The Other Woman

by PaintTheWalls

Isabella Swan owns a bookstore. One fine evening, her eyes fall upon a magazine that sets her heart into overdrive and so does the person who bursts into her store… because you just know it when Edward Cullen enters a room.

39. Silhouette

THE OTHER WOMAN

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DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

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November 30, 2015

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BELLA

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I flip through the fireplace designs Kyle sent me yesterday. They are amazing. Edward has given me free liberty to do whatever I want with our home. Our home. The words still don't register in my brain. I feel like I did nothing to deserve this. I shake off my thoughts and concentrate on the work at hand.

I really want a fireplace in our bedroom. I have always been fond of fireplaces, plus it brings back many good memories. I wonder why Edward doesn't have one in his bedroom.

I check the time on my laptop screen and see that it's twenty past eight in the evening. Edward had a dinner meeting with clients from Spain at seven. He is supposed to be home by now. I haven't seen him all day. I worked until late last night, so Edward let me sleep in and I woke up after he left.

I really miss him.

Ten minutes later, I hear a pair of familiar footsteps approaching the room and I can't help but to smile. Edward saunters inside dressed in a navy blue suit and a white dress shirt. He is so handsome. He is talking on the phone to someone and his gaze falls on me sitting on the sofa. His eyes light up and he walks over to give me a quick kiss.

"Two minutes." He whispers and leans his forehead against mine. I nod with a smile and he pecks my lips before leaving for the walk-in closet.

Later, he steps out dressed in nothing but a pair of black pajama pants. He looks sexy. He puts the phone on the coffee table and plops on the couch beside me. He shifts my laptop away and pulls me astride his lap.

His lips instantly press against mine and I giggle. I wrap my arms around his neck and enthusiastically return the kiss. His cold hands wander inside my silk camisole and I tremble a little. He brushes his fingers against my hard nipples and I whimper softly. I grind my hips against his and he groans. I feel his hard member poking me and can't help but to chuckle.

"How was your day?" I mumble against his lips and he sighs.

"So glad it's almost over." He whispers and plants soft kisses from my neck, down to my shoulder blades.

"I have to show you something." I breathe out and he sighs.

"Not now, Bella."

"Sex can wait." I say firmly and push his chest.

"What is it?" He almost whines and I roll my eyes.

"Well, Kyle sent me the designs of various fireplaces. We have to choose one."

"You can choose whichever one you want, my love." He shrugs and I frown.

"No, I want you to choose it with me."

"I'm fine with what you choose."

I glare at him. "Don't you want this for your bedroom?"

He glares back at me. "Our bedroom."

I blush but don't smile. "Right. I thought we could choose it together. Aren't you happy about this?"

"Hey, I can't be more thrilled," He murmurs and cradles my face in his hands. "I did whatever I wanted to when I built this place. But, I want you to add your touch to our home. Make it warmer, brighter and cozier… just the way you want it."

"I still might need your help for that," I mumble shyly. "And I love this place. It just needs to be a little more colorful. With more fireplaces." I put my head on his shoulder and he laughs.

"What is it with you and fireplaces, I'll never know," He mutters and tightens his arms around me. "And I'm always here to help you. We can pick out the interior decorations together."

I smile brightly. "That would be lovely!"

"What do you want to improve?"

"Well, I love your family room. It's colorful, and I thought we could use those shades to change the basic furniture of the guest bedroom and your-I mean our bedroom." I recover my sentence and blush furiously. He shakes his head and pecks my lips.

"That sounds nice, love."

"You don't mind, right? Or we can do something else. You know more about this than I could ever know."

"Your idea is perfect. I wanted to do that initially, but I didn't have enough time. I had a lot of projects on my plate that needed attention at the time."

"I like that you've kept the interior white. White goes with anything."

"True. So Ms. Swan, we'll pick out our furniture patterns on Saturday, sound good?"

"Yes."

"I'll text Gary about it tomorrow morning."

"Cool and then we're going to buy our first Christmas tree."

"We're getting a Christmas tree?" He asks with an amused smile and I nod.

"Yes, a big Christmas tree. My apartment was so small; I could never have a big tree. But you-I mean, we-have a gigantic great room. We can put the tree there. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course, it's the perfect plan. We'll select furniture patterns and book a tree."

Edward gives me a dazzling smile and shrugs off the straps of my camisole. His lips plant gentle kisses on every inch of my exposed skin and I wrap my arms around him. I stroke his hair and he playfully bites against the side of my neck.

"Did you go Christmas tree shopping when you were a kid?" I ask breathlessly and he smiles against my skin.

"Bella, do you really want to talk about that now?"

"Yes."

"We used to go to the Christkindlmarket every year."

"That sounds interesting." I whisper and he nods.

"Yes, we used to buy our tree and ornaments from there." He says and drags his lips across my collarbone.

"Hmm."

"What about you?"

"We visited the markets in Seattle."

"Can we get onto more interesting things if this inquisition is over?" He asks dryly and I glower at him.

"You find this boring? Fine!"

I adjust the straps of my camisole and get off his lap and stand on my feet. I turn and he catches my wrist. He yanks me towards him and I fall into his arms. His green eyes are glowing as he gazes at me and I squirm, trying to get out of his arms. I sigh and he curls his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. He smells so good.

I wiggle against him and he tightens his grip on me.

"Let me go, Edward Anthony." I snap and he shakes with laughter.

"My girlfriend's middle naming me, that can't be good," He whispers and his voice is husky and oh so seductive.

"Let me go." I mumble and he turns me in his direction. I look away and he takes my hands in both of his.

"Hey, I was just messing with you. Do you want to talk about Christmas?"

"Not anymore, we still have a month to talk about that. I want to select a fireplace with you."

He stares at me for a brief second and shakes his head. "Your mind changes so quickly."

I blush and slide off his lap. I grab my laptop and perch it between our bodies. Edward wraps an arm around me and kisses the side of my head.

"Which ones do you like?" He asks and I open the folder that contains the designs.

"I've narrowed it down to three."

I show him the designs and he smiles softly. "They're all great designs, love although I don't like the idea of having a stone fireplace in here. We have one in the family room and that room is very traditional. It'll lose its uniqueness."

"That makes sense. What about these two?" I ask, motioning to the remaining selection.

"I like the second one."

"Me too." I beam at him.

The fireplace we select has a sleek hearth with a cool bisque backdrop. The floor to ceiling backdrop adds height to the space and draws the eye towards it. But, I don't like the idea of tiles for a backdrop.

"Do you want to customize something?" Edward asks and strokes my hair.

"Mm, maybe the tiles. I don't want tiles over the wall because it would look weird. Plus, the fireplace is going to be between the French doors. Tiles won't fit there. I don't want to change the color though, what do you think?"

"What you said is quite right," He says thoughtfully and gazes at the empty space where our fireplace is going to be. "Maybe we can add a marble wall instead. With the bisque color you love, of course. It will be easy on the eyes. What do you think?"

I picture the marble wall between the French doors and the gas fireplace. We can add a loveseat and a table to the space. When it's really cold, Edward and I can sit in front of the fireplace and drink coffee.

"It's perfect." I breathe out and he offers me a heart-stopping smile.

"We can select the marble design tomorrow."

"Maybe I'll think about others changes we can make."

He chuckles. "Yeah, you can also send the details to Ethan. He designed this place. He is one of the best architects we have."

"Okay."

"So are we locking this fireplace?"

"Yes, sir."

"Let me call Kyle."

I smile and place my head on his shoulder. I kiss the side of his neck and he sighs softly. I brush my fingertips over his perfect torso and he grins in my direction. God, he is so handsome. I sit astride his lap and he puts the phone to his ear. I give him a chaste kiss and he playfully bites on my bottom lip.

My lips drag from the side of his neck to his muscular chest. His breathing turns shallow, and he closes his eyes. They suddenly snap open and he clears his throat.

"Hey, Kyle… I know, she mentioned that but I'll look into it tomorrow…" His sentence trails off as his green eyes watch my hand creep inside his sweatpants. "I'm sorry, what?… Well, Bella and I are checking out the designs you sent…"

My eyes widen when I touch his massive erection. It's straining inside. I lower the waistband of his pants and his cock springs out. It flaps against his stomach and I gently stroke it. I hear Edward sigh loudly and he shifts a little.

"We selected the uh-" His words hang in the air and he tenses when I take him in my mouth. I suck on the head and lick the tip. I moan in a low voice and he clears his throat.

"We selected Livingston. But, we need a bisque marble wall instead of tiles," He exhales and takes a deep breath. "That's not really the concern at this hour!"

I concentrate on my task at hand and draw him deeper in my mouth. Hmm, he tastes salty and musky. It's intoxicating. I swallow more of him and push him deeper into my throat. I bob my head as I move his cock in and out of my mouth, while opening my eyes and gazing up at him. I find his dark eyes boring into mine as I lightly graze my teeth against him. He closes his eyes and throws his head back.

"Kyle, I'll call you back later… I don't care… Later, Kyle. Not now!" Edward hangs up and puts the phone away.

His hands hold my hair and he thrusts his hips upwards.

"Oh fuck, baby. That feels so good," He groans softly and I smile. I slurp and swallow and build up speed. "You are quite the temptress, aren't you? Trying to distract me while I was on the phone."

I giggle and lightly and tug on his balls. He moans my name and pulls on my hair with sudden force. I feel him throbbing inside my mouth and his cock hits the back of my throat.

"Baby, I'm close." He says breathlessly and sighs soundly.

I increase my tempo and he whispers my name over and over. I taste the musky liquid and he flexes his hips against my mouth. I graze my teeth against his cock once more and he falls apart in my mouth. I lick him clean and offer a self-satisfactory smile. He offers me a boyish grin, still trying to catch his breath and tucks a stray hair behind my ear.

"Feeling better, Mr. Cullen?" I ask huskily and sit straddling his lap. He puts his hands on my hips and pulls me flush against him.

"Much, much better." He whispers and grabs the hem of my camisole. He slowly lifts it over my head and puts it on the coffee table.

He caresses my back and his lips brush against my breasts. I arch my back and wrap my arms around his neck.

"You are so perfect, Bella." He whispers and his hot breath tickles my right breast. He toys with the waistband of my silk shorts and looks at me. His seductive eyes pierce into mine and I blush.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward."

"I think it's time to show you what it's like to be teased." He says and before I can register what he said, he lifts me in his arms carries me to the bed. He throws me onto the mattress and crawls on top of me.

"What are your plans?" I ask and can't help but laugh.

"You'll see, baby."

This should be fun.

---

December 04, 2015

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I bounce my knee anxiously and stare at my hands on my lap. God, I think I'm going to pass out. I take a deep breath and straighten myself. Shut up, it's going to be fine. I look up and find a couple of people gazing in my direction. They give a knowing look and I can't help blush. Damn you, Edward.

I'm sitting outside Frieda Greene's office who is the Non-Fiction Editor of Seattle Publishing House. Edward coaxed Edythe and me to send the draft because this publisher has been gaining recognition over the last couple of years.

I hope my meeting goes well. Frieda is also an old friend of Esme's, but I haven't told her that I know Esme. I want her to like my book based on my efforts, not because she is friends with my boyfriend's mother.

"Ms. Swan?" The assistant calls me and I gaze at her. "Ms. Greene is ready for you."

"Thank you." I smile and rise to my feet.

The assistant holds the door open for me and I step inside the office. I take a look at the interior and my mood lifts a little. I love how soft and vintage it is. Frieda offers me a warm smile and stands up. We shake hands and take our seats.

"Good afternoon, Bella. It's lovely to meet you again." She says brightly and I blush.

"You too."

"Your manager has called me twice every day since we received your draft. She's relentless."

I blush redder. "Edythe tends to be quite… persistent."

Frieda gives me an easy smile. "I like persistence. Actually, I was trying out recipes from the draft and you can't imagine how much my family loved them. I have never seen them enjoy my food as much as they have in this past week."

My heart skips a beat hearing that. I can't wait to tell Edward.

"Thank you." I say shyly.

She chuckles. "I made my husband cook a few of the starters too. Let me tell you, he can't boil water and he could easily make a few of them. My kids are already your fans. It's been a lovely experience with your book. Thank you for that."

"That really means a lot to me," I say softly, completely overwhelmed.

"And your stories are amazing. They give your book a very personal touch. They are funny and emotional. I can really see how passionate you are about cooking." She gushes and I sigh happily. Oh, this is the highlight of my day.

"Thank you again."

"Now, this was my sincere review as a reader," She says and her smile turns business-like. "A mother and wife who wants to experiment with their cooking and it's a perfect book for someone like that. I like the fact that this book can target all sorts of people; the ones who can cook and also the ones who struggle."

"Do you recommend any additions or changes to the draft?" I ask politely and tuck a stray hair behind my ear.

"Well, I'm a little skeptical about the title and some of the chapters need editing. The important thing is that the core of your book-the recipes, are winners. They take the cake."

"But…?" I ask and she offers me an amused smile.

"I might need to conduct a meeting with my team about this. I'll have a definite answer for you in the coming week. You have my complete support with the book and I have an idea in my mind. I'm going to discuss it with my team and then I'll inform you."

"Sure, no problem."

"Aside from that," She chuckles softly. "I'm surprised you didn't mention that you knew Esme."

My cheeks flush and I fidget. "I didn't want you to read the draft just because I know her."

"I appreciate that, Bella. I really do. I know how much hard work must have put into creating this draft. I can see your efforts. Well done."

I beam at her. "Thank you."

"And I recognized you the second you walked in. Do you think I live under a rock? You make the headlines quite frequently."

I flush and sigh softly. "Please, don't let that change your opinion about the book."

"Of course not, Bella. I really want to discuss this with my team before I disclose anything but I can assure you that we definitely want to publish your cookbook. We can't deny the fact that you are quite popular in the public eye. I think we should view this in a positive light. People will generate buzz about your book before it's even published."

"That's true."

Frieda asks me a lot of questions about how I wrote this draft, and where my ideas came from and if I would want to write more books in the future. She is a friendly person and we end up talking about Esme for some time. She seems pretty close to her. I hope Esme doesn't get her feeling hurt because I didn't involve her in this.

I pick up my essentials once Frieda's telephone rings. She answers it and smiles.

"Send her in, please. Thank you, L."

The door opens and I turn to find Esme standing in the doorway with a gracious smile on her face. Her eyes fall on me and they widen with surprise. I smile back, trying to not show my nervousness. Will she feel bad about this?

"Bella? What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here, honey?" Esme asks with a smile and walks in our direction. We stand up and she gives me a tight hug. "You look wonderful, dear."

My cheeks turn red and I nod. "Thank you. So do you."

Esme goes over to hug her friend and takes a seat beside me.

"I received Bella's draft last week, and we had a meeting regarding that." Frieda answers and Esme laughs.

"That's what I came here to talk to you about! I guess Bella beat me to it."

"Edythe did. I wanted to let you know after this meeting, but here you are."

She chuckles. "Well, Frieda is always swamped with work so I figured I'd drop by to put in a good word for you. But, it seems that Edythe has done good work."

"Oh god, did she. She has been eating my assistant's head off since the last week." Frieda exclaims with exasperation.

"Where did you find her?" Esme asks and I can't help but giggle.

"Edward interviewed and selected her."

"Of course he did." We laugh at my boyfriend's expense.

He would've been less than pleased if he were here.

---

"Are you sure this is the place, Demetri?" I ask to confirm as the car stops outside a store.

It's called Archway and it must be the smallest interior design store in Seattle. The door is a red gate that can only fit somebody half my size at one time. The display window has a couple of tiles arranged with four boxes behind it. Very attractive. The exterior is rusty and the red paint faded centuries ago.

I'm still not certain we are at the right place.

I step out of the car and walk alongside Demetri to the entrance of the store. I try to push open the door but it doesn't budge.

"Stupid door." I mutter and Demetri clears his throat. I look over at him and he points to the keypad hidden in the far corner of the wall. I blush and watch him insert a series of numbers.

The door opens and I blink with surprise. This is high security for a store that looks like it could fall apart any minute. I catch hold of the door and walk inside. It smells of essential oils. I like it. The room doesn't look like it can more than five people, and there is no furniture besides a wooden chair.

A flight of stairs leads downstairs to the basement and there is a door at the end of the room. It opens and a woman in her early sixties walks out with a warm and friendly smile on her face. Her eyes crinkle as she grins at me. I can't help but to smile back.

"You must be Bella. Hi, dear. You too Demetri." Demetri stiffens next to me and I share a look with him.

Did I enter some kind of secret universe? Do I get powers to fight evil now?

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I ask politely and she laughs heartily.

"Edward told me quite a lot about you. He is downstairs. He said you were beautiful but you look prettier than he described."

I blush fire engine red and smile shyly. "Thank you. It's lovely to meet you."

"Would you like to have something? Edward said you like hot chocolate more than anything else."

What did Edward not share about me?

"That's not a lie."

"Great, I'll get hot chocolate. What about you, Demetri?"

"No, thank you." He says firmly and she nods.

"You may go downstairs. My husband and son will be here any minute now."

I say a quick thank you and descend the stairs. I feel warmer once I step into the room. There are two stone fireplaces and the walls are decorated with contemporary wallpaper. The furniture is posh and sleek. It's like a whole other world. I see groups of people dressed in crisp formal clothes, discussing amongst themselves.

My eyes race around the room and finally fall on my Edward who is standing near a desk, skimming through a file. I notice the word, 'Invoices' written on the top with a red marker. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. He can't look at the client receipts of an unknown business.

"I don't think it's allowed to look at other people's bill payments. This is not your office." I say and his green eyes lock with mine.

Edward offers me a panty dropping crooked smile and my heart resonates in my chest. I rush over to him and he spins me around in his arms making me laugh. I press my lips against his and he kisses me back.

"God, I missed you Bella." He whispers in his velvety soft voice and I melt against him.

"I missed you too."

"How did the meeting go?"

I smile at him. "It went amazing! Frieda loved the draft and she…" My sentence trails off when I notice everyone gawking in our direction.

Edward chuckles and gives me a chaste kiss. "It's okay, baby. We'll discuss it later. Take a seat."

He pulls out a chair for me and I get comfortable. He kisses the side of my head and returns to the file he was previously reading.

"Where on Earth are we?"

"It's an interior design store." Edward says in an obvious tone and I roll my eyes.

"It's um, different."

He laughs. "Gary likes it this way. I don't mind."

"Hmm."

Edward sits on the chair across from me and continues fact-checking something from the file.

"Edward?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Do you own this store?"

"No."

"Then why are you sitting in-I presume-Gary's chair and looking at his bill receipts?"

He snorts and gives me an amused smile. "You always have a bag full of questions for me, don't you?"

I blush and give him a look which means he needs to explain himself. He sighs.

"Well, Gary works exclusively for our company. He never takes orders from anywhere else. That's why this place is a top end secret. We don't bring our clients here. We order shipments through Gary and present them at the office. He has a lot of contacts, he is the best. Basically, I'm looking at my employees' orders and shipment details. I pay them to do this work; I should know if they are doing their best. I check through this file quite often."

"Okay," I mumble shyly. "When did you meet Gary?"

"Five years ago. A college friend of mine dragged me here during the holidays because he wanted my help in picking something out. This store just stuck out to me. I came here a couple of times just to observe and well, I loved it. It's the best. And I made Gary an offer he couldn't refuse."

I giggle. "What was the offer?"

"That he'll be the exclusive interior designer for all our projects. But, he can't accept orders from anyone else. I want our things to be exclusive. This place is invisible. Nobody knows that there is a state of the art store here."

"You did put him out of business in some way. I mean, he can't take any other clients."

"His sales are in the millions, believe me."

I smile. "Of course they are. I would like to meet him."

I hear faint footsteps behind me and turn to find it's the lady from upstairs. She is carrying a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a tray. I grab the cup and say a quick thank you. She smiles and Edward walks over to her.

"I believe you've met Mel here. She is Gary's wife, and the sweetest woman I know." He says and wraps an arm around her. Mel blushes and slaps his arm.

"Oh stop it you!" She laughs and looks at me. "Isn't he charming?"

"I think so." I say and drink my hot chocolate.

"I'll catch up with you kids later."

"Okay." Edward kisses her cheek, and she walks away from us.

"She seems very fond of you."

"I'm very lovable," He says cockily and I roll my eyes. His expression turns serious, and he clears his throat. "Bella, I'm going to appoint someone along with Demetri to be with you at all times. Her name is Pauline, and she is one of the best."

"Why do I need female security as well?"

"Bella, I'm sure you remember what happened in the Powder Room in New Orleans."

I gulp. "Yes, I don't think I can forget that."

"We need someone who can be with you at all times."

"You want me to take that woman to the bathroom with me?"

"Well, in public spaces, yes."

"No, I don't want that." I cross my arms over my chest.

"It's for your safety, love. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. Edward, please don't argue about this."

"Bella-" I cut him off.

"If I feel like I need someone to be with me at all times, I'll let you know, okay? I promise. Once your team finds out that Riley is near Seattle, you can keep a lady bodyguard for me."

He stares at me for a moment and sighs dejectedly. "Okay, fine."

"Anyway, Alice wants us all to go out for drinks on Sunday. What do you think?"

"Let's not go." He mumbles and runs a hand through his hair.

"Why not, honey? We've never gone out for drinks with everyone. Won't it be fun?"

"Well the last time I went out for drinks, I got so wasted; you had to come back from Forks."

I suddenly remember that weekend. It was a nightmare. I couldn't sleep and the worst possible things kept running through my head. It was an exhausting night for everybody, I guess. Emmett, Mrs. Cope and Matt were just as disturbed. God, I hope that doesn't ever happen again.

"Do you really think I would let you drink that much again?" I ask softly and his eyes stare deeply into mine.

"No." His answer is instant.

I rise to my feet and go over to where he is. I wrap my arms around his neck and give him a chaste kiss. He tightly hugs me and nuzzles against my hair. I stroke his hair and breathe deeply against him.

"I love you." I whisper and he kisses the side of my head.

"I love you too, baby."

"Aw, look at that! So adorable!" I hear a silvery man's voice behind me. I pull back and Edward places his arms around me as I turn to put a face to that voice.

A short, gray-haired man is gazing at us with a beaming smile and next to him is a middle-aged man who is offering a polite smile. I blush crimson and release Edward.

"You must be Bella. I've been dying to meet you!" He exclaims and I smile shyly.

Edward tightens his arm around me and we take a step closer to them. "Gary, Shane, this is my beautiful girlfriend Bella. Baby, this is Gary and Shane. They own the store."

"It's nice to meet you." I say politely and shake hands.

"I never thought we would get to meet any of Edward's girlfriends. You must be very, very special." Gary says and Edward rolls his eyes.

"Shut up, Gary. Get to work." He snaps and I giggle.

"I love your outfit." Gary comments to me and my eyes widen.

"T-Thank you." I stammer out and look at my boyfriend for an explanation. He just shakes his head.

"Don't even bother. He is hopeless." I stifle a laugh.

"Okay, okay! Let's get to work!" Gary takes a seat behind the desk and Edward and I sit across from him. Edward places his hand on my knee and I put mine atop his.

"I asked Bella to move in with me on Thanksgiving. We have some ideas to renovate our home."

"Congratulations!" He grins and I smile. "So what changes would you like to make to your home. I suggest you have a fireplace in your bedroom. I don't think he had one before. It'll be beautiful."

Edward and I share a laugh. "Yes, my girlfriend plans to add that. She has a lot of wonderful ideas. Why don't you hear her out?"

I clear my throat and discuss my plans regarding the changes Edward and I plan to make. Gary seems very focused and helpful when it comes to suggesting innovative ideas. He is a completely different man from the jolly, cheerful one I met when he walked in. Edward gives his input and Gary proactively improvises the elements.

"Bella dear, I love the idea of warm woods and sleek lines. And if we're doing different patterns for different rooms, I was thinking, a wall paneled in bleached walnut would give more warmth to the room."

"That would be lovely. Can you show us a few textures for the panels?" I ask curiously and he smiles.

"Of course. And we can use unique furniture everywhere. We can add a touch of Poul Kjaerholm chairs and, just a second," He mutters and pulls out a file from somewhere. He flips through a couple of pages and pauses on something. "Perfect. How about a Jackson Pollock?"

"Sounds perfect, Gary." Edward grins at me and I stare at them in shock.

"Jackson Pollock paintings cost a fortune. If we buy new rare paintings for the rooms, what are we going to do with the ones we have?" I ask and he sighs.

"There is enough room, my love." He says reassuringly and my lips press into a grim line.

"The paintings will be expensive, that's all." I mutter and Gary chuckles.

"You walk around with a net worth of $10 billion and you think that painting is expensive?"

I frown. "I'm sorry, what?"

He motions to Edward and shrugs. "That's his net worth."

My heart stops. What? Seriously? That's like eleven digits. He owns and earns billions? I've always known Edward was stinking rich, but I had no idea he was that wealthy. Nor have I ever tried to find out. I mean, why should I? It's not his money that I want. It's him. Frankly, I wish I hadn't found out about this. It's disturbing.

I snap out of my reverie and find three pairs of eyes gazing at me. I blush and bite my bottom lip. Edward takes my hand in his and anxiously looks at me.

"Hey, if you don't want them, we won't do it. It's our place. You should get an equal say in this." He kisses my knuckles.

"No, I'm fine with the paintings. I guess I don't have to worry about money." I say and he strokes my hand.

"Hawaii?" He asks and I giggle, despite my tense thoughts.

I remember Edward and I had a conversation in Dubai that we could leave everything behind and move to Hawaii when things get overwhelming. He still remembers.

Edward chuckles and caresses my cheek with his hand.

"Maybe." I murmur and he smiles softly.

"Do you not want the paintings?"

"I think I'm alright with them." I nod with a confident smile and he turns to Gary.

"You have your answer, Gary. And thanks for discussing my net worth. My Bella is going to have nightmares about it."

Gary laughs and shakes his head. "Well, I try to keep myself updated about my clients."

"Our company is your only client." Edward says dryly and I chuckle.

"I need to keep tabs," Gary defends himself and glances at me. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to make you overwhelmed. I thought you knew."

I shrug. "It's okay. I had to find out someday."

"I wish you hadn't." My boyfriend mutters and I nod internally.

Me too.

---

I grab my takeaway cup of hot chocolate and follow Edward as we step out of Starbucks. I am blinded for a second due to the cameras flashing in our direction. I sigh disappointedly and keep my head down as I continue walking. I take a sip of my hot chocolate and calm myself.

Edward turns to me and offers a heart stopping smile as he extends his hand in my direction. I interlace our fingers and he kisses the top of my head.

"Did I mention that you look beautiful?" He asks softly and I blush.

"Not that I recall."

"Well darling, you look stunning tonight."

"Thank you."

"We still have to talk about how your meeting went." He muses and I nod.

"Yep."

"What type of tree do you want to buy?"

I smile. "I love Douglas Firs because they look full and there is more room to decorate."

"Alright, whatever you want."

"Did you not decorate a Christmas tree back in Chicago after your family moved here?" I ask and put my head on his shoulder.

Edward wraps an arm around my waist and gives me a chaste kiss. "Um, not really. I wasn't interested. Plus, I used to come here for the holidays."

"You didn't like to celebrate Christmas?" I stroke his cheek and he softly gazes at me.

"Nothing held any interest for me before you came along, Bella. If somebody would've said at the start of this year that I'm going to find myself the perfect woman and we are going to move in together, I would've laughed. It was unimaginable. But, you make me want to be a better person. You always do. I knew we would get along since the moment I met you."

"How did you know?" I murmur and his eyes bore into mine.

"There was something about your eyes."

My face heats up and I kiss his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

I snuggle against him and close my eyes. "Are they still there?" I ask, questioning about the paparazzi who are not far from us.

"Ignore them." He murmurs against my hair and caresses my back.

"You know what?"

"What?" He asks curiously and chuckles.

"We should host a dinner at our place once we renovate it."

"Of course. And before I forget, it's Aunt Jane's birthday on December 10."

I frown. "She didn't tell me that. What should we get her as a gift?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. I once overheard her talking about a pearl necklace that she misplaced a couple of months ago. We could get her another one."

"Right, I remember. She will love it!" I beam at him.

"Hmm."

I gaze at his striking face and sigh softly. "You are so handsome."

He laughs. "Did you just realize that?" I shake my head and he pulls me snugly at his side. "You don't realize how breathtaking you are. And all mine."

"I'm all yours." I promise and give him a swift kiss on the lips.

"Mm, chocolate," He mumbles against my lips and I giggle. "Didn't you just have hot chocolate at Gary's store?"

"I can drink hot chocolate all the time."

"Excessive hot chocolate can lead to disorders." He points out and I roll my eyes.

"I don't waddle around with a jug of hot chocolate every day." I mutter and he cracks up.

"I know. And you should offer your boyfriend some.." He says that as he takes the cup from my hands and drinks it, letting out a contented sigh.

"It's delicious."

I smile and peck his lips. "Hmm. I'll make more for you once we go home."

"That'd be nice, baby. Can we make dinner tonight? Let's give Mrs. Cope a break." He whispers and his eyes look excited.

"I would like that. It's been a while since we've cooked a meal together."

"We can have a candle-lit dinner in the garden. And then…" His phone rings, cutting him off. "Just a second."

"Sure." I mumble and sigh.

"Cullen," Edward snaps and frowns softly. "Yes, why?… About twenty minutes now… Yes, they are… Three blocks down?" Edward tightens his arm around my waist and pulls me impossibly closer to him. "It's pretty important. No, we can't… Keep them around us but we are not going back home before buying a tree… I don't give a flying fuck, Zidek… Yes, look into that… Bye."

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask softly and he kisses my hair.

"Nothing, darling. Zidek is being paranoid. Don't worry. Let's get the tree." He says distractedly and unconsciously locks his arm around me in a death grip. He looks anxious. It seems like he wants us to leave, but he knows we need to buy a tree.

"Thank you." I smile at him and he frowns softly.

"Why?"

"You know why. I can feel how desperately you want to take me home after that phone call but you are being very patient."

The tension around his eyes disappears, and he stops us mid-step. He wraps me in his arms and hugs me. I bury my face against his chest and close my eyes.

"God, you know me all too well." He mutters and nuzzles against my hair.

I smile and rub his back. "It's going to be fine."

"Not unless we catch that son of a bitch."

I shudder when I recall the last time I saw him. His face, his eyes, his stench. It was nauseating. I hug Edward tighter and shake my head.

"Come on, let's buy a tree." I say soothingly and he nods.

"Yeah."

---

December 06, 2015

---

"Edward sweetie, should we shift this a little to the left?" I ask and put my hands on my hips.

"Yes."

"But do you think it looks alright where it is?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, maybe. I don't think it's-"

I turn to him and my eyes turn furious. He is sitting on the couch with his laptop and a pile of files next to him. I share a look with Matt-who just shrugs at me. I march over to my boyfriend and he looks up at me. His green eyes widen with surprise and he gulps.

"Yes, baby?"

"Christmas comes once a year. And you work all year long. I would really appreciate if you would stop working on a Sunday and help me with the damn tree!"

Edward hurriedly puts the laptop and files away and rises to his feet. He places his arms around my waist and leans his forehead against mine.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Swan. You have my undivided attention. I promise."

I smile shyly and hug him. "Good."

"Thank you, Matt. I think I'll pick it up from here." Edward says and I hear footsteps fading in the distance behind me.

Edward and I go to the store room and return to the living room with the ornaments we bought last night. We start decorating the tree and share Christmas stories with each other. It's mostly Edward telling me about his experiences which are significantly grander than mine. Plus, he had more fun. Our Christmases were pretty much the same every year.

It takes us a couple of kisses, a lot of Christmas stories and Mrs. Cope's special homemade creamy mushroom soup to complete decorating the tree. Edward stands on the footrest and puts the gold star on top. He walks behind me and encircles his arms around me.

"What do you think?" I ask with a smile and he kisses behind my ear.

"It's the most beautiful Christmas tree there is."

I giggle and turn in his arms. He touches his forehead to mine and smiles at me. We kiss lazily for a while and I break our kiss when his phone buzzes in his sweatpants. He sighs and strokes my cheek.

"I have a little work to do, ma'am. Do you mind?" He asks and I shake my head.

"Not really, I think I'll continue reading my book. Is it-" My phone rings, cutting me off. I grab it from the coffee table and see Frieda's name flashing on the screen. Why is she calling today? Oh god, something must be wrong. Maybe her team didn't like my draft.

"Edward…" I trail off and he kisses the top of my head.

"Answer it, my love. It's going to be fine."

I nod and accept the call. I walk a little away and take a deep breath.

"Hey, Frieda."

"Hi, Bella. I apologize for calling today but I just received an email from the President about his decision regarding your book."

"Okay." I hold my breath.

"We set up a meeting with the marketing and finance team after you left on Friday to discuss your book and how to go about marketing it. You already know that I have given rave reviews to your draft and really enjoyed it as a reader…"

"Yes." Where is she going with this?

"I know this is something to be discussed in my office tomorrow but I was so excited for you, I had to call," I can hear my heart hammering in my chest as I wait for her to say something.

"Seattle Publishing House is offering you a $3.5 million advance plus royalties for a minimum of six books to be published over a 12-year period."

The phone almost slips out of my hands hearing that. They are taking a chance with my book. Oh my god. I can't breathe. They want me to publish six books! This is the highlight of my day.

"Thank you," I croak out and clear my throat. "I can't wait to tell Edward. We can meet tomorrow to discuss it further."

"Of course. I won't take much of your time. Please think about the offer. We would love for you to choose us. Have a good day."

"You too." I hang up and drop the phone on the sofa.

Tears spring to my eyes and I turn to look at Edward who is anxiously staring at me. He frowns looking at my face and I launch myself towards him. I jump into his arms and tightly hug him. He buries his nose against my hair and inhales soundly.

"Bella, I'm getting impatient here. What happened?"

I tell him about the offer and his eyes light up like the fourth of July. He crashes his lips against mine and I smile. I kiss him back just as passionately and wrap my arms around his neck. He twirls me around and I squeal with surprise. I laugh against his lips and he gives me a chaste kiss.

"Congratulations, Bella. I'm so proud of you." He says and offers me a heart-stopping smile. I blush and peck his lips.

"Thank you, this really means a lot to me. If you wouldn't have encouraged me to write the book, I wouldn't have done it. Thank you." I whisper and a tear drops from my eye.

"Hey, don't cry." He murmurs and wipes away my tears. I sniffle softly and cuddle against him.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, baby. So much." He strokes my hair and rocks me in his arms.

Edward releases me and rushes over to tell Mrs. Cope about the book deal. He tells Matt and Demetri about it too and makes a phone call to his parents. He is so ecstatic. I have no idea what I did to deserve somebody like him. It's so comforting to know that he is always here for me, no matter how good or bad the times are. He is my rock.

"… I know, mom. We'll talk about that later… I remember… I love you too. Bye." He disconnects the call and smiles at me.

"Is there anybody else you would like to call?" I ask and he shrugs.

"The others can wait. Jacob will be here in a couple of hours. You can tell him then."

I frown, confused. "Why is Jake coming over?"

"Well, first he hasn't been here. He should see how we are redecorating our place. Second, he wants to drive one of my cars. So, I invited him over."

"Oh, that's nice. He'll probably pass out looking at your garage."

"I hope that doesn't happen." He saunters over to me and folds his arms around my waist.

I cradle his face in my hands and kiss his lips. "You are the best boyfriend in the world."

"Why, thank you. I need to keep up with my girlfriend," He gives me a quick kiss. "Now, get that book you want to read. I have work to do."

Edward playfully slaps my butt and I yelp. He gives me another kiss and I make my way to our bedroom. I quickly peek inside the guest bedrooms where people are working to redecorate them. The house will look complete once everything is done. People have been working day and night to complete everything before Christmas.

I step inside the bedroom and find three men working on the fireplace which is nearly finished. I can't help but smile. Gary ordered the Italian marble on Friday and it's supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Once, they set everything up, our bedroom will be ready.

I grab my book and my phone buzzes in my hand. I check the screen and it's Edward. I roll my eyes but smile as I answer it.

"What is it, sweetheart?" I ask.

"Can you please get my envelope from the study? It's in the desk."

"Sure." I smile and end the call.

I enter his study and open the first drawer to find a white envelope with the initials EC inscribed in neat calligraphy. I take hold of it and return to the living room. Edward is sitting closer to the twinkling Christmas tree we just decorated and his sole attention is on his laptop screen.

His gorgeous green eyes meet mine and he beams at me. I smile back and sit across from him on the armchair and put the envelope on the coffee table.

"Thank you, Bella. Will you please open it for me?" He asks sweetly and I giggle.

"Alright."

I take hold of the envelope and carefully unseal it. I look inside and find multiple brochures and tickets to an opera. I frown. Is he leaving town after Christmas? I gaze at my boyfriend and find him brushing his thumb across his bottom lip as he curiously stares at me. His actions are very distracting but I concentrate on my thoughts.

"What's inside, baby?" He asks and I clear my throat.

"There are tickets and a couple of brochures."

"What about? Did you open and see them?"

"Not yet." I mumble and hold the envelope upside down and let the contents fall in my lap. I read the name and date on the top most ticket and gasp softly. I glare at him and sigh.

"Are you leaving town on December 31?"

Edward laughs and cocks his head to one side. "How many tickets are there?"

"Two."

It suddenly dawns on me that it's for him and me. I smile sheepishly and realize there is just one opera house in Seattle. It's really not that interesting.

"Are we going to McCaw Hall?"

"Look at the location, my love."

I try to concentrate on the ticket at hand but can't understand the language. I think it's German, but I'm not sure.

"I can't understand, it's not in English." I say softly and he chuckles, running a hand through his hair.

"Um, try the bottom right corner, what's written?"

I squint as I read. "Wien, is that right?"

"Yes, that's German for Vienna."

"Oh!" I smile and gaze at the picture of the opera as I register what he just said. "What?! It's in Vienna?!"

My eyes are wide as saucers and my mouth is agape in shock. Oh. My. God. Where is he going with this? His green eyes look entertained as my face changes its colors.

"Yes, it's in Vienna. The Vienna State Opera has Die Fledermaus show every New Year's Eve. I know you've always wanted to see that. Check the other brochures," I quickly scan through but don't understand German. I see ice on every leaflet, Christmas tree decorations and great Architectural buildings.

Edward continues talking. "Do you have figure skates? They have gorgeous ice skating rinks around the famous sights," My heart is hammering in my chest as I peer at him. He dissolves into laughter looking at my face. "Our flight leaves on December 26. I thought you might like to spend New Year's in a different country with me."

Tears prick my eyes and his green eyes soften. His lips curl into a charming smile and I rush over to tackle him in a hug. He laughs and falls back on the couch with me straddling his lap.

He remembered. We had spoken about this while discussing John Irving's books. I told him that I wanted to visit Vienna, and he promised he would take me. He remembered.

"What do you think, baby?" Edward asks softly and I hover over him.

"I would love to spend New Year's with you in Vienna."

My big-ass grin must have told him how much I love this plan. He kisses my lips, my nose and then my forehead.

"I want to make all your dreams come true, Bella."

"You are my dream come true, Edward." I say earnestly and he connects our lips for a kiss.

"I think it's time to celebrate." He mumbles against my lips and I giggle.

"We can't. There are people around."

He scoffs. "Bella, your book deal is definitely something to celebrate. And our trip."

"We can't." I say, trying to look firm but fail miserably.

Edward scoops me in his arms bridal style and I squeal with surprise. I wrap my arms around his neck and he carries me towards the other section of the house. I find the designers and workers stopping to look at us as we go up the stairs.

"Oh my god, Edward. They are all looking at us!" I hiss and he smirks.

"Doesn't matter."

We reach the third floor and he takes me the spare guest room which I have never entered. It has a gorgeous view of the mountains and forest from the glass wall. It's breathtaking. The snow just makes it all better. The room has a sandy textured wallpaper and blue bedding. It's so refreshing.

"I've never seen this room," I comment as Edward locks the door. "I like it. We shouldn't change anything here."

"Whatever you want, my love. I used to sleep here if I ended up painting until late at night. I like this room too."

"And the view is so-Edward!" I laugh when his lips unexpectedly press against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.

His hands reach for the front buttons of my dress and he undoes them. I fold my legs around his waist and draw his lower half closer to mine. He sighs impatiently as it takes a lot of time to unbutton my dress. I don't blame him; there are a lot of buttons.

"You didn't let me talk about the view." I mumble and bury my hands in his soft hair. He pulls our phones out and hurls them away from us.

"We can enjoy the view after we have sex."

My cheeks flame with a familiar blush and I peck his lips. My phone buzzes and I catch hold of it before Edward does. He glares at me and I smile as I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Bella! Congratulations!" Alice squeals and I laugh.

"Thank you, Alice."

"Hang up!" Edward whisper-yells and opens my unbuttoned shirt dress.

I roll my eyes and concentrate on Alice's bubbly voice. "We need to have a party and celebrate."

"Sure thing, Alice."

Edward trails hot kisses from my neck down to my bra clad breasts and I stifle a moan. His fingers glide towards my stomach and I can't help but chuckle.

"What's so funny?" She asks and I giggle.

"Your brother."

Edward grazes his teeth against my neck and I whimper. He hooks his thumb on either side of my panties and lowers them. His eyes lock with mine and my breathing falters looking at his sensual gaze.

"Alice, I'll call you back later." I breathe out and he presses his lips against mine.

"Ew! Are you guys having sex?" Alice asks and I smile.

"We're about to, Alice. Bye!" Edward yells and ends the call. He throws my phone on the other end of the bed and wastes no time to undress both of us.

"God, you are insatiable!" I moan as his lips drag gentle kisses from my navel down to my thighs.

"You like it." He says with a smile and I laugh.

"I love it."

---

December 10, 2015

---

I enter Jane's great room alongside Alice but find nobody there. We go towards the family room and see Esme, Jane and Rosalie lounging on the sofas chatting amongst themselves. Where is Edward? And others?

Jane stands up as Alice waltzes over to give her aunt a big hug. I follow her and Jane embraces me.

"Happy Birthday, Jane. You look amazing." I kiss her cheek and release her. She smiles and her blue eyes are shining with joy.

"And you, my sweetheart, are glowing." She compliments and I blush from head to toe.

"Bella picked out this outfit all by herself!" Alice says with surprise and claps her hands. "My work here is done!"

"Thanks, Alice." I mutter and roll my eyes.

I'm dressed in a beige and cream draped pinstriped wool-blend pencil skirt and black oversized ribbed wool sweater. I love this outfit and so does Alice.

"Did you come straight from your meeting with Frieda?" Jane asks and I nod.

"I did. It was a long day. I had discussions with Edward's team at the Cullen Foundation. Edward wants me to get familiar with everything before I officially become a part of it."

"How is that going?"

"Oh, it's lovely!" I gush and smile at her. "They have amazing ongoing projects and I can't wait to do my part. Everyone on the team is amazing and the interns are excellent. I'm so glad Edward is letting me be a part of this."

"Of course he is, Bella. He knows how much you like to work for the social welfare.

"I'm just happy I'm a part of the organization. Later on, I met with the marketing team so I had to work on my website."

"Oh right, the website! You should post Christmas recipes now!"

I laugh. "Yep, I'm working on them."

"Lovely."

"Alright, enough about work. Did you like our gift?" I ask with a smile and she frowns.

"What gift?"

"Edward didn't give your present?"

"No."

I groan. "He had better not have left it at home!"

She snorts. "He must have left it in the car, don't worry. Come sit. I'll get you something to drink."

Esme gives me a hug and I update her about my whereabouts just like I did Jane. Rosalie seems quite comfortable around me which is surprising. Jane gives Alice and me a glass of wine each and I intake an inviting sip.

"Where is Edward?" I finally ask and Jane and Esme laugh.

"The boys are cooking dinner tonight," Jane says with a proud smile. "I told them that it's my birthday and I want them to make us something."

I giggle. "Even Carlisle?"

"Of course." Esme exclaims and I smile.

"Can he cook?"

"Yes, a little."

"I'll go check on them." I say and make a move to stand up but Esme stops me.

"No, I don't want them asking for help. I know you'll end up helping them." She says and I blush.

I want to see Edward. He had a breakfast meeting at eight this morning and I haven't seen him since last night. I really miss him. It was a tiring day and I want him to hold me for some time. I received a text from him in the evening that he had a terrible day at work. Poor baby.

I resist going to the kitchen and we end up discussing about Christmas shopping and decorations. We laugh when Rosalie tells us that Emmett wanted a Mario-themed Christmas tree topper, and he bought one but it's in their bedroom now.

"I mean, I wake up in the morning and it's the first thing I see! It's so irritating." Rosalie complains and we chuckle.

It's nice to carry on a conversation with her. She may not be as bad as I think she is. Something has changed. I wonder what it is.

"He used to be obsessed with Mario." Esme adds and Rosalie sighs.

"He loves Mario and the gym more than me. Every time I make plans and if they coincide with his gym timings, he argues on and on about it. Then he'll get grumpy and won't talk to me."

"Edward gets possessive when it comes to his stupid road trips with Alex," I say and shake my head. "I told him to cancel his plans last week, and he was being childish about it. I gave up arguing and let him leave. I don't know how far they went, but he was back before I woke up the next morning."

"Alex told me they went Vancouver." Alice pipes in and I chuckle.

"Oh."

Rosalie seems more relaxed than she normally is. We chat for another thirty minutes and then she rises to her feet and walks in the piano's direction. She sits on the bench and starts playing a composition. Alice and Jane engage Esme and me as they share their New Year's Eve party plans. They are having separate parties and they sound great but Edward and I won't be here.

My phone flashes with Jake's face on the screen and I smile.

"Jake's calling. Excuse me." I stand up and walk away from them. I answer the call.

"Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Bells. Where are you?"

"I'm at Jane's place. It's her birthday."

"Oh, wish her a Happy Birthday from me."

"I will."

"I'm out Christmas shopping. What do you think I should get for Mr. Cullen?"

I laugh. "I'm asking myself that very question. And if I remember correctly, Edward has told you to stop calling him Mr. Cullen outside of work."

"Edward sounds weird. Anyway, do you have any ideas?"

"Um, you can get something that reminds him of Chicago and he'll be happy."

He laughs. "Great, thanks Bells! I'll call you later."

"Bye, Jake." He ends the call and I smile.

My eyes race over to Rosalie and I walk to her but keep a five-step distance. Her eyes fall on me and she continues playing the melody.

"Edward told me that you learned to play when you were in high school." I comment and her eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Yes, I did," She mutters and I bite my bottom lip. "I'm surprised he mentions me after the amount of hate I receive from his end."

I shuffle my feet. "He didn't tell me… you know about you." I shrug and she chuckles a silvery laughter.

"I know, Bella. You wouldn't even look at me if you knew. Edward may be a lot of things but he is not a liar, I trust him enough."

I listen to her play in silence and find Esme, Jane and Alice gazing at us in shock. Yes, yes, we spoke. They go back to animatedly discussing their story and I take that as a good chance to sneak out of the room to go see my Edward.

When I near the kitchen, I smell a very weird scent of spices. What is that? As I stand in the doorway, I see nothing but a mess inside. Alex and Emmett are hovering over a pan of something. I think that's where the smell is coming from. Will is shouting at Alex as he chops vegetables. Carlisle is on the serving island, preparing ten glasses of prawn cocktails. Oh, that looks delicious!

My eyes finally fall on my tired yet handsome boyfriend who is fiddling with the oven as he intently stares at it. I cringe from the loud, blaring music playing on Emmett's phone which is the main reason why everything seems so disoriented.

"Bella!" Alex waves at me and rushes over to give me a quick hug.

"You shouldn't leave the gas station, you fucking idiot!" Emmett screams and I giggle. Alex kisses my cheek and pulls back.

"Hey, I'm making soup with Emmett. This is so cool, I've never cooked before. Do you want to see?" He asks and I nod.

"Of course."

He drags me over to Emmett-who greets me with a bone-crushing hug.

"Hey, little sis! What's up?"

"I'm good. I see you are making soup." I comment and he gives me a grin.

"Classic minestrone soup."

"Wow," I look at the pot of soup and frown, confused. It doesn't look like minestrone soup. What the hell are they making? "I can't wait to have it."

"You bet. It's going to be better than the dish your boyfriend is cooking!" He high-fives Alex and I laugh.

"I bet it is." I nod and gulp nervously. I think I just lost a little of my appetite looking at the soup. But, I'll still eat it since they took a lot of effort.

I go over to Carlisle and smile appreciatively.

"Carlisle, this looks wonderful."

He grins at me. "Hi, dear. And thank you. Edward gave me your recipe."

"It's his favorite snack. I make it for him all the time. It looks exactly like I make it."

"Really? Thank you. I hope Esme likes it. She really doubted my cooking skills."

I giggle. "Well, you'll be fine."

I finally walk over to Edward and his green eyes lock with mine. I offer him a loving smile and fold my arms around his neck. I kiss the side of his neck and he sighs softly. I close my eyes and breathe him in. I feel his arms snaking around my waist and pulling me closer to him. How the hell did I survive today without him?

"You look tired, Bella." Edward mumbles against my hair and I exhale.

"So do you." I try to pull back but he shakes his head.

"Just a little longer," He whispers and buries his face against my hair. "I've been waiting for this the whole day."

"I love you." I say and he kisses my hair.

"I love you too, angel."

We stay in our embrace until Edward releases me. I smile and stroke his cheek. I bring his face closer to mine and kiss his lips. He moans against my mouth and deepens our kiss. I melt in his arms and slowly build the tempo of our kiss. This is nice. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and gently tugs on it, sending shivers through me.

"Oh god, you guys! Get a fucking room!" Will yells and we break our kiss, startled!

"Don't even think about having sex around all of us." Emmett adds loudly and I blush. Edward places his arms around me and I look over at Will.

"Hey Will, what are you doing?"

"Making a side salad."

"He's been chopping that shit for the last hour." Edward mutters and I laugh.

"Nice. I can't wait for dinner. And what did my man cooking for everyone?" I ask and keep my arms around his neck.

Edward smiles and strokes my cheek. "Roast chicken with potatoes and carrots."

"I can't wait. I'm sure it's going to be the best dish of the night." I whisper and give him a chaste kiss.

"Hmm, you have a lot of faith in me Ms. Swan." He says with a smile and I blush.

"That's because I know you well, Edward."

I suddenly hear footsteps stomping over to us and turn to find Emmett and Alex marching our way. My eyes widen and Edward hides me against him.

"Alright Bella, I think we're going to have to ask you to leave." Alex says firmly and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Why is that?" Edward asks and glares at them.

"No women are allowed in the kitchen tonight. I don't want her stealing our secret recipes for the cookbook." Emmett says and Edward bursts into laughter. I stifle a smile and look away.

"Emmett, you are such a fucking idiot." Edward mumbles and shakes his head.

"Leave, Bella." Alex says and I look over at my boyfriend.

"Do you need some help, baby?" I ask and stroke his cheek. I hate to see him this tired.

"You didn't offer us any help." Alex mutters and Edward scoffs.

"She is my girlfriend, not yours," He points out and turns to me. "I'll see you later, darling." He says softly and gives me a parting kiss.

"Okay." I smile and walk out of the room.

I hope dinner is edible.

---

EDWARD

---

Everyone sings the Happy Birthday song as Aunt Jane cuts a slice of her cake. She has a face splitting grin on her face as she gazes at everyone. Her eyes linger on Bella and me a little longer and she gives me a teary smile. I smile back and Alex and Will feed her a piece of cake. She laughs as they stuff her mouth with the cake and push them off as she tries to eat it.

Alex is quick enough to step away as he immediately grabs his camera again. He takes pictures of everyone as we feed her a little piece of cake as well. One of the housemaids whisks the cake away and returns with a slice for everyone. We grab our plates and settle on the sofas around.

Bella eats a small portion of her cake and passes me the rest of it. I'm all too willing to eat because it's delicious.

I really want to go home now. After the horrendous day at work and making dinner for two hours, I don't have the energy to do anything. I need rest. Thursdays at work are always hectic.

At least dinner went well. Everyone loved roast chicken the most, just like my beautiful girlfriend had predicted. The minestrone was inconsumable but we still ate it for the sake of Alex and Emmett. Dad's prawn cocktail was a hit all because it was my girlfriend's recipe. Maybe it was not a bad experience after all. Except for listening to Emmett's music. He has horrible taste in music.

Bella cuddles against me and closes her eyes. She seems quite exhausted too. I want to know how her day went. If there are any problems that I can help her with. I tighten my arm around her and kiss the top of her head. She opens her eyes and I feel like her brown orbs look directly into my soul.

"What's wrong, honey? You look distracted." Bella whispers, catching on my fidgety behavior tonight. How do I tell her?

"It's nothing. We'll talk at home."

"Okay," She rests her head on my shoulder and places her hand on my chest. "It's going to be fine."

"It will be. And you look gorgeous tonight." I let her know, and she pecks my lips.

"Thank you."

"Sleep, if you want." I stroke her hair and she sighs.

"I don't want to. But, I need to."

I chuckle and kiss her cheek. "I know."

"Yo, lovebirds!" Emmett yells and we look at him. "Do you want more cake?"

"No, thank you Emmett." Bella says kindly, and he grins goofily and grabs the remaining portion of the cake. I smile and shake my head.

I look over at mom, and she meets my gaze. I sit up straight and clear my throat. "Mom, can we talk?"

"Sure, honey. What is it?"

"Not here." I say and run a hand through my hair.

"I'll wait in Jane's study."

I nod and she leaves. I gaze at Bella and unwrap my arms from around her. I kiss the top of her head and rise to my feet. She frowns and takes my hand in hers.

"Where are you going?" She asks softly and I kiss the back of her hand.

"I need to talk to mom about something. I'll be back, okay?"

"Okay." I smile and give her a quick kiss.

I grab my jacket and make my way towards the study. I find mom leaning against the desk with her arms crossed over her chest. I bury my hands deep in my pockets and gaze at her. She glares at me and I try not to get intimidated by her death stare. Fuck, if looks could kill, I'd be dead seconds ago.

"Why did you cut me off on Sunday?" She snaps and I gulp.

"Bella was right there, mom."

"Still!" She shakes her head. "That doesn't mean you don't listen."

"I-I thought you were mad at me because it's too soon."

Mom finally sighs and shakes off her angry expression. "Honey, every relationship is different. What you and Bella have is very pure and tender. I am not surprised you want to ask her to marry you."

"I know she is the right one. I haven't felt this way with anyone and she makes me want to be a better person. It's only been six months since we met but it's been the best time of my life."

"I know that," She smiles and walks closer to me. "She is special. And somebody who knows how to put up with you. You are one lucky man, let me tell you that."

I laugh softly and nod my head. "I am."

"I can't believe you are going to get engaged," She whispers and tears spring to her eyes. She tightly hugs me and I wrap my arms around her. "I'm so happy for you both."

"Thanks, mom."

"What about the ring?" She asks and pulls back to look at me.

"I have a couple of ring designers coming to my office tomorrow."

She smiles shyly and walks over to grab her purse from the desk. She produces a black velvet box and I sigh softly. I should've known. She passes it to me and her lips curl into a smile.

"You are very impulsive, honey. You might end up proposing to her tomorrow if you set your mind to it," I chuckle. "So I want you to have that ring. It's your nana's. I don't know whether Bella will like it or not but you should see it for yourself."

"Bella doesn't care about that," I murmur and gingerly open the box. I close my eyes as soon as I see the ring. "Oh fuck. No, mom. Not this ring. Please. Give me something else. This is too much, I can't." I close the box.

"Why not, Edward?"

"It's just…it's nana's ring." I run a hand through my hair.

I gaze at mom, who is holding in her tears. "Your nana made me promise that I would keep this ring until you found someone worthy of it. She was so attached to you, Edward. If you give this ring to Bella, we'll be always cherishing her."

"Do you remember, that when I saw this ring…" My voice breaks. "I went out to the bar and I-I ended up in the hospital that night."

"Oh Edward, it's in the past. You have changed so much in the past few months. You are so close to all of us, you even played piano!" She shakes her head. "We had lost hope that we would ever hear you play again. But, Bella made it all happen. She will help you get past this too."

"She's going to freak out because of the size of the ring." I say with a smile and keep the box in my pocket.

"Tell her it's a family ring. And blue diamonds are very rare. Just 1% available in the world."

I roll my eyes. "Do you think Bella cares about that stuff? If I give her a gummy bear ring, she will happily accept it."

"Well, this is no gummy bear ring. It's worth millions. Keep it safe and give it to her before it's too late."

"I plan on doing it on Sunday. We have an event to attend and later, I have some arrangements done."

"Oh! You're going to be engaged soon!" She hugs me again and I smile.

I hope Bella says yes.

---

December 13, 2015

---

I take off my jacket and roll up the sleeves of my shirt as I step inside our home. I don't see Bella in the great room and wonder where she is. I make my way to the bedroom passage and check up on the work going inside the rooms. Our home looks marvelous now. Bella's ideas gave it a personal touch and made it less… cold.

When I enter our bedroom, I find her nowhere. Okay. I drape my jacket on sofa, and go to the walk-in closet. I check up on the engagement ring and sigh. It's still there. Why the fuck do I stare at it every day? I shake my head and return to the bedroom. I hear some movement in the bathroom and open the door only to smile.

Bella is lounging in the bathtub, her body is lathering in bubbles and there is a glass of wine carefully perched at the foot of the tub. There are candles lit on a side table and I hear gentle music playing on the speakers.

"Hey." I breathe out and walk over to my girlfriend.

My smile turns to a frown when I find tears in her beautiful eyes. Her bottom lip quivers as she looks at me and takes a deep breath. She reaches for me and I lean as close as possible. Her wet arms circle around my neck and she presses her face against me.

"What's wrong, love?"

"Emily called me a while ago and said that some-some man was lingering around the bookstore. She was shopping across the street and saw him try to enter the site for two hours but security wouldn't let him in. So she went over to speak to him."

"Who was it, Bella?" I ask softly and kneel by her side.

"My father." She sobs and buries her face in her hands.

My heart stills. I remember he was in Seattle during Thanksgiving. I told Zidek to take care of this. Fuck, why does Charlie want to meet my Bella?!

"Hush, Bella. Calm down," I stroke her hair and she shakes her head. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"No!" Her face is streaked with tears but I can see hatred in her eyes for that man.

"Okay, okay. Enough with the crying, he's not coming near you. I promise." I say and she whimpers.

"What if he meets Jake?"

"Jacob probably doesn't know what his father looks like." I remind her and she sniffles.

"You're right. I can't believe he is showing up after all these years," She weeps and my heart breaks looking at her face.

"Hey, look at me," I whisper and her watery eyes meet mine. "Don't cry. I can't watch you cry, love."

"Sorry."

"Don't be," I wipe away her tears. "I know you don't give two shits about him so why bother crying over him? Let's talk about something else."

Bella composes her face and takes a deep breath. She manages a small smile and I stroke her cheek. "How was work on a Sunday?"

I groan at that. "Don't even ask."

"It's not cool that you have to work on the weekend." She mumbles and kisses me. I cradle her face in my hands and deepen our kiss. She moans against me and I taste red wine. We breathlessly pull back and I take hold of her wine glass. I finish her drink and put the empty glass away.

"I know, but the work was very important."

"What was it?"

"Well, I can't tell you that."

She pouts. "Really?"

"Yes, really. It's just between me, Alex, Kate and Jasper. Oh and Kyle."

Bella rolls her eyes at that. "Of course Kyle is involved. I don't think you can live without Kyle."

"I can't work well when he is not around."

"He is your work girlfriend," She teases and I chuckle. "I'm pretty jealous of him."

"You should be. Turn around."

Bella turns around and I reach for the shampoo and thoroughly wash her hair and massage her scalp, which earns a couple of sighs from her. I use one of the bath sponges and squirt some shower gel on it before tenderly lathering her body with soap. I ask her to lie down and clean her legs and feet. She is so perfect.

I use the handheld shower and rinse out the shampoo from her hair. Bella asks me more about work and I tell her everything that happened during the day. By the time I'm done, the Charlie Swan drawer is shut nice and tight. I pull on the plug and drain the soapy water and grab the towel on the wooden stool and help Bella stand up.

She steps out and I fold the towel around her lovely frame. She looks up with a warm smile and gives me a chaste kiss. I use another towel to dry her hair. Once I'm done, I pull her in my arms and tightly hug her. I bury my face against her sweet-smelling hair and breathe her in.

"I missed you, Bella."

"I missed you too, honey."

She gazes at me and caresses my cheek with her hand. My heart pounds a little harder when I think about tonight's plans. Please say yes, darling. I snap out of my reverie and lead her to the walk-in closet.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"I don't feel like going out tonight. Can't we stay home and relax? It's been a very busy week." She whispers against me.

Fuck.

"Love, we'll have time to ourselves once we leave for Vienna. This is the last event of the year. Even Alex and Kate are coming. We'll have fun."

"You don't like these events either, why are you so insistent to take me?" She asks and sits on the tub chair in her walk-in closet. I kneel in front of her and take her hand in mine.

"Because we need some time away from everything. You know that half your attention is on the people working here, how will you relax? Let's just dress up, go there, have some drinks and come back." I try to convince her, hoping it works.

"What is the event, anyway?"

"It's the 30th Anniversary of the Seattle Architecture Foundation. We won't stay for long, I promise."

"Okay, but in return, we'll have to make a stop and buy ice-cream on our way back." She says and tries to hide her smile.

"Ice-cream? It's freezing cold out there, baby."

She shrugs. "Doesn't matter."

I laugh and kiss her lips soundly. God, I love her so much. She gives me a cute grin and strokes my hair.

"Let me help you into your dress." I whisper and rise to my feet.

I walk over towards Bella's gowns and rummage through the section to find something beautiful for my girlfriend. I turn and see Bella blow-drying her hair with a smile on her face. I smile to myself and pick out a midnight blue strapless silk gown. It has intricate embroidery and a train. This color always looks lovely on her.

I put the gown on the tub chair and pick out a simple diamond necklace and the cluster bracelet I gave her not long ago to wear tonight.

Bella takes a look at the outfit and her cheeks flame with an alluring blush. "Thank you, honey. Why don't you get dressed while I get ready?"

"I can help." I insist and she giggles.

"I know but let's not be late. You need to get ready too."

I sigh. "Fine. Don't take too much time."

"Get out, Edward." She says with a smile and I chuckle.

---

"Oh my god, this is not going to end well." Bella mumbles and hides her face against my chest. I chuckle and kiss her head.

"It'll be fine, my love."

I watch Kate walk in our direction alongside Jasper-who has a big grin on his face. They greet some familiar faces and finally stand in front of us. Bella turns to smile at them and Jasper immediately pulls her in for a hug. Kate winks at me with a knowing look and I want to kill Alex. Why the hell did I tell him that I was going to propose to my girlfriend? I'm sure half the Seattle knows already.

Jasper gives me a shit-eating smile and I groan softly. Even Jasper knows!

"Oh, I'm going to kill Alex." I mutter under my breath and Jasper snickers.

"Yep. You should do that." He agrees and Bella returns to my side.

"Why do you want to kill Alex?" She asks curiously and I give her a chaste kiss.

"He is an annoying person, that's why."

"Where is he anyway…" Jasper's sentence trails off when he watches him walk towards us with Alice by his side.

Bella is right; this is not going to end well.

"Hey, Kate!" Alice squeals and hugs her. She pulls back and offers Jasper a smile. "Hey, Jasper!" She greets him with a similar kind of enthusiasm.

Jasper blinks rapidly and snaps out of his shock to nod at her. "Hello, Alice."

I close my agape mouth and silence descends on all of us. How the hell did Alice change her mind about Jasper? Jasper looks equally shocked as everyone is. Bella sighs by my side and I kiss the side of her head.

"Thank you for helping my friend the other day." Alice says earnestly to him and he frowns.

"Iris? Iris is your friend?"

"Yes!"

He smiles at her and nods. "I was glad to help."

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Alex finally speaks up and Bella chuckles by me.

"Last night, two guys at a bar cornered Iris in the parking lot and Jasper saved her. Isn't that great?"

"Of course, that's so sweet of you, Jasper!" Kate says enthusiastically and I nod.

"Good work. I guess, you won't be getting heat from Alice anymore," I mutter and Bella slaps my arm. "What?"

We fall into an easy conversation and Bella and I meet a couple of people we know. I can't stop thinking about my plans for later and I'm turning more anxious with every passing minute. Bella seems worried about me for some reason but I try to mask my nervousness. Fuck, I really don't know how I'm going to survive the rest of the night.

When we rejoin our group, the girls talk about something regarding Christmas gifts that I don't bother listening to. My phone buzzes in my pants and I answer it.

"Cullen."

"Mr. Cullen, your arrangements are ready. We're waiting for you." Natalia says and I sigh happily.

"Great, thank you. We'll be on our way." I hang up and smile at my girlfriend.

"Are we leaving?" Bella asks and I nod at her.

"Yes, baby."

Alex, Alice, Jasper and Kate stare at us with goofy grins and I want to smack all of them. They are being so fucking obvious. I shake my head. Bella shifts closer to me and frowns at them. I clear my throat, loud enough so they would stop their shit.

"What's going on?" Bella asks softly and I kiss her hand.

"Nothing, Bella. I think they had too much to drink."

My phone rings and I check the screen to see its Zidek. I answer it.

"Hey, Zidek. Is this important? I have some urgent tasks to do."

"Sir, it's about Riley. We found his last location."

My heart stutters and Bella suddenly tugs on my hand. "Honey, I'll just run to the powder room. Give me two minutes."

"Sure." I peck her lips and she smiles at me.

"Don't be too long on that phone," She strokes my cheek. "I love you." Her hand unwraps from mine and she walks away from me.

I clear my throat. "Zidek, what were you saying?"

"Riley's location, we last saw him-" I groan when my phone beeps with another incoming call. I check the screen and its Nelson, the Security Chief for my floor. He never calls unless there is any kind of serious emergency.

"Zidek, we'll talk in a couple of minutes. I have a very very urgent call to attend." I say hurriedly and receive Nelson's call.

"Nelson, what's wrong?" I ask and frown when Alex, Jasper and Kate answer their ringing phones. Everyone got calls at the same time? Fuck, that never happens.

"Sir, there has been a fire in the CR Room and a couple of files have gone missing. We are on our way." He says breathlessly and I pale.

Fuck.

Alex meets my gaze, and he looks just as disturbed as I do. Kate and Jasper have similar worked up expressions on their face. We were working on those files all day. Nobody is allowed inside the room but us. We have our source codes, business plans, operating procedures, financials and a lot more. This can't be happening.

We'll be fucked if this happens. Forget Christmas, New Year's and every other thing. We'll be stuck with this shit for months to come.

"I'll be right there, Nelson." I hang up and take a deep breath.

"Edward, you should go ahead with your plans with Bella. We'll take care of this." Kate says soothingly and I run a hand through my hair.

"Are you crazy, Kate? This shit is more important than the proposal! Bella is not going anywhere, but if we have too much damage in that room, we're fucked for good." I snap and she nods.

"Let's leave." Alex mutters and Jasper turns on his heel.

"Guys, I'll let Demetri know to take Bella home. You go ahead." I say and they leave. I stare at their retreated forms and call Demetri. He answers instantly.

"Demetri, take Bella straight home and call Zidek. I think he found out where Riley is."

"Yes, sir. Is Ms. Swan with you?"

I frown. "What? Bella is in the powder room, Demetri! You just went after her!" I yell angrily and start walking towards the powder room.

My heart starts hyperventilating and my breathing falters. This is too much. I can't cope with this. My Bella.

"Ms. Swan texted me to get the car ready, so I left."

"Demetri, she knew we were supposed to take my R8. Something's not right." I mutter and turn to find Demetri walking towards me.

I get a feeling of déjà vu when I step inside the powder room and the chilling air hits me. I grab hold of Bella's phone lying on the floor and her purse perched between two wash basins. Demetri runs ahead of me and checks the bathroom stalls. My eyes race towards the open fire exit and the hostile thought makes me numb.

"She's gone." I murmur and stare at her belongings as a tear drops from my eye.

---

SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!

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Paint the Walls