancel my plans for Wednesday, and I have nothing then."

Fuck, not Wednesday.

"Um, I actually have some plans—"

"Nope, I'm not listening. You kids need a day off. Keep your phones with the assistants, just bring yourselves. I don't want any calls waiting or your laptops lying around at my place."

"Okay." I mutter, trying to mask my disappointment. No Bella for a whole week? That's not good. We can reschedule for Friday though.

"Where's Alex anyway?" I ask and Aunt Jane sighs.

"He's in the study. He brought his work with him." I laugh and shake my head.

"It's been a tough month. The next one is going to be just as hectic" I murmur and run a hand through my hair.

"Forget about it now, you need to ignore the entire program, have dinner and go to bed. Monday is few hours away." I nod.

Alex comes into my view and Alice squeals as she skips over and gives him a tight hug. He chuckles, hugging her back and frowns when his eyes go over to my parents who are requesting everyone's attention. When he looks at me for an answer, I just offer a shrug.

I find Emmett and Rosalie standing a couple of steps away from my parents and Tanya is animatedly speaking to my sister-in-law; her best friend. I watch Carmen and Eleazar stand by my parents and I wonder what the fuck is going on.

"Edward, Tanya why don't you join us here." Mom suggests in her sugar-coated voice making me sigh.

Alex claps on my shoulder and I mentally roll my eyes as I stand next to Tanya in front of all the family friends. Her expensive perfume attacks my nostrils and I try not to shudder.

She grabs my hand in hers and I can't pull it away.

"We know that Edward and Tanya have been a hot topic of discussion since they started dating," Really mom? "The media has been quite interested about finding out whether they are engaged or not. We all know they can't keep their hands off each other."

Carmen clears her throat and takes the lead. "Edward is a fine, young man. I have never seen Tanya happier than she is with him and nothing in the world would make me happier than to see them get married."

Eleazar continues. "They are both so shy as to announce it and are making their parents do this," Oh my fucking god. "We are glad to tell everyone that Tanya and Edward are getting engaged this coming September."

"What?!" Alice screeched in shock and all eyes turn in her direction so she quickly recovers her expression. "That's great! I'm so happy for you guys!" Mom presses her lips together unhappily at that and I still haven't registered what has happened.

I'm getting engaged? Without my permission? What the fuck! I can't shout or yell or do anything in front of all these people. I just plaster a smile on my face and Tanya hugs me tightly. I sigh and disappointment floods into me right then. I just want someone to tell me that this isn't happening.

I hear applause behind me. For this? No, I can't do this.

I unwrap Tanya's arms from around me and turn to Carmen, Eleazar and my parents.

"We need to talk."

We all gather in dad's office and he takes a seat in his chair. Carmen and Eleazar are speaking amongst themselves and mom is busy staring at my face with concern etched on her features. She knows something is wrong. Tanya is typing furiously on her phone and dad clears his throat, making everyone look at him.

"Edward, what is it?"

"I'm not going to get engaged. I just moved back to Seattle. It's going to take me some time to adjust and I can't possibly think about getting married so soon."

Mom sighs tiredly. "How is it possibly going to be trouble for you? You don't have to do anything."

"I'm not ready for marriage right now, mom. I'm really sorry." I offer my most apologetic expression to Tanya's parents.

"People already know, there is nothing you can do to back out. You might as well just get married." Mom continues ignoring my protests and anger surges through me.

"I've been telling you over and over, when are you going to understand!?" My volume rises with every word and mom's eyes widen as she gapes at me. Hurt by my harsh words, she steps aside.

Dad stands up. "Edward, that's not the way to speak to your—"

"I know, dad. I'm not a child. You always made my life choices for me. I think whom I will marry will remain my decision. You don't get a say."

Eleazar places a hand on my shoulder and I look at him. "What's wrong? You're going to get married sometime in the future, why not now?"

"I'm not ready for it." I mutter through gritted teeth. Why the fuck is it so hard to understand?!

"Do you not love Tanya?"

Before I can answer, the door swings open and Rosalie and Emmett walk in.

"What's going on, Edward? People are asking questions." Rosalie snaps, glaring at me.

I point my index finger to the door. "Get out, Rosalie. I don't want you interfering in a private discussion."

She narrows her eyes haughtily. "Keep your thoughts to yourself, Edward. If I start—" I'm not up for it right now.

I cut her off. "Emmett, take her outside, I have no idea what I might say in this state," I glower at her. "Get out. Now."

Rosalie huffs and struts out of the office with Emmett following helplessly behind her. I roll my eyes and wait for him to slam the door shut. I turn to the people in the room after that happens.

Dad walks over to me. "Edward, it's good for the business. You are starting with their project soon enough. Trust me, son."

"I don't care, dad. This is about my future, not a business deal. I'm not getting married."

"You have no other choice." He states firmly, leveling his stare with mine.

"I won't get married or engaged," I turn to Tanya, who is oblivious to anything going around as her face is still stuffed inside the phone. "Tanya?" She looks up. "We're not getting engaged. I'm not ready to take this relationship a step forward right now."

"Tanya is our only daughter," Carmen mentions. "We want everything for her. You are the perfect match for her."

She isn't a perfect match for me.

I glare at all of them. "You're not going to change your decision?" I ask for the last time.

Mom clears her throat. "No."

"Then I've got to go." I mutter and turn to exit the room.

I hear dad and Eleazar's protest as I exit the office and avoid looking at the people who are staring at me curiously. Aunt Jane, Alex and Alice are staring at me anxiously and I just sigh.

"Not now, Alice." I murmur as I walk past her and know she is about to say something.

I swear to god, if Eleazar wasn't paying me some serious bucks for his project, I would've called it off. I get in my car and drive away as soon as I can from the people inside that house. I drive aimlessly and try to settle my mind and heart.

Instead of Tanya, I wish Bella had been the one standing next to me up there.

BELLA

I carry a bowl full of popcorn to the living room and set it on the coffee table. I walk over to the VCR and contemplate which movie to watch first. I select the most obvious one. Pretty Woman. Because no movie marathon is complete without it. I hum a random tune to myself and turn the TV on.

I go to my bedroom to have the money ready for the pizzas and the doorbell rings. I groan and fish out the necessary cash from my purse to have enough change.

"Give me a minute!" I yell through the doors when the doorbell rings for the third time.

I grasp the cash in my hands and rush over to the main door. I hand over the money and push my hair over my shoulder. I hear a throat clear and when I look up, shock enters my system. I retrieve the money and awkwardly stand leaning against the door.

"Hey."

"Bella, hi."

I stare at Riley and try to rein in my anger as I recall what horrible things he said to me when we broke up. I really don't want him anywhere near me.

"I'm not ready for another round of explanation of yours like you did last night." I let him know beforehand and he sighs.

"Bella, please."

"Riley, I think it's time for you to move on."

"What is it about that guy that I don't have?" I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

He's not psycho.

"I don't know."

"You cheated on me."

"Riley, please leave."

"I won't leave until you give me an answer."

"Please, leave."

His eyes rake over my body and I feel exposed for some reason. Maybe wearing shorts and sweatshirt was not a good idea. He finally lets out a tired sigh and bends down to lift something. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding when I notice that they are two dozen tulips. They are beautiful.

"Here."

"Thank you, Riley."

"Think about giving me a chance, you didn't even have enough time to get to know me."

"Good night."

"Night Bella."

I shut the door and hear the ding of the elevator from my apartment. I place the money in my wooden key bowl and decide to read a magazine until the pizzas arrive. I open to the page I dog-eared a couple of hours ago. It's something about Edward's new project and I may be borderline stupid but I follow every detail of his upcoming work.

The article delivers the same information that Edward shared with me on Wednesday. I was a little surprised that he shared such important information with me so quickly. But, who am I going to tell anyway. The doorbell rings and I sigh happily. Finally. I continue reading the article as I open the door. I blindly grab the cash and wait for the person to hand me the take-out.

"That's a unique way of greeting your guests."

The familiar, soothing voice and scent envelops me and I freeze, realizing who it is. The magazine drops on the floor with a thud and I look up into a pair of vibrant green eyes staring back at me.

"Hi." I breathe out and Edward rewards me with a crooked smile which is powerful enough to make my boring weekend all better.

"What were you handing me money for?" He whispers and I shake my head. I can't even wipe the smile off my face.

"I ordered pizza," I clear my throat. "Come on in."

I step aside to let him in and place the magazine on the shoe stand. I shut the door with a soft click and start to feel self-conscious because it's the first time he's been to my apartment.

I gaze at my kitchen which has brightened up because of the tulips I placed in a vase, thanks to Riley. I run a hand through my hair and try to make myself look presentable but it's a lost cause.

Edward turns to me and I blush, still surprised that he is here. He looks absolutely delectable in a navy blue t-shirt and black blazer with dressy jeans. How can everything look so great on this man?

His eyes suddenly turn anxious. "I'm sorry, am I intruding on your time with someone? I just barged in here without giving you a call."

I wave him off. "No, it's fine; I was just having a movie marathon by myself. It's relaxing sometimes." I say softly and he chuckles.

"Sounds fun."

Should I ask him to stay in my shitty apartment? Or would he want to leave? SHOULD I ASK? I want him to stay and not leave. Will he say yes?

"Um, you're welcome to stay." I murmur and he stares at me patiently.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I mean if you want to." Please do.

"What are we watching?"

I offer a big grin and his eyes soften when he takes in my expression. His green eyes bore into mine and I breathlessly stare at his handsome face. I think he is happy to stay for a movie or two. So am I am. Why the hell would I want him to leave?

Our moment is broken when the doorbell rings and I sigh.

"This better be the pizzas." I mutter and walk away from him to answer the door.

The door swings open and it's Riley standing on the other side. Again. Holy hell, Edward is in the apartment. This won't end well. I glare at him feeling confident because Edward is here now.

"What, now?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"I forgot this." He hands me a tulip, which probably was left out when he gave the bunch to me before.

"Thank you."

Riley is testing my patience. I can see it in his eyes.

His blue eyes darken when he looks past my shoulder and Edward's intoxicating scent envelops me when I hear his footsteps approaching in my direction. I stiffen for a second and then tingles shoot through my spine when he places a hand on the small of my back.

"Hi, Riley is it?" Edward asks politely and I have no idea what he is up to.

"Yes and you must be Edward. Bella has told me a lot about you." My cheeks flame as he says that. Why, god why?

"Likewise. Now, if you'll excuse us."

Riley scowls at us and mutters something under his breath. His eyes follow Edward's arm that slowly wraps around my waist protectively. God, it feels good.

"Bella, think about what I said."

"Bye, Riley." I whisper and shift myself closer to Edward which causes Riley to glower at us.

Edward pries the flower from my hands and I turn my attention to him. He has a dark expression on his face as he stares at Riley and throws the tulip somewhere inside the apartment. Riley nods to himself and goes back to the elevators.

"Well, that was fun. You have to tell me what the hell that was about." Edward whispers making me chuckle.

I chuckle and turn to him, realizing his arm is still around my waist.

"I'm too hungry to talk. And the pizzas aren't here yet."

Edward laughs and shuts the door before walking over to the window next to my kitchen. His hands are buried deep inside his pockets and I wonder why he seems so tired tonight. I am taken out of my musings when the doorbell rings again.

"You think it's the pizzas this time?" Edward asks without turning to look at me.

"If it isn't, I'm never having pizza again."

Finally it's the pizza delivery guy who is chewing on gum and wearing a cycling cap as he reads out the items I ordered. His eyes roam over my legs and stick to my chest for a couple of seconds. I clear my throat and he flashes me a smile.

"How much is it?"

"It's free if you're giving out your number."

"No, I'm not." I mutter with annoyance. This is all happening tonight of all nights! Edward is here. I don't want him to think that it's a bad place to live where people just drop by to flirt.

"Come on, beautiful. I won't share it with anyone."

"What did I ask? How much is the delivery?" I shout at him and he sighs, shaking his head.

"Look, you can keep this—"

"Hey, what's the matter?" Edward whispers in my ear and butterflies flutter in my stomach.

"He's asking me for my number." I mumble and Edward glares at the boy, making him shit his pants a little.

"Maybe I'll call your supervisor and let him know about about your rude and inappropriate behavior. How does that sound?"

"That'll be $25, even." He mumbles and I quickly pay him. He fumbles with the boxes and I take them from him. He looks over at Edward and then with shaky fingers, hands the change back.

"This one wasn't fun, does this happen every day?" Edward asks and takes the boxes from me.

My eyes widen as I shut the door. "No! Of course not."

"Okay, okay. Don't panic." He says softly and gazes at the items in his hands "Wow, you really ordered a lot of stuff." I blush.

"Maybe I knew you were coming." He laughs and the tension in his features melts away.

"Maybe you did. What do we have here?"

"It's um, BBQ Chicken, the other one is Pepperoni."

"How on earth were you possibly going to finish two pizzas?" His eyes trail over to the popcorn. "And you have popcorn. I bet there is ice-cream in the freezer." I blush and roll my eyes.

"Yeah, alright. I was going to eat the leftovers for breakfast. Wait, you haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

"Nope. It's just seven, and I'm not really an early-dinner person."

"Great! Let's start with the movies then."

"Which one is on?"

"Pretty Woman."

Edward subtly tries to hide his scowl and I smile.

"Sounds fun."

"I'm sorry; I usually end up watching rom coms so I don't keep action or biopic movies."

He just smiles and shrugs. "We are at your place so I'm fine with whatever movie you want to watch."

I beam at him. "Thank you. That's really sweet of you." I stretch on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek.

We settle on the sofa and we both sit at opposite ends as the movies starts. I munch on the popcorn and steal shy glances in Edward's direction who looks very handsome as his glorious face shines due to the light from the TV screen. He suddenly turns to me and I blush, and go to back to watching the movie. I don't care about the movie. Edward is here.

I watch him eat a slice of pizza out of my periphery and he offers me one. I put the popcorn bowl down and grab a slice of the pepperoni pizza.

"This pizza is really good." He comments and I smile.

"You like pizza?"

"Who doesn't?" Who knew Edward Cullen even liked pizza?

"That's true."

"Why were you so dressed up?" I ask when he takes off his blazer and places it on the arm of the sofa. He looks more casual now.

"I was at my parent's place. I just couldn't stand to speak with all the people there; especially tonight and you were the one person I wanted to spend time with."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Edward just gives me a panty that dropping smile of his.

I notice that he looks very tired and defeated for some reason. I shift a little closer in his direction.

"You look tired." I skip the part where he looks sad.

"I am. My flight left Boston at five this morning with the three hour time difference, I'm beat. After a five hour flight, I landed at one this afternoon. I had a video-conference meeting until four in the afternoon and then went at my parent's place at six."

"When did you last sleep?"

"Last night, I finally fell asleep at two in the morning and then for an hour or two on the flight. I'm starting to believe I have insomnia these days." He chuckles and I sigh.

"You should rest. Sleep is important, you know."

"This rush of events is not permanent. We have to finish up the Annual Reports by August. My project is underway, there are problems with the construction company and some more stuff that I'm not going to bore you with."

"But you look so tired."

"I'm okay, really. Actually, Aunt Jane noticed, she suggested Alice, Alex and I have barbecue at her place." I grin.

That sounds great for him. Maybe it'll be a change of scenery from his dull, white office.

"You should definitely do that."

"But then I realized we were to have lunch on Wednesday." Oh, shit. I'll have to wait until next Wednesday to have lunch with him. That's just sad.

"It doesn't really matter as long as you feel better by taking a day off from work." He smiles softly.

"That sounds really generous of you, but I was thinking we can go out on Friday then." Great!

"I would like that," Suddenly I remember his sister, Alice. "Hey, what does Alice do?" A fond smile appears on his face.

"She has a fashion line of her own." WOW.

"She must be very talented."

"Alice is. She has loved everything about fashion ever since she was a toddler." I chuckle.

"What's the name of her fashion line?"

"Airnéis." My eyes widen with delight.

"What? Really? Angela and I love her clothing. Not that I'm much of a shopper but her collection is wonderful!" I sound so happy and it's something about shopping, huh?

"I'll let her know that, she'll be over the moon happy."

"What does the word mean?"

"It's Irish for chattel." My mouth forms into an 'o' as I take in the information. That's very unique.

"Alice must have a lot of pressure at her work as well."

Edward shakes his head as if breaking himself out of a spell and clears his throat.

"Yeah, um she is participating in fashion week in August. Her show is on the 30th, I think. She is a little hyper about things and likes everything to be just perfect. Work takes a toll on her." He shrugs and stands up suddenly.

"What happened?"

"I was just going to get some water."

I suddenly realize I haven't offered him anything to drink yet. "I'm so sorry—" His laughter cuts me off.

"Bella, it's alright."

"I have beer in the fridge if you want."

"Great, thanks. I'll get one for you too."

Edward winks and I sag in my seat when he walks away from me. I need to stop being so self-conscious around him. I lift up my hair tie and wrap my hair up in a messy bun. I rest my head against the armrest and stretch my legs as I let out a soft sigh.

"Here you go." Edward hands me a bottle of beer and I murmur a quick thanks. He sits by the edge of the sofa and his eyes trail down to my legs. I realize he doesn't have space to sit. Stupid, small couch.

"Sorry." I mutter sheepishly and just as I am about to fold my legs up, Edward places his hand on my ankles.

"Hold on and you need to stop apologizing, you're missing out on the movie." He sits closer to me this time and I smile internally. He keeps my legs on his knees and I blush because it feels nice.

"Edward, you don't really have to… you know."

"It's okay. Look at the screen; they're going out for dinner." I chuckle and resume watching the movie.

I'm not able to concentrate on the movie when I feel his fingertips making circles on my feet. I realize that he is smiling in the dark which makes me smile as well. I feel goosebumps rising on my skin when he places his warm hands on my feet. I let out a soft sigh and Edward turns to look at me. I manage to wash off the deer caught in headlights expression.

"Your brother." I blurt out because it's the first thing that pops into my head.

He looks at me confused. "What?"

"You never talk about your brother."

Edward lets out a sigh, staring at my feet as he strokes it softly. "We used to be very close years ago. Just like Alex and I are. But he started dating my sister-in-law and then we drifted apart." He looks at me.

"He doesn't talk to you anymore?"

"Emmett does. It's just that his wife and I never get along for one particular reason. He used to be different and now it has been years since we have spoken on the phone or hung out."

"You never meet?"

Edward chuckles humorlessly. "We are the in the same room for every event but never find a reason to speak. Emmett and Rosalie invite me over for dinners but I keep to myself. Rosalie and I start fighting every time we are together. I don't want her to lash out at Emmett. He loves her."

"Does she love him?"

"Very much. I don't know a lot about her. I guess we wasted a lot of years blowing each other's heads off and not trying to get to know each other."

"She's your girlfriend's best friend." I mention to him, avoiding even saying her name.

"Do you think I care about that fact? They're the same kind, that's why they're best friends. Alice hardly gets along with them and only when mom forces her to."

"You should talk to your brother about this." I suggest softly and he smiles at me. His eyes look pained.

"It's never easy with family members, some things are better left the way they are now."

"You miss him."

"I do, sometimes. When I'm watching football with Alex, or going fishing with him or pretty much anything that I wish my brother was there for. Things are going to change even more. I heard they're trying to have a baby."

"Good for them."

"I hope the kid is like Emmett."

"That's mean." I mutter and he laughs.

"You haven't met Rosalie yet. You'll know what I meant to say. Anyway, more pizza?"

"Yes, please."

I watch Edward insert the disk in the VCR and realize he has a very cute butt. The movie starts and he smiles coming back to sit next to me. We are barely inches apart and I am nibbling on the cheese garlic bread. It's really good.

"The night was going to be so much more boring without you." I murmur and he chuckles.

"You're welcome. It's been a long time since I just sat back and ordered pizza to eat. Back in Chicago, we had this great Lou Malnati's pizza place on South Loop…" I groan cutting him off.

"Do you have to talk about Chicago for every part of the discussion?"

He grins adorably. "Yes! It's the greatest city in America."

"Then why are you in Seattle?"

"So that I could meet you." He shrugs and I am taken aback by his answer.

"Yeah, okay." I mutter and he chuckles. He was kidding and I thought…

"I'm going to take you to Chicago and we are going to visit every place there is."

"Oh really? Don't you have to work?" I tease and he smiles.

"No, I'll be fine. We'll go for a whole week and you won't believe how amazing it is there."

"Don't forget you said that, Cullen."

"I won't, Ms. Swan."

"Speaking of annoying things, what the hell was that all about with Riley?"

"Ugh, don't even ask. He is trying to get me to go out with him again. But that's not happening. He literally finds ways to meet me every day."

Edward frowns. "Bella, this might get more serious if you don't stop it. He doesn't sound mentally stable. You shouldn't entertain this." I give his hand a soft squeeze.

"I think I can handle myself. Don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry? This neighborhood is really unsafe; did you see the delivery guy or the guard on night duty outside? Everyone is creepy."

"I want to move, I just need to manage my finances well. I will move away from here for your sake more than mine." He chuckles.

"You had better." He smiles and takes a sip of his beer.

I suddenly smile, realizing the pizzas are finished. Ice cream! "So now that we have eaten the pizzas, I'll get ice-cream." Edward turns to me and his eyes soften as he regards me with a fond smile. "What?" I ask.

"You're practically giddy." I huff and poke my tongue out at him, making him chuckle. "That's mature."

I stand up and there is a sudden pull on my wrist and I fall back straight into Edward's arms.

"I'm not really going to eat much, so don't go to the trouble of getting two bowls." He whispers and I barely register what he says as our noses are almost touching and if we lean in another inch, we'll be kissing.

"What?" I ask breathlessly and he smiles, tucking the stray pieces of hair behind my ear. I blush. I always like it when he does that.

"Don't get an extra bowl for me, I won't be eating much." He repeats and I nod.

"Okay, no… yeah. Got it." I mumble and he releases his hold on my wrist. I stand up wobbly on my feet and make my way to the kitchen. God, that was really… great and terrifying at the same time.

I quickly empty the contents of the tub full of Chocolate Therapy into a bowl. I know Edward will love it once he takes a bite. I grab two spoons, and make my way to the living room.

I sit right by him and notice that he's fiddling with his phone. He finds me staring and offers a smile, although his mind seems miles away. I draw my knees up and he takes the bowl from my hands, placing it on his knee. He finally sets the phone down.

"What's wrong?"

"I switched off my phone when I left my parent's place. I was contemplating whether to switch it back on or not."

"Maybe you should, what if there is an important message?"

"Either that or Alice is calling to ask if I ate dinner." He has such a great sister. I would love to meet her.

"Talk to her then, she must be getting worried."

"Hmm."

He grabs his phone and switches it on. I take a bite from the ice-cream and smile when the chocolate melts in my mouth. This is heaven. I motion for Edward to eat and he chuckles, shaking his head.

"That's fine, I'll have some later." I shrug and turn my attention back to the TV screen.

But, my eyes wander back to his phone that buzzes with texts and emails and missed calls and voice message notifications for the next five minutes. My eyes widen. Wow, so much shit happens in just three hours in the life of a CEO.

"That's great." He mutters and finally unlocks his phone. He scrolls through something and then places his phone to his ear.

"Hi, Ali—" There is a scream from the other line which even I can hear. Edward looks at me and I chuckle. "Stop screaming, Alice." He listens intently.

"Yes, I'm alright… I know… Yes, I did… No, I'm watching a movie," He chuckles. "Casablanca… Yeah. Did you have dinner?... Well that was expected… Tell Aunt Jane I'm on for Wednesday… I will, Alice, don't worry… Yes, I promise… No, I'm not drinking… Matt must be with his family, it's okay… Alice, stop. Yes, we'll talk about it… I'm sorry… Okay, I love you too… Goodnight, Alice." He says the last phrase hurriedly and ends the call.

Even though I'm watching the movie, out of my periphery I find him texting something and later make another call.

"I'm going to finish this ice-cream." I warn Edward and he chuckles.

"Hold on, let me just talk to my aunt." I nod and take another bite. Edward watches me and I notice his eyes darken for some reason. His hand reaches over and he brushes away the melted chocolate at the corner of my mouth. I blush and offer him a bite again. He just laughs. Laughs!

"Oh, hi Aunt Jane," He lets out a deep sigh but then smiles. "Yes, I am… No, not really… I can't do that… No, a movie… Yeah, I had dinner… I'll apologize," Why does he have to apologize? "I promise… Alex will know, don't ask me how… No, he's not… Don't tell him, please… I really can't… Night Aunt Jane, I love you."

Edward sounds sad when he ends this call and then manages a smile on his face when he finds me staring at him. I place my spoon to his lips and he quickly eats the half-melted ice-cream. He moans softly and the sound is more erotic than anything else.

"Oh God, it's good." He grabs his spoon and I give him a smug smile.

"Told you." I smirk. "Anyway, why do you have to apologize?"

"Uh, I had a fight with my parents and Tanya's parents before I came here."

"Oh, did I keep you waiting, was it my fault?"

He chuckles. "Of course not. Why would you think that? It's just some family trouble I can't get myself out of. I'm going to try though, after what happened tonight."

"After tonight?" His eyes widen.

"At my parent's place, what happened. After that." He clears his throat and stares at the bowl with amusement. "My word, you eat ice-cream fast." I blush and offer a shrug.

"Whatever." I watch him stifle a yawn. I sigh. He looks so tired.

"Edward, you need to get some sleep."

"I'll be fine for another hour or so, it's just ten. How much longer is this movie?"

"Thirty minutes."

"Hmm, you want to watch a horror movie later?"

I gasp. "No! I hate horror movies. I don't have any."

"Oh, Bella. Are you scared of horror movies?" He teases and I blush.

"Of course not, why would I be scared? They aren't real." I stammer out and he gives me a knowing smile.

"We should definitely watch one later then."

"Later." I mumble and continue eating the half-melted ice-cream.

I smile when Edward wraps an arm around my shoulders and shifts himself closer to me so that the bowl is perched between us.

"Bella, it's melting. Don't stain your couch. Hold this."

He says softly and hands me the bowl. Oh and I thought he was drawing me closer. By the time the movie is over, the bowl is next to the empty pizza box and a tear drops from my eye. Edward wipes it away and I know he is trying to stifle his smile. I'm not crazy and it's really sad.

"Rick didn't go with her." I murmur and he smiles, stroking my cheek.

"I know, it's really sad."

I nod and rest my head on his shoulder, feeling his hand stroking my hair softly. We watch the credits rolling and I know he has to leave now. I can't believe I watched three movies with Edward.

"But you know what?" Edward says and I look at him. "The movie won an Oscar, so everything is okay ." I roll my eyes and sit up straighter. He chuckles and stands up to collect the pizza boxes. I watch him carry them to the garbage chute as his phone rings in his pocket.

After clearing up everything, I scroll through the regular TV channels and tune in on Annie Hall, another classic. And sometimes I can't find anything decent to watch. I can hear Edward talking on the phone to his assistant, Victoria.

Everybody at his office is attractive, how is that possible? Well, I just saw the ladies and they were all charming; especially the three women outside his office. What does he need three assistants for? Maybe they aren't all his assistants, I don't know. I can ask him though.

"I'll let you know, Vic." I can hear his voice and footsteps getting closer. "I still don't know why I have you as my assistant," He chuckles. "I know that, good night… I won't."

They seem to have a very playful and fun relationship.

Edward sits next to me and I instinctively shift closer, watching his tired face read an email. He offers me a smile and sets his phone aside.

"Yes, Miss. Swan?" I chuckle.

"Why do you need three assistants?"

"I don't have three assistants. Just two. Vic and the other one who is on her break. The others answer calls and emails and perform other types of administrative duties."

"Vic, as in Victoria, right?" Edward nods. "She seems nice." He laughs.

"Oh, she's the best. I can't imagine finishing my work if not for her. She actually moved from Chicago when I did."

"You made people move for your work?" I have no idea what to think about it.

"Well, she had her reasons. Kate and Dave also moved to Seattle. I'm close to those people and I need them here. They weren't happy in Chicago either."

"Why not?"

"Vic has a cute little boy, he's five. She's a single mom, her son used to get bullied in preschool by other kids. She thought it might be a good decision to leave Chicago, so she came here," Oh. "Kate is the CFO; I'd the say the youngest one my company has ever had. She personal problems that I can't tell you about but yeah, she moved here too."

"That's reasonable." I murmur and he chuckles.

"And Dave, he's the Director of Technical Design, who is in his mid-thirties. He moved to Seattle because he grew tired of Chicago. Did you really think I made them move here?"

I nod, making him laugh. "What kind of boss do you think I am? But they like it here, especially Jared, Vic's son. You will love him. He is such a happy kid."

"I'm sure I will."

He suddenly looks at the TV screen. "Annie Hall? I think I've seen this one."

"When was the last time you watched a movie?"

His green eyes look thoughtful as he gazes at me. "I don't seem to remember."

"It's a good thing you came over then."

"Yeah."

Edward and I continue watching the movie but I can feel my eyes drooping even though I try to stay awake. I need to stay up until Edward leaves. I don't want him to leave. I stifle a yawn and rest my head on his shoulder.

"Bella, do you want to sleep?"

"No, stay." I mumble, too drowsy to protest. "Just five minutes." He chuckles softly.

"Okay, good night." I nod and smile when he presses a kiss against my forehead. "Sweet dreams."

A little while later, I hear someone calling out my name. I snuggle closer to the warm body and hear the voice again. Edward. I snap my eyes open and realize I'm sitting halfway on his lap with my face pressed against his neck. God, he smells good. But this is inappropriate.

I quickly sit up straighter and run a hand through my hair.

"I'm sorry, how long was I asleep?" I croak out and clear my throat.

"An hour and half."

"Really?" It felt like two minutes.

"Yes, and it's almost midnight so I have to leave."

"Okay."

I follow Edward to the door and he turns to offer me a smile. A blush flames my cheeks when his hand brushes against my cheek and sleep flies out of my eyes. I resist the urge to lean against his hand.

"Good night, Bella. Thank you for letting me in. I had no clue where to go."

"It's no problem." I reply softly, giving him a smile. He smiles back.

"I'll see you on Friday?"

"Yes, I'll meet you then. Good night."

Edward smiles and kisses my forehead and I blush deeper. "Bye and please stay safe."

He is so paranoid and sweet.

Edward steps inside the elevator and I shut the door immediately. I lean heavily against it and recall how magical and perfect my evening was. I got to know more about him, we watched movies, and ate pizzas and ice-cream. The weekend couldn't have ended in a better way. I flick the lights off and make my way to the bedroom.

Thank you, Edward.

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Love,
Paint the Walls.