THE OTHER WOMAN

DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

December 13, 2015

BELLA

I hear a voice speaking in hushed whispers and my body is shaking. I feel groggy, tired and nauseated. Where am I? Am I at home? My head is pounding and I can't make sense of anything. I frown softly and try to breathe. Why am I having so much trouble breathing? My body seems heavy and I feel drowsy.

Edward. Where is Edward? I can't remember the last time I saw him. Where he is? Is he right next to me? I should open my eyes.

My lashes flutter and I moan softly. This is too hard. It takes a lot of effort to open my eyes. As my vision clears, I notice my head is tilted on something cold. I see the windshield and dashboard in front of me. It's very dark and chilly. I try to move but my body heavily leans for support on something hard.

I think I'm in a car. I race my eyes to the right and realize I'm pressed up against the passenger door. I gasp in pain when I realize my hands are tied behind my back. The rope is tight and uncomfortable.

My eyes well with tears and I ache to see my Edward.

"I'm so glad you're awake, sweetheart." A voice says by my side and a sob escapes my chest.

"Riley," I slur out and realize my speech sounds different. "What are you—" I try to speak but I'm unable to open my mouth. I feel tired and everything is spinning.

"Hey, we're on our first road trip. I told you we'd run away together, didn't I? Look! I bought this car for us!" His voice reverberates in my head and I feel tears pouring down my eyes.

"Riley…" My sentence trails off and I try to keep my eyes open.

"I'm right here, Bella. I'm not going anywhere," I feel pressure on my knee and I struggle to get his hand off me. "What's wrong?"

"Hands."

"Oh no, sweetheart. Are your wrists hurting? Let me take that rope off."

I stop moving and realize he has hit the brakes. I feel his lips brushing against the side of my neck and I try to shake him off. I cry softly and his hands brush against my breasts before he reaches behind me. He loosens the rope and I free my hands. I struggle to keep my eyes open and find his figure still leaning against me.

"You are so beautiful, Bella. I am a lucky, lucky man." I sob loudly when he says that. My Edward says that to me. Where are you, Edward? I need Edward.

"Don't cry, babe. I'll get us away from them. I'll take you away from him. You won't have to see him again. I promise."

"Edward…" I whimper softly to myself and close my eyes. A hand slaps me right across my cheek and I struggle to breathe. My left cheek stings from the pain and I cry my heart out. It hurts.

"Don't say his name, you bitch!" Riley spits out harshly and I feel my body moving again. I think he started the car again. "You are mine!"

I hold my head in my hands and feel dizzy. Oh god.

"What did you do to me?" I struggle to speak and whimper in pain.

"This," Through my hooded eyes, I notice he is holding a plastic syringe. He yanks my hand towards him and I weep when I feel a sharp needle sticking in one of my veins.

It takes a minute or two before everything starts moving and shaking in front of me. I put my hands on my stomach to stop the wave of nausea and my head gets heavy. My eyes shut tight and I lose consciousness of everything around me again.

I stir when I hear a muffled voice near me. I struggle to remain awake and attempt to open my eyes. My body is numb and heavy, and I can barely move. I frown as I recall Riley injecting me with something. What was that? Was it something harmful? Will it hurt me? I breathe through the pain and feel my faint heartbeat.

I was at an event with Edward. I recall going to the powder room and seeing Riley there. He touched me and everything blacked out after that. The next time I woke up, we were in this car and he injected me with something and I passed out. And now I am awake again. I need to stay conscious this time. I need to get out of here.

I should've listened to Edward about the need for female security. I was stupid and stubborn to refuse him; all the while he was merely concerned about my safety.

My shaky hand touches my knee and I feel the window pressed against my head. I'm still in the car. I try to open my eyes but I am unable to. I hear Riley shouting profanities. He is not near me. My body relaxes with the thought of that.

For the last time, I make an attempt to open my eyes and I am successful. Tears stream down my eyes as I struggle to sit straight. I squint and stare at my hands. They are shaking like leaves. I wipe away my tears and look around.

I'm in an SUV. The car is pulled over on the side of the street and I don't see anyone for miles. Riley is standing few feet from the car, talking on the phone to someone. I immediately feel lightheaded but try to stay awake.

I look at the ignition but the key is nowhere to be seen. I blink back the tears that blur my vision. I hold my head in my right hand and reach over the console to find something to defend myself with. I pat around the space and whimper softly when my body starts to ache from pain. I don't want to become unconscious again.

I scream, startled when there is a quick knock on the window to my left. I turn and stop breathing when I notice Riley standing on the other side with a big smile on his face. His grin makes my blood run cold. I gulp and stop snooping around the console.

"Come on out, we're going to walk from here. Isn't this fun, sweetheart?!" Riley exclaims and I lean my heavy body against the door. "Let's go!"

"I—I can't move." I mumble and try to move my stiff legs.

He opens the passenger door and I instantly fall onto the gravel path in a heap. My body is rigid and I smell the rusty scent of blood near me. I'm hurt. I can feel my right arm stinging and my stomach churns with nausea.

"Get up, Bella! We're losing time!" He snaps angrily and I struggle to rise to my feet, but I can't. My body is too weak from whatever he injected me with.

"Riley, please. Let me go. I'm begging you! Please!" I cry helplessly and attempt to sit up.

I roll onto my left side and his ice cold hand takes hold of my stinging wrist. Riley drags my lying form towards the front of the car and I can feel my arm bruising from the tiny stones sharply brushing against my skin. He grabs me by my shoulders and yanks me onto my feet. I stagger a little and he steadies me.

My legs are trembling and I am a mess. I stare at my arms and notice blood trailing towards my wrists.

"You are not going anywhere, sweetheart. We are just getting started." Riley whispers coldly and his lips descend on mine. I am repulsed by his hostile touch and feel his teeth grazing against my bottom lip. I cringe and push him off. He growls and grabs a fistful of my hair. He shoves me away from the car and I stumble to the ground again.

"Why don't you want me, Bella?" He yells and smacks his head over and over. "Why don't you want me?! I did this all for you and you don't want me?! You want that Edward, don't you? You want that rich bastard? You fucking gold digging whore! You want his money? Does he shower you with diamonds every day? Huh?"

"Riley…"

"You know how I bought this car? I used his money!" He laughs hollowly. "I used his money, you bitch! I hate him so much! He—He kisses you and touches you. You are mine, Bella!"

He marches towards the trunk of the car and retrieves something from it. As he approaches the front, I notice it's a can of liquid. He sprays it all over the car and I'm sure he is going to light it on fire. I stare at my ripped gown and grab its hem. I tear the gown from below the knee and throw the piece away.

I gasp when he lights the car on fire and he happily watches it burn. I use that time to rise to my feet and ignore my body's pained protests.

I run north and don't look behind me. My body is breaking into pieces and my head is going to crack open but I run. I don't know how fast or slow I am running; I can barely keep my vision clear but I still sprint away from him. A cold breeze hits my face and I whimper in pain.

My legs give out and I stop running at some point. I notice that there is a cornfield on my left and a gas station on the other side of the road. Why don't I see any people here? I protectively wrap my arms around myself and tremble due to the chilly air.

I freeze when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn and let out a resigned sigh when I see Riley walking in my direction, dragging a metal rod in his hand. His lips curl into an evil grin and he knows I can't run anymore.

"It's just us, sweetheart. Nobody is coming for you. I've drugged you enough so that you can't get away from me."

"Riley, please. Please. I'll give you anything you want. I'll tell Edward to stop looking for you. Please, let me go." I beg and back away from him.

The heel of my sandal breaks and I slip on the ground. I make an attempt to stand up and feel lightheaded looking at the bruises on my arms and legs.

"You have no idea how much he has made me suffer," Riley hisses coldly and I dare to look into his blue eyes for the first time. There is a hate and vexation in his voice which scares me to death! "And now, I'm going to make you suffer."

I use my trembling hands to unstrap my heels as Riley saunters closer to me. I tighten my hold on the sandals and back away from him. He leans in my direction and slowly swings the rod to hit me.

At the last moment, I tighten my hold on my shoe and hit him with my sky high stiletto right in his face. He groans in pain and drops the rod which unfortunately falls on my left shoulder before dropping soundly on the ground.

I cry from the excruciating pain and stagger to my feet. Riley is on his knees, covering his bloody face with his hands. I grab my heels and hit his face a couple of times until he is too weak to protest. I heave breathlessly and stare at his unconscious form. My tears stream endlessly and I feel a tiny spark of relief that he won't hurt me anymore.

I grab the metal rod and hit his head once more just to ensure that he doesn't wake up. I release the rod and feel strange spasms shooting up and down my body. I shake off my thoughts and look at Riley. What if still comes after me?

I cross the street and rush towards the cornfield. I can feel the dirt, splinters and stone hurting my feet but I don't stop walking. I need to find a way out. I need Edward. Will he find me? Will I see him again? The last thought makes me uncomfortable.

When pain completely overpowers my body, my legs give out and I fall into a dark oblivion.

"Bella? Bella! Where are you?"

I hear a lot of voices shouting but I don't wake up. I can't wake up.

"Mr. Cullen, we found her!"

"Bella!" I hear an angel sob my name. "My baby. Bella, it's me. Open your eyes, love. Please, wake up. No, no, no. You're going to be fine, baby. Nothing can happen to you. Please say something."

"We need to take her to the hospital, Ed. Right now." I hear a soft yet firm voice say.

"No, no hospitals. The doctors can take care of her at our place."

"Edward, look at her! We need to take her to the hospital, right now!"

"She hates hospitals, Jasper."

"Let the doctors check her out. She looks like she has several injures. I'm calling Carlisle."

And the voices dissolve around me.

I hear hushed voices near me and the beeping of something and a faint ticking of clock. I can't get my eyes to open.

"… we got the opium out of her system, there is no danger anymore. She has a lot of minor bruises that need attention; especially the one on her shoulder. You need to be careful, Edward. Her body is very fragile right now. She needs to rest more than anything else, at least for another six days."

"Thanks, June. I won't leave her side. Can I please take her home now?"

"Let her stay under observation for two more hours. You can take her home at eight in the morning, I give you my word."

"Oh thank god!"

I'm going home?

"… Please handle it, Irina. I don't care what you have to do… I'll speak to Frieda, don't worry about that… No, I can't… Okay, thanks… Bye."

I feel a soft pressure on my forehead and a warm body next to mine. Something buzzes next to me and I hear a reluctant sigh.

"Hello? … Good evening, Frieda… Yes, she is… I would rather keep things undisclosed, thank you for your concern… I would really appreciate if you don't. My girlfriend is unwell and we have enough media scrutiny because of last night's events. Can you hold off on the news until next week? Freida, I don't want to overwhelm her. She has made headlines in literally every single newspaper in America; I think that's enough media coverage for the week… I know people saw it in a positive light but I will have Bella speak to you before you make any further decisions… Yes, thank you… Good night."

I feel a hand stroking my hair and the other one on my hand.

"Bella, please wake up. I miss you so much. I love you, darling. Wake up for me. You have no idea how…" The velvety voice fades as I fall into a deep slumber. No! I want to stay awake and listen to him!

December 15, 2015

My eyes flutter open and I realize it's dark outside. The only source of light is from the string lights on the balcony. I feel comforted by the fact that I am home; in my bed. I turn my head to the left and see the time on the radio alarm. It's three in the morning. Wow, I woke up at an ungodly hour.

I shift a little and my body aches in protest. I ache everywhere. I close my eyes and feel a shuddering gaze coming from my right. I open my eyes and tilt my head to find Edward sitting on the edge of the bed with an unreadable expression on his face. There are bags under his eyes and I can tell he hasn't slept in a while.

I try to open my mouth but no words escape my lips. At least I should sit up. I lower the duvet and try to sit up but my body aches terribly. I moan in pain and get back under the covers. Edward glares at me and clenches his fists at his side.

"Don't move. Your body is in pain!" He snaps angrily and I swallow the big lump in my throat. I blink back my tears and sniffle.

He takes a deep breath and pinches the bridge of his nose as if he is trying to control his rage. His piercing gaze meets mine and I anxiously stare back at him.

"Water?" He asks in a hard voice and I nod slowly.

Edward helps me into a sitting position and I take his hand in mine. He gently yanks his hand away as if repulsed by my touch. My heart breaks a little and I feel tears pricking my eyes. He holds the rim of the glass in front of my lips and I try to gulp down the water as fast as I can. I'm parched.

"Slow sips." He admonishes, and I slow down.

I pull back once I'm finished, and he puts the glass away. I stare at my outfit and realize I'm changed into a pair of cotton PJs. I frown when I feel something soft yet firm wrapped around my knees. I stretch my arm to check but a warm hand wraps around my right wrist, stopping me. I gasp in pain and Edward looks at me with an alarmed expression on his face.

I raise the sleeves of my shirt and notice dark marks around my wrists. I touch my wrist and a tiny spasm of pain shoots within me. My mind travels back when I was in the car with him.

"I'm right here, Bella. I'm not going anywhere," I feel pressure on my knee and I struggle to get his hand off me. "What's wrong?"

"Hands."

"Oh no, sweetheart. Are your wrists hurting? Let me take that rope off."

I stop moving and realize he has hit the brakes. I feel his lips brushing against the side of my neck and I try to shake him off. I cry softly and his hands brush against my breasts before he reaches behind me. He loosens the rope and I free my hands.

"Bella? Bella?" I snap out of my reverie and find Edward intently staring at me. I wipe away the tears on my cheeks and more follow.

"He tied my hands in the car." I whisper and Edward adjusts my duvet.

"Do you want to eat something? The Doctor suggested that soup would be fine." He says instead, and a sob escapes my chest. He isn't even bothered to know what happened to me! His cold behavior hurts me more than spending that time in the car with Riley.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask through my tears and he runs a hand through his hair.

"Does it matter?" He questions back indifferently.

"Yes." I keep my answer short.

"Why should it?"

"Because—Because you are the only person who really matters to me and I can't stand that you are angry with me. I love you."

"Do you?" He rises to his feet and his green eyes regard me with fury.

"Of course."

"Well, when you love someone, you listen to them. You take their opinion that maybe if somebody is looking out for you, the least you can do is to support them. When somebody is trying to go great lengths to keep you from harm's way, you don't argue back with that person all the time about safety measures!" He is yelling by the end of his rant and I feel guilt creeping inside me.

"I—I'm sorry." I blubber out and he sighs with irritation.

"Sorry for what? For putting your life in danger, for making me almost lose you or for scaring the living daylights out of everyone in your life!"

"I'm sorry for everything!" I bury my face in my hands and cry softly.

My body shakes from my sobs and I can feel my arms and shoulder stinging from pain. All I wanted was for Edward to hold me after the horrendous incident that happened with Riley. He brings comfort to me like nobody else. But right now, he is mad beyond anything. And that scares me.

I don't know for how long I sit on the bed crying, but eventually I hear movement around me. The bed dips in front of me and I pause my tears. Maybe Edward wants to speak to me. I can apologize again. I hope he listens to me.

"Edward, I'm really sor…" My sentence trails off when I look up and find Jacob sitting across from me.

"Jake," I weep and he scoots closer to me.

"Calm down, Bells. Don't cry so much," He says gently and his brown eyes look concerned. "You need to get better fast."

"I'm sorry."

"How bad does it hurt?"

"It's unbearable," I croak out and shake my head. "Do you know if I can get a pill for the pain?'

"The doctors have injected you with er… something. You can take medication after ten am. You are also to put arnica cream on your bruises," He leans closer and lowers his voice. "You have a lot of bruises, Bells."

"Edward didn't let me see," I murmur and tears pour down my eyes. "Do I look that bad?"

"Frankly, yes. You are hurt to quite an extent. Right now, you need to rest."

"Will you please stay here with me? I don't want to be alone." I beg softly and his eyes soften. I'm still paranoid that Riley might show up out of nowhere.

"Of course."

Jacob takes off his shoes and sits on the bed beside me. I rest my head on his chest and close my eyes. I feel his hand gently stroking my hair and he sighs softly.

"You are going to miss work in the morning, I'm sorry." I whisper and he tightens his arms around me.

"You are more important to me than work, Bells."

"Thank you for being here with me."

"No problem." He kisses my hair.

"Where is Edward?"

"He uh, went upstairs somewhere." The painting room.

"Edward hates me."

"He doesn't hate you, Bella. He loves you very much."

"He is very mad at me." My voice cracks and a fresh round of tears gather in my eyes.

"I know."

I shift a little and wince in pain. "Ow, my shoulder hurts."

"A metal object landed on it. Luckily, it's not a fracture."

"I hope it doesn't hurt this bad in the morning."

"Sleep, Bella. You need to rest."

"Okay."

My body is throbbing with pain but I can feel fatigue crawling its way back to me. I think about Edward in the last few moments before I fall into a deep slumber. I hope I can talk to him in the morning. Does he hate me because I look hideous? I always knew I wasn't good enough for him and I know I'm even worse now. I shake off my disturbing thoughts and concentrate on drifting off to sleep.

"… still. Oh Edward, it wasn't the right time. Look at her, honey." I hear a honey-glazed voice say.

"I am just so angry at her, mom. She can't always be stubborn about everything. I almost lost her last night. I love her so much; I can't imagine how much pain her body must be in right now. I died a hundred times before we found her."

"I understand, calm down. But, can you imagine how traumatic it must be for her? She needs you right now."

There is a beat of silence and then a loud sigh. "Alex texted me that they are on their way. I'll make a call to Will. He has been texting me every fifteen minutes."

"Okay, I'll stay here with Bella. Did Jacob have breakfast?"

"Yes, he just left. I offered for him to catch some sleep here, but he wanted to go back to his apartment. He'll drop by this evening."

"Poor dear, he was so upset."

"Jacob will be fine, don't worry."

I hear a pair of footsteps fading away and feel a warm hand caressing my face. I flinch when somebody touches my right cheek and I sigh with pain. I suddenly feel warmer than before and I relax a little. I drift off to sleep again.

"You ran away last time but this time, you have nowhere to go." Riley says and saunters in my direction with the metal rod in his right hand.

"Riley, please. Let me go. I'm hurt. Please." I cry softly and look into his hostile blue eyes.

"I'm going to hurt you more. Your Edward is not coming for you this time."

"Yes he is."

Riley glares at me and hits my arms with the rod. "No, he's not! He hates you, you greedy bitch!"

"Stop, it hurts!" I whimper and he hits my legs. "Please, stop."

"He hates you." Riley gives me a cold smile and hits the rod on my head.

I scream as he continues hitting me with it.

"Bella? Bella! Wake up!" I hear a voice exclaim but I can't hear anything over my screams and the excruciating pain lacing my body.

"Bella, wake up. Sweetheart, you are having a bad dream."

My eyes snap open and I realize I'm in bed. There are tears streaked on my cheeks and I have a headache from hell. I frown and stare at the ceiling above me. I inhale labored breaths and feel a soft hand stroking my hair. I turn my head to the right and find Esme sitting next to me with a compassionate expression on her face.

"How are you feeling, honey?" She asks in a motherly tone and tears prick my eyes.

"Terrible." I croak out and try to sit up. I groan when my shoulder protests in return.

"Bella, don't get up," Esme says and I nod. "Do you need something? Can I get you anything?"

"Water would be great, thank you."

"I can ask Mrs. Cope to make you soup. Edward told me you haven't eaten since last evening."

Edward. My heart skips a beat hearing his name. I need to see him. I need for him to hold me. I don't care if he hates me, but being in his arms makes all my troubles seem less scary. What can I do to make him speak to me?

"Where is he?" I ask hesitantly and she sighs.

"In the family room."

"Is he still mad at me?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I don't know what to do. I've apologized to him for putting myself in danger. I know I'm stupid and reckless but can't he get mad at me later?" I sob and wipe away the tears present on my cheeks.

"Hush now, Bella. Calm down." She rubs my back and I try to slow my tears.

"I'm sorry for being so desperate and clingy."

"It's alright. You must still be in shock from what happened. I don't blame you, dear. Let me get you some water. Carlisle is also here. He just wants to perform a routine check-up."

"Okay."

Esme kisses the top of my head and walks out of the room. I immediately pull up the sleeves of my shirt and gasp in horror looking at the cuts, scrapes and bruises on my arms. I try to lift my left arm but my body protests in return. I whimper in pain and push the duvet off my body. The warm air hits my feet and I flinch from the excruciating agony. What has happened to me?

I sigh dejectedly and find three newspapers lying on the nightstand. I raise my right arm and reach for them. My shaky hand grabs hold of them and I yank them in my direction. They fall on my face and I groan in frustration. I put them on the pillow next to mine and clutch the one on top. I hold it in front of my face and my eyes widen looking at my photo in the headlines.

"Isabella Swan takes down her dangerous stalker." I read the headline and shudder internally.

I didn't take him down. He scarred me for life. All I did was cry and beg him to leave me. I put Edward through so much trouble. He must have lost his mind trying to find me. I don't know how I'm going to make it up to Edward.

I check the other newspapers and find pictures of Edward and me on the front page. My eyes fill with tears looking at our photo. Edward is looking at me with adoration in his eyes and his lips are curled into a heart stopping smile.

"Missing someone?" Carlisle's question snaps me out of my reverie. I blink back my tears and watch him take a seat beside me.

"I am." I murmur and he offers me an empathetic smile.

"You have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at eleven. Dr. June wants to check on your bruises."

"Okay, and Esme mentioned that you wanted to perform a check-up too?"

He nods and I notice his brown leather doctor's bag for the first time. He pulls out a stethoscope and puts the bag away.

"Nice bag." I whisper and he chuckles.

"I got it last year as a Christmas present from your annoying boyfriend." He says with a smile and I giggle but stop quickly.

"Ow, it hurts to laugh." I mutter and touch my sides.

Carlisle checks my vitals and helps me into a sitting position. I sigh softly and rest comfortably against the cushioned headboard. He gathers the newspapers and puts them on the other nightstand where I can't reach them. He takes my right hand in both of his and I quietly gaze at him.

"Bella, I just want to say how glad I am that you are back home. I know Edward is not able to cope with what happened and his anger is not letting him think straight. But, part of me doesn't blame him to be this irritated. You are a crazy, brave girl and I don't want you to risk your life again. You need to realize how important you are to all of us, sweetheart."

I nod and squeeze his hand as no words can thank him for being so kind to me. I'm afraid I might start bawling in front of him and I don't want him to feel uncomfortable.

My eyes race over to the door when I hear clicking of heels approaching. Esme saunters in my direction with a bottle of water in her hand. She takes off her heels and sits right next to me. She opens the cap and passes me the bottle of water. I take slow sips and put the bottle away once I'm done.

"I love this picture of you." Esme comments and opens the newspaper to show it to me.

"Esme, not now." Carlisle murmurs and his blue eyes quietly stare at Esme. They seem to be communicating about something and I look away.

"Did you read it, Bella?" Esme asks and I nod.

"Yeah, a little. How did they find out?"

"The police."

"People have been quite motivated by how brave you were to defend yourself against Riley." Carlisle says and offers a small smile.

"I wasn't."

Riley hurt me so much; my body is still trembling in pain. I don't know how long it will take for my bruises to heal. He's done enough damage. I trace idle patterns on the red mark on my wrist where he inserted the syringe to drug me. A tear drops of my wrist and I wipe it away.

When I did become emotionally weak? I've been through worse. I've suffered pain when my parents left me, when James forced me to abort my baby, when Edward and I almost broke up in September.

Esme clears her throat and I snap out of my reverie. "Bella, what you did was very courageous. That man made you suffer for the past few months and yet you were strong enough to fight him. You were drugged… still you found enough power to protect yourself. It's admirable, Bella." She says in a motherly tone and my eyes prick with tears.

"I put everyone through a lot of trouble. If it wasn't for Edward, I would've frozen to death wherever I was. He's saved me every time I've been in trouble. The only thing he wanted was for me to take care of my safety and I couldn't even do that. My body is literally marked everywhere and Edward probably hates me because of it."

Esme sighs and smothers my hair. "Honey, Edward doesn't hate you at all. And these bruises will disappear in a week. You have to accept the fact that you protected yourself. You never know how strong you are until it is the only choice you have."

A sob escapes my chest and Esme carefully hugs me. She holds me in her arms and I cry softly. She is like a mother to me. Her words comfort me. Maybe I wasn't as weak and vulnerable as I thought I was. Maybe I didn't have another choice in that moment, but when I found a window to stand up for myself I did.

It's not like I was able to keep my eyes open after he drugged me. I barely understood anything. I did the best I could.

When I am calm enough to talk, I pull back and wipe away my tears. Esme smiles softly and Carlisle pats my hand. I blush and sniffle softly. I can't believe I had a mental breakdown in front of them.

"Don't apologize," Carlisle says, taking in my expression. How did he know I was going to apologize? "You just had a moment, that's all."

"You need rest, Bella." Esme says and I nod.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank us, honey. You are family."

I look at Esme and offer a small smile. "I never got a chance to spend enough time with my mom to know her. But, I hope she was as kind and loving as you."

Her green eyes soften and she hugs me again. "Oh Bella, I'm sure she was. One look at you, and I can tell she was."

"I hope so."

She kisses the top of my head and releases me. She offers me a teary smile and our gaze breaks when Carlisle clears his throat. My eyes fall on the doorway and I find Edward leaning against the door with a thoughtful expression on his face. My heart starts pounding in my chest as I watch Esme and Carlisle walk out of the room.

Edward steps inside and gently shuts the door. My breaths quicken as he walks closer to me. I take a moment to stare at him. His eyes look tired but it seems like he has showered and shaved. He is dressed in a black sweater and grey jeans. Even though he is sleep-deprived, he manages to look utterly handsome.

He stops by the foot of the bed and buries his hands deep in his pockets.

"Is there anything you need?" Edward asks softly and his green eyes finally look into mine. He is anxious and scared. I can tell.

"Yes." I choke out and he nods.

"What is it?"

I blink back my tears and take a deep breath. "My boyfriend. I miss him a lot."

His eyes soften and he sits on the edge of the bed. He strokes my cheek and I take his other hand in mine. He brings my hand closer to his lips and kisses my knuckles. He gently brushes his hand against my left shoulder and down my arm.

"I missed you, Bella." He whispers and I swallow the big lump in my throat.

"Come closer."

He hesitates. "Your body is in a lot of pain. I don't want to hurt you."

"Please?"

Edward sighs and takes off his shoes. He sits in the place Esme just vacated and brushes his hand against my bruised cheek. I wince a little and his eyes sadden. He raises the sleeves of my shirt and strokes his fingertips over my bruises. He pushes away the duvet and unbuttons my shirt. He gently peels it off my body and neatly folds it.

"Oh my god," I whisper and shakily touch my sides. The bruises have turned black and they look ghastly.

Edward reaches for the waistband of my pajama pants and he carefully lowers them to my ankles. I notice there is a tiny gash on my left thigh and my knees are covered in bandage wrap. That's why my knees feel so weird. I watch him open the nightstand and pull something out. It's a tube of cream. He unseals the tube and squirts some on the pad of his index finger.

He applies the cream above my left cheekbone and I hiss in pain. He lets out a shaky breath and swallows hard.

"How did you hurt your face?"

I try to remember what happened and my blood runs cold when I recall it.

"Edward…" I whimper softly to myself and close my eyes. A hand slaps me right across my cheek and I struggle to breathe. My left cheek stings from the pain and I cry my heart out. It hurts.

"Don't say his name, you bitch!" Riley spits out harshly and I feel my body moving again. I think he started the car again. "You are mine!"

"H—He slapped me when I said your name." I say in a small voice and Edward has a vulnerable expression on his face but he doesn't say anything.

I touch my shoulder and close my eyes as pain laces through my body. It's too much.

"Where is he?" I finally ask and Edward sighs gently.

"They didn't tell me what hospital he was taken to." He mutters in a slightly petulant tone.

"Why not?"

"I almost killed him. I will kill him the next time I see him." He says confidently and I bite my bottom lip.

"Honey, I'm here now."

"In this condition," His frown disappears for a moment and a smile escapes his lips. "He was in pretty bad shape when we got there. You did good, love."

I blush and watch him apply the cream to the bruises on my arms and wrists. After that, he plants a soft kiss on the side of my neck and rises to his feet. He leaves the room and returns with an ice-pack in his hand. I take his hand in mine and he uses the other hand to press the ice-pack on my bruised shoulder. I moan in pain and tighten my hold on his hand.

"It's going to hurt for a couple of days. Maybe more than a week," He mutters and I gasp.

"I can't bear it anymore. It hurts." I croak out and he shifts closer.

"Please be strong for me, Bella." He pleads and a tear trickles down my cheek.

"Can we do this later? Please?"

Edward puts the ice pack away and continues putting cream on the bruised parts of my body. Once he finishes with my thigh, he helps me pull the pants again. He carefully maneuvers my hand through the sleeves of my shirt and buttons it.

"Done?" I ask eagerly, and he strokes my cheek.

"Almost."

Edward sits by the edge of the bed and puts my feet on his lap. He gently applies cream on my feet and I almost yelp from the pain.

"Oh my god, it hurts!" My feet flinch from the pain as he covers them with the medication.

"This happened because you ran barefoot to the cornfield. Your feet were covered in blood when I found you." He says the latter part in nothing but a whisper.

"Does this mean I can't walk?"

"Not for a day of two. Or else you'll put too much pressure on the cuts."

"I have to use the bathroom," I mumble shyly and he nods.

"Okay, give me a minute."

After Edward finishes, he puts the cream back in the drawer and walks in my direction. He lifts me in his arms and I stare at his handsome face. I brush my right hand against his cheek and his green eyes meet mine. He kisses my forehead and I nestle closer him. Once we enter the bathroom, he looks at me with a lost expression on his face.

"Edward, put me down, I can do this on my own." I say and he frowns disapprovingly.

"I've put cream on your feet and you are in pain."

"I can walk on my toes. I'll call you once I'm done, okay?"

"Okay."

"Edward?"

The door bursts open and I look at him startled. I had no idea he was standing pressed up against the door. He gives me a disapproving look and I blush. I dry my hands on the towel and he quickly sweeps me into his arms again. I let my feet relax and he takes me back to the bedroom. He deposits me on the bed and puts a pillow under my feet.

Edward makes adjustments to the duvet and grabs the icepack again. I bite my tongue and don't say anything as he presses it against my shoulder. It hurts a lot. I blink back my tears and find him intently staring at me.

"Sorry, it must hurt." He whispers and I chuckle bitterly.

"You know what hurts me more? That you won't hold me. You are being so hesitant to touch me. It is because I was with Riley? You don't want me anymore?"

"Bella, that's ridiculous. My world starts and ends with you. How can you think I wouldn't want you?" He holds my gaze and wipes away the tears from my cheeks.

"You're being so distant…"

Edward scoots closer and cradles my face in his hands. "When I saw you in that cornfield, my world stopped. You were badly bruised; it was so painful to watch. I can never get those images out of my head. I can only imagine how worse it was when you were with Riley. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I promised to keep you safe, and I failed."

He continues. "I was so angry with you, Bella. Your stubbornness got you abducted. Female security, love. Why don't you listen to me? You are everything to me, Bella. When will you understand that? When will you realize just how difficult it is for me to live without you? I can't imagine what a nightmare my life would be if you left me."

"Do you have the slightest idea how much I love you? How much our family loves you? Riley had a gun with him. He was planning to kill you. How do I know that? He had contacted Columbia Funeral and Crematory and booked a cremation and burial ceremony… for you. He was a psychotic son of a bitch and he was going to take you away from me!"

I stare at Edward in shock and tears ooze from my eyes. He strokes my hair and I quietly weep. I bury my face in my hands and cry. I feel his arms wrapping around me and I breathe in his intoxicating scent. He tightly hugs me and I clutch his sweater in my hands, not letting him go.

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm so sorry." I whisper and cry my eyes out.

"Hush, baby. Shh, it's okay. You're safe now. You're safe."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. I know, darling. Everything's fine now. All you need to do is take care of yourself. Get better fast, okay?" He says over my tears and I nod.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, Bella," He kisses my hair and sighs. "So much."

I release him and gaze into his gorgeous green eyes. His face looks apprehensive; as if he is scared I might disappear.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"It's nothing."

"Hey, tell me."

"When we found you, you weren't moving and barely breathing and I thought you were… dead," He chokes on the word and shakes his head. "I can't erase that memory, Bella. I can't. I can't live without you."

"I'm here," I stroke his cheek and he nods. "I wouldn't want you to grow old in this house we redecorated all alone."

"I know."

"Or try to do the dishes when I'm not there to supervise."

He chuckles and his eyes fill with unshed tears. "I'm improving."

"Still need practice." I mumble and wipe away the tear that trickles down his cheek. I curl up to him and he snuggles against my neck. I feel his warm tears on my skin and I stroke his hair. I stifle a groan when his hands tighten around my waist. Oh, it hurts so bad.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too."

Edward pulls back and I wipe away the stray tears from his cheeks. He touches his forehead to mine and rubs my back.

"Will you tell me what happened after I left for the powder room?" I ask quietly and he nods.

"I got a call from security at the firm that there was a fire in the CR Room and a couple of files were missing. Only Alex, Jasper, Kate, Kyle and I have access to that room. We keep our source codes, business plans and some of the most important documents there."

My stomach drops. What?

He continues speaking. "We know this issue was going to fuck us up. So we were about to leave and I called Demetri to tell him to take you home."

I suddenly remember a tiny detail from the evening. "Oh right. You were going to take me somewhere. Where were we going to go?"

He stiffens a little and clears his throat. "Somewhere we won't be going for a couple of months."

I shrug. "Okay."

"Anyway, when I spoke to Demetri, he said that you had texted him to get the car ready."

I try to recall texting Demetri. "I—I never sent that message."

"It was Riley using your phone." He says calmly and I exhale deeply.

"How did you find me?"

Edward carefully pulls me closer and touches his forehead to mine. "You have no idea what a nightmare it was. We didn't know where to start looking for you. Your purse, your phone and everything we could track was nowhere near you. Zidek had the footage of Riley at a toll booth in a black SUV,"

He buries his face against my hair. "The license plate was false. My people hacked into a couple of databases to find the real plate. We contacted the police and started tracking the car. We followed it and suddenly it just disappeared from our radar, for some reason. We lost all hope."

I sniffle and wipe away my tears. "He burned the car. He got angry and set the car on fire. I tried to run away, but he caught up to me."

"When I saw that car, I almost passed out. I tried not to come to the worst possible conclusion. Jasper was a great help, he tried to keep me calm. I don't know what I would've done if it hadn't been for his help. We saw Riley's body, and he was unrecognizable. His face was covered in blood and he was unconscious. I would have killed him if it hadn't been for Jasper and Matt."

"Our biggest worry was you. Demetri noticed blood on the street and we followed the trail which led us to the cornfield. It was dark and it took us forever to find you. You looked so fragile and small and… weak. I couldn't bear it. Bella, you make me whole. I felt like I could finally breathe when I found you."

"I'm sorry I put everybody through so much trouble."

"You're worth it, baby," I remain quiet and he plays with my hair. "The police want to hear your statement and they have few questions for you. Officer Call, I think his name is… He said he knows you."

"Hmm," I chuckle softly. "He was the one on call the day I called the cops on Tanya when she came to my apartment."

"Oh."

"He was a senior in my high school."

There is a beat of silence and then he groans. "Oh god, don't tell me he had a crush on you back then."

I giggle softly and grimace in pain. "He did."

"I won't leave your side when he comes tomorrow. He needs to know to keep his distance from you."

"Edward, don't be ridiculous."

He tips his chin in my direction and his green eyes pierce into mine. "You think this is funny? I'm serious, Bella."

I laugh and his lips curl into a smile. He leans forward and connects our lips for a soft kiss. I eagerly kiss him back and wrap my arms around his neck. I gasp in pain when my left shoulder hurts. I break our kiss and his eyes sadden.

"Sorry." I whisper and he kisses my forehead.

"I wish I could take it all away, baby."

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he checks the screen and puts it away. He wraps his arms around me and I put my head on his chest. Wait a minute. He said something about a fire in his office.

"Edward, what about the missing files at your office?" I ask anxiously and he sighs.

"We caught the guy, and the fire was prevented before it spread and destroyed the original documents. The man was taken into questioning but I didn't go."

"Edward, it was important."

"I'm not leaving your side," He murmurs against my hair and closes his eyes. "Plus, I pay a handsome amount to Kate, Alex and Jasper to manage my company."

"Okay."

My stomach growls and I blush brightly. I realize it had been some time since I last ate. Edward chuckles and I stare at him from under my lashes. He kisses the side of my head and smiles.

"I'm so sorry I've kept you starving. I'll give Mrs. Cope a call."

"Can I shower and change?"

"We don't want the bruises to swell, love. You might have to wait for a couple of days."

I pout and close my eyes. "You've showered and changed. I'm so jealous."

He smiles and strokes my shirt. "You don't wear pajamas that often, do you?"

"Not really. I don't wear much to bed most nights." I say and he gives me an impish grin.

"Is it?"

I blush and nod. "Yep."

"Well, you'll be wearing pajamas to bed for few weeks then. No sex until you are perfectly fine. Doctor's orders."

My eyes widen and I gasp. "Really?"

He smiles and kisses my hair. "No, it'll probably be a week."

"You're mean." I mutter and close my eyes.

"Am I?"

My eyes snap open when I hear multiple footsteps approaching the room. I see Carlisle, Esme, Jane, Alex, Alice, Jasper and Emmett entering the room with hesitant smiles on their faces. Edward settles me carefully on the bed and rubs my back. Jane walks over to me and kisses my cheek. She takes my hand in hers and squeezes it.

"Hi, Bella. I'm sorry we barged in today but we just wanted to check up on you. Please take care of yourself, sweetheart. It'll get better in a couple of days." She says kindly and I nod.

"Yes, thank you."

Jane walks away and I gaze at Edward but find him staring towards he sofa with an amused expression on his face. I turn and find Jane sitting on the chair and Alex sitting on its arm. Esme and Carlisle are sitting on the loveseat while Alice is standing by the edge of the sofa. Emmett has his hands folded across his chest and holds a hard expression on his face. Jasper is avoiding eye-contact and staring at his hands.

Okay, what's going on?

I tug on Edward's hand and he gazes at me.

"Yes, baby?"

"What's going on?" I ask softly and he laughs against my hair.

"It seems that Jasper and my sister have become very good friends and that's bothering my brother."

"Alice and Jasper would look cute together."

"Don't say that again, Isabella." He warns me and I roll my eyes.

"What are you going to do if they start dating? You can't kill either of them."

"Whatever." He grumbles and we watch the scene unfold.

"You," Emmett points his index finger to Jasper. "Sit over there." He directs him towards the other end of the sofa.

Alice glares at her older brother. "Emmett, why are you being so—"

"You, sit over there," Emmett snaps at Alice and points to the opposite end of the sofa. He sits between them and Jasper has an anxious look on his face.

Emmett turns to Jasper and glares at him. "Keep your fucking hands to yourself. That's my little sister."

Jasper audibly gulps and jumps to his feet. He walks in my direction and his blue eyes look relieved. He kisses the top of my head and smiles softly.

"Hey, Bells. Man, you are a magnet for accidents." He comments and I blush.

"Thanks."

"Take care, beautiful. My boss will be restless until you get back to normal. And I need him at the office soon."

I giggle and stop short when it hurts. "I'll send him in, don't worry."

"Alright, I'm off to work now. Ed, we have a meeting at four. It looks like you need sleep as well."

"I'm perfectly fine, Jasper. Shut up." Edward snaps and Jasper sighs.

"Bella, we have a conference meeting at one but your boyfriend needs to rest. I'll reschedule it for four and it's your job to put him to sleep and make sure he gets rest," Jasper says and I smile. "Please."

"Of course. Not a problem. And thank you for being there for Edward when I put myself in danger. I don't know how to thank you enough." I mumble shyly and he smiles.

"It wasn't easy to handle him but I think I did pretty well."

"I'm sure."

"Okay, I'm off now. Bye."

"Bye."

I snuggle against Edward and he plants soft kisses on my face. I stroke his cheek and he sighs against me.

"Edward baby, you need to sleep. You look exhausted. I don't like seeing you like this."

"I'll sleep, don't worry. I promise I will."

"Good."

"… I'm fine, thank you, dad." Emmett's voice breaks our bubble and I turn to find him standing in front of Alice and Jasper as they shyly stare at each other.

"I think Emmett has lost it." I whisper and Edward chuckles under his breath.

"Go on," Emmett urges them. "Say your goodbyes."

"Emmett, stop it! You're embarrassing me!" Alice hisses to her brother and her face turns red. She grabs Jasper's hand and walks out of the room.

Once they leave, Emmett lets out a booming laugh and plops on the couch.

"Well, that was fun! How are you, Bella?" Emmett asks and everyone chuckles.

"I'm good, Emmett."

"Your home looks amazing." Jane says and I grin at her.

"Most of the ideas were Bella's," Edward gloats and I blush. "She made our home perfect."

"There's still some work left to do. I think the house will be ready by the end of this week." I add.

"What are you changing downstairs?" Alex asks and I frown.

"Nothing, we are keeping the library just the way it is. I love it."

He shakes his head. "There is work going on downstairs."

"Shut up, Alex." Edward snaps and runs a hand through his hair.

"Edward, what's going on downstairs?" I ask and he gazes at me.

"Nothing."

Alex speaks up again. "But, I saw people laying the flooring in the room next to the lib—"

"Alex, just keep your mouth shut!" Edward yells and everyone chuckles looking at the exchange. Why didn't Edward tell me about this?

"Edward, what is he talking about?" I ask and he sighs softly.

"It was a surprise but not anymore," He glares at his cousin and Alex smiles sheepishly.

"Sorry, I didn't know."

Edward rolls his eyes and I tug on his hand. "What surprise? Tell me." I pout and he closes his eyes.

"Oh no, don't get cute with me. I'm not telling you. It's bad enough that Alex opened his big mouth."

I huff and shake my head. "Fine, whatever."

There is a knock on the door and Mrs. Cope walks in holding a big tray in her hands. The aroma of red pepper assaults my senses and my stomach growls. The food smells delicious. She made snacks for everyone. Esme and Jane pass the plates and I notice that she made mini-chicken tarts. Nice.

"This is delicious!" Emmett says with a mouthful of food. "Mrs. Cope, please come to my place. Leave this one. Edward and Bella cook great food, they don't need you. I need you."

Edward and I laugh. "We are not letting Mrs. Cope go. Ever."

Alex takes the tray from Mrs. Cope and Edward frowns. "Hey, you're supposed to share with everyone."

"You live here, don't you?" Alex mumbles and Jane ruffles his hair.

"Do they starve themselves at home?" Jane asks Esme questioningly and they shrug at each other.

Alice skips inside the room holding another tray in her hands. She places it in front of us and I realize it's our brunch. Mrs. Cope affectionately squeezes my hand and smiles warmly.

"I'm so glad to see you awake, Bella. You need to eat healthy food so that I can see you back in the kitchen. Edward, eat your food." She says pointedly, and he nods.

"When was the last time he ate?" I ask her and she sighs.

"He didn't eat yesterday."

"I couldn't." He mumbles and I stroke his hair.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cope." I say softly and she walks away from us.

Alice carefully hugs me and kisses my cheek. "It's good to see you home, Bella. And your house looks awesome. I can't believe you planted such beautiful sunflowers in the garden. You're going to have so much fun reading your book there."

I give her a confused look. "What?"

Her smile disappears, and she audibly gulps, looking at Edward. I gaze at him and find him sulking in rage.

"Who told you to open your fucking mouth?!" Edward roars angrily and I try to shush him. Alice smiles nervously and goes to stand behind Carlisle.

"Did Alice spill about the sunflowers?" Esme asks and shakes her head. "I knew it."

"Edward, it's alright. Bella had to find out sometime." Jane says, and he sighs.

"They were supposed to be a surprise for her."

"Honey, it's okay." I say soothingly and he kisses the top of my head.

"I've kept it a secret from her for two weeks and they end up spilling everything within two hours." We laugh and Alex cracks a smile.

Edward and I share the delicious brunch Mrs. Cope prepared for us. She made Spanish Breakfast Casserole with Eggs and Bacon; and my favorite banana chocolate smoothie. Edward feeds both himself and me although I manage to eat some portion on my own. I inhale my food like I've been starving for weeks.

Once we finish, Mrs. Cope collects the tray and Edward pulls out my medication from the nightstand. He holds out two pills for me and I make a face.

"I don't want to sleep. Those will make me sleepy." I argue and he shakes his head.

"Come on, baby. Take them. Here." He passes the pills to me and I quickly swallow them. I drink my smoothie and put the empty glass away.

Edward hugs me again and I watch everyone talk about some Christmas incident. I smile when everyone laughs about something but I'm too drowsy to listen carefully. My eyes gradually start drooping and I fall into a deep slumber.

December 19, 2015

My eyes flutter open and I sigh softly. I look at the time on the radio alarm and see that it's two in the afternoon. I smile when I feel a warm body snuggled against mine. I gaze down and find Edward fast asleep. His face is buried against the crook of my neck and I feel his hot breath tickling my skin.

I smile and stroke his hair. I notice his laptop is lying on the pillow and realize he must have been working. I kiss his cheek and gently put his head on the pillow. I carefully step out of the bed and cover him with the multiple layers of sheets.

It's been five days since the incident and my bruises have finally started to disappear. They are yellowing in some places and the rest have disappeared. There is still some ache in my left shoulder but I can comfortably lift my arm. I am so happy that I'm finally recovering. Thanks to the pain medication and my amazing boyfriend.

Now that Edward is asleep, there is nobody stopping me from getting work done. Frieda has emailed me a couple of suggestions for the draft since last week. I don't know why Edward doesn't want me to work. Ever since I have been a recovering patient, Edward visits the office for only two hours daily. I know he misses work but part of me is also happy that we spend quality time together.

I walk towards the farthest guest room and a smile escapes my lips. This guest room looks beautiful after its redecoration. The bleached walnut wall panel and the Jackson Pollock painting hanging over the Poul Kjaerholm chairs are gorgeous. I was arguing about the paintings but they look pretty good.

I have been working in here since I don't have a study of my own. I figured I could get a desk in the library downstairs and use that as my study. It'll be prefect. I snoop around and try to find my laptop but it's nowhere around. I go to Edward's study and there is no sign of it. Ugh, where did I put it?

I hear a loud throat clear behind me which makes me jump. I turn and find Edward sexily leaning against the doorway with a smile on his handsome face. He runs a hand through his tousled hair and walks in my direction.

"Hi, baby." He murmurs in a velvet soft voice and kisses the side of my head.

"Hey."

"Are you looking for something?"

"My laptop, I can't find it."

"Do you want to start working again?"

"You know what tomorrow is. I'm signing the book deal."

Edward strokes my cheek and I look at him from under my lashes. "Love, you don't have to do this so soon. Maybe in January…"

I cut him off. "Edward, I know you are worried but I can handle myself. I can't let what happened with Riley hamper this. I have worked so hard on this book and it won't be right. Pushing this date around will just waste everyone's time. Once it's out in the open, we don't have to worry for another three months."

The cloud of doubt from his green eyes disappears, and he nods. "Okay, whatever you feel is right. Have you and Frida decided upon a date?"

"March 13, perhaps."

He gives me an amused smile. "March 13? Interesting."

I blush. "I can't wait."

"Me either."

I stretch on my tiptoes and press my lips against his. I wrap my arms around his neck and deepen our kiss. He smiles against my lips and playfully bites on my bottom lip. I moan and twist my fingers in his soft hair. He lifts me in his arms and I wrap my legs around his waist. I tilt my neck when he drags his lips towards my neck.

Edward captures my lips for another kiss and my heart hammers in my chest. We abruptly break our kiss when there is a knock on the door. I unwind my legs from around Edward and he sets my feet back on the ground. I blush and peek over his shoulder to find Matt standing away from us and his face is red from embarrassment.

"What is it, Matt?" Edward asks with a tinge of irritation in his voice as he walks over to him.

I watch them speak softly to each other and Matt leaves as quickly as he can. Edward walks over and gives me a chaste kiss. He wraps his arms around my waist and touches his forehead to mine.

"It's time to see your surprise, my love."

I giggle and peck his lips. "Okay, I can't wait to see it."

He interlaces our hands and we make our way downstairs. He covers my eyes with his hands and I pout.

"It's a surprise." He whispers and kisses my cheek.

"Whatever." I mutter and carefully walk as he directs me. Edward planted sunflowers in our garden because I once mentioned to him that they were my grandmother's favorite flower. He is a sweetheart. I wonder what the other surprise is.

We stop somewhere and he uncovers my eyes. I find myself standing in front of the door of the room next to the library. This room was empty, and I figured we would use it later. I wonder what Edward planned to do here. He opens the door, and a gasp escapes my lips looking at the interior.

The room has a large Federico Zandomeneghi's Girl with Doll artwork over a desk. There is a vintage plush sofa, chair and wooden cocktail table paired with mid-century armchairs. The rug looks very elegant too. The glass wall is covered with vertical white blinds which are left open and I can see the light layer of snowfall in the garden. There are wooden bookshelves around the room decorated to make the room look classy.

I remember talking about Girl with Doll to Alex and I can't believe Edward bought the painting for this room. How did he know about that? I shake off my thoughts and turn to gaze at my boyfriend.

"I think you found your laptop." Edward whispers with a smile and I nod, gazing at the desk where my laptop is.

"This room is beautiful."

"This room is your study now. You can work here in peace," He leads me to the door on the left and opens it. I smile when I realize that it opens to the library. "And your beloved library is five steps away."

"Edward, thank you so much. It's perfect."

I wrap my arms around his neck and tightly hug him. He buries his face against my hair and rocks me a little.

"I'm so glad you like it, baby."

"Like it? I love it!" I pull back and cradle his handsome face in my hands. "And I love you."

"I love you too, Bella."

December 21, 2015

EDWARD

I open my eyes and see that my hand is outstretched to my right but there is nobody beside me on the bed. I sigh tiredly. Why does Bella disappear every time I want to snuggle with her? I close my eyes and frown when I hear something. I wait for a couple of seconds and hear it again. It sounds like the stretching of a scotch tape. What the hell could she possibly be doing?

"Bella?" I mumble groggily.

"Yes, honey?"

"What are you doing?" I say into the pillow and hear her bell-like laughter which makes me smile.

"Nothing that concerns my boyfriend, why?"

"Come back to bed right now."

"Okay, Mr. Cullen. As you wish."

I hear her footsteps approaching and I open my eyes to gaze at her gorgeous face. Her cheeks are flushed red, her brown eyes are glowing and she has a gorgeous smile on her face. Lord, she is a vision. I finally take my eyes off her face and look at her outfit. She is dressed in the same black see-through baby doll she wore last night.

Fuck, this is not good for my morning condition. Bella and I had sex last night for the first time since the Riley episode. We had attended her record-deal signing event, and I was floored by how gracious and confident Bella was when she handled the press. She is truly a remarkable woman. I bet she'll be in all the headlines today. It's the biggest literary deal ever made for a cookbook series.

Bella turns to leave and I groan, staring at the sexy lingerie she is wearing. Fuck, I need her. I grab her wrist and yank her into my arms. She gasps and her brown eyes meet mine. I crash my lips against hers and she moans softly. Her arms wind around my neck and she kisses me back just as passionately.

"Edward, not now." She mumbles against my lips and I pull back breathlessly.

I frown. "Why not?"

"I am wrapping gifts for everyone. We bought gifts for our staff, remember?"

"When?"

She rolls her eyes. "We ordered them last week, remember?"

It suddenly dawns on me that we did. "Right, yes. I'll help you wrap them later."

"No, now!"

"Bella, please don't do this." I whisper and plant soft kisses from her neck down to shoulders. She knots her hands in my hair and sighs softly.

"We don't have time later."

I tug on the flimsy material of her slip and shred it to pieces. Her breathing catches in her throat and she gives me an exasperated look. I touch my forehead to hers and look deeply into her eyes. My hand reaches inside her panties and I circle her clit. Fuck, she is so wet. She bites her bottom lip and grounds her hips against my hand.

"Oh, you are impossible." She says that as she presses her lips against mine. Her legs wrap around my waist and she giggles when I playfully tug on her bottom lip.

"You shouldn't have to worn this outfit then." I mumble against her neck and she sighs.

"Well, now it's ripped beyond repair."

"I'm not sorry."

"Max, I need the bills for November 22nd and I don't care how long it takes you. I need our accounting to be spotless. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Mr. Cullen."

"I need this shit cleared. I need everything on my desk tomorrow; unless you want to spend Christmas in the office."

"Sir."

I hang up and put the phone in my jacket as I walk up the stairs of my home. I tell Matt to put the files in my study and I go to the great room. I smile looking at the gorgeous Christmas tree. It's splendid. I take a deep breath and the aroma of roast chicken assaults my senses. I'm starving already.

My eyes fall on the sofa where my beautiful girlfriend is sitting with her laptop. She is intently typing something and I wonder what it is. Her brown eyes unexpectedly meet mine and her face lights up brighter than the Christmas tree. She puts the laptop away and rises to her feet.

Bella is dressed in a white tweed double-breasted blazer, white jersey top and a pair of light blue skinny jeans. She is so fucking beautiful. She wraps her arms around my neck and tightly hugs me. I wind my arms around her waist and lift her until we are nose to nose. Her lips brush against mine and I smile.

"Welcome home, honey." She whispers warmly and I touch my forehead to hers.

"I missed you today, Bella."

"Mm, me too. It was a long day."

"A very long day." I agree and she giggles.

I set her feet back on the floor and connect our lips for a soft kiss. We wind down in each other's arms and I feel her gradually relaxing against me. We breathlessly pull back a few seconds later and her cheeks flame with an alluring blush. Lord, she is precious. I stroke her heated cheek and kiss the top of her head.

"How was your day, my love?" I ask and she buries her face against my chest.

"Don't even ask. First, I had to meet Frieda and you won't believe the amount of work that is left to be done. We still have a lot of editing to do, and we need to finalize a title for the book and decide on the book cover."

"The real work has now begun," I say with a smile and she nods against me. "Are you having trouble with something?"

Bella puts her head on my chest and gazes at me. "Well, we are trying to set the structure and tone of the book. I'm not happy with it, yet."

"It'll take some time, baby. Don't worry. Have you thought of titles yet?"

"Um, we kind of liked one," She blushes and gives me a shy smile. "How about Relish? I wanted a one-word name. It just stuck with me."

"Relish sounds great, Bella. I like it. It's quite fitting."

"Really? You are not just saying that because I like it, right?"

I kiss the top of her head. "Of course not. I love it too. You should go for it."

"Maybe we will. And we need a good book cover. Frieda suggests that we should have one with my face on it. Ugh."

I laugh. "She's right, baby. You will probably sell a million more copies if your face is on the cover, trust me."

"She said that it'll be helpful since I'm recognizable on the streets."

"Frieda makes sense."

"Hmm, and how was your day at work?"

"Can we talk about it during dinner? I'm starved! And dinner smells heavenly."

Bella laughs and cradles my face in her hands. "Of course, sweetheart. You need a full dinner for the night I have planned for you."

My cock stirs at her words. "My girlfriend has a night planned for me?"

Her eyes turn seductive and she leans closer. "It's going to be a hell of a night, Cullen. Call it early gratification for Christmas." She whispers huskily and I want to undress her right here.

"Let's skip dinner. We'll eat later." I say and she snorts. She grabs my jacket and drags me towards the dining area.

"Patience is virtue, Cullen."

"You'll be the death of me, Isabella."

December 22, 2015

I run a hand through my wet hair and take a deep breath. I put on a white t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants and toss the towel in the hamper. I exit the sauna/shower room and return to the bedroom. I smile when I find Bella curled up under a blanket in front of the fireplace, reading a book.

I don't disturb her and reach for the newspaper instead. I sit on the sofa and scan through the headlines. I smile when I find Bella's photos on one of the pages. She looks like a diva in the pictures. Ever since the news broke on Sunday that my girlfriend signed a book-deal, people have been going crazy to know more about it.

I'm glad that it's not just the trashy rags that are printing the news about her but people are taking a keen interest in her work which includes her work with my Foundation. I feel like a complete idiot for not asking her to join our group sooner. She has so many ideas and she has a way with words. She recently wrote a column for our Foundation, regarding the new Cancer Unit that opened in dad's hospital. I don't know how she finds the time to do everything but I'm glad she does.

I just have to remind her to eat from time to time.

I grab the newspaper and walk over to my girlfriend. I plant soft kisses from her ear down to her shoulder. She moans lightly and tilts her neck to give me better access.

"I wonder who this sexy woman is making all the headlines these days," I whisper in a soft voice and her body trembles a little. I put the newspaper on her lap and playfully bite against her neck.

"If I find her, I'll ask for her name." She whispers back and I laugh softly.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning, handsome."

"You're up early." I comment and walk across the loveseat to sit next to her. She crawls onto my lap and snuggles against me.

"Couldn't sleep." She mumbles and hides her face against the crook of my neck.

I frown. "What happened?"

"A weird dream."

"What about, my love?"

"I can't remember most of it. But—But my father was a part of it."

"He was?"

She nods. "Yeah."

"Why is that?"

"I was thinking about him last night," She shrugs and traces idle patterns on my t-shirt. "Edythe told me that there were articles floating around and people were trying to find out about my life before we met. About my friends, family, everything. And then I thought about him."

I tenderly kiss her cheek. "He is not coming near you, Bella."

"I wonder what he does for a living," She whispers in a quiet voice. "If he has a wife or children or somebody else. He must be happy now, right? I don't know if he ever tried to find out about mom. He wants to meet me but I'm not sure he knows Jake."

I remain silent and gently stroke her hair.

"If you and I are having a baby and you leave me… wouldn't you ever want to know about our child who you never met?" She asks and her big brown eyes innocently stare at me.

I imagine Bella pregnant with our baby and how beautiful she would look. Oh, the sight would be breathtaking. I would want to be a part of everything. I can't imagine staying away from Bella when she would possibly need me the most. Pregnancy is hard and I would want to be there to support her through it all.

"First, I wouldn't leave. And second, it would be difficult for me to stay away from you. If I knew that there was a little person we made inside you, I would want to be as close to him or her as possible."

"What if you leave me? Wouldn't you ever want to find out about him or her in the next twenty something years?" She inquires and I sigh.

"Yes, I would want to know about him or her." I answer and she nods. I play with a strand of her hair and hold her on my lap.

"I know you are not shitty like my father. You are smart, devoted and the most loving person I know. You'll be a great dad."

My expression sobers up as I think about Eleazar's phone call on Thanksgiving. Tanya is pregnant with twins. I remember thinking they were my kids, and I had a fleeting thought when I wondered whether I would be a good father. I'm grateful that they are not my babies. Bella would've left me without a second thought.

"Edward honey?" Bella strokes my cheek and I snap out of my reverie.

"Yes, love?"

"Did you zone out about something?"

I hesitate. I can't tell her about Tanya. Should I tell her that I know where her father lives? She'll get mad at me if I tell her later. I think she deserves to know about both things. That man was at her apartment and later, at her bookstore too. I can't tell her about Tanya's pregnancy, nobody but dad, Rosalie and me outside of their family knows.

"I'll be back in a minute." I murmur and shift her off my lap and she pouts.

"Don't go."

"One minute, baby. I'll come back." I plant a gentle kiss on her lips and rise to my feet. I walk to my study and grab the envelope and photograph that Matt gave me on Thanksgiving.

When I return to our bedroom, I find Bella curled up under the blanket, staring at the crackling fireplace. I try to lighten the mood.

"Bella, do you think we should host dinner tonight so close to Christmas?" I take a seat next to her and she immediately crawls back onto my lap. I tightly hug her and she relaxes against me.

"I think so. I need a distraction from work, it's mentally exhausting. Cooking soothes me. Please, don't think about cancelling tonight's plans. Everyone is looking forward to it and they haven't seen our house since last week. Everything is finally complete."

"I'm not discarding the plans; I was worried if it would be too much work for you."

"You know how much I love to cook."

"And you know how much I worry about you."

She giggles and nods her head. "I know that."

I cup her cheek and turn her head in my direction. "I have to tell you something."

Her brown eyes curiously pierce mine and she patiently waits for me to speak. I put the envelope and folded paper next to us and wrap my arms around her. I take a deep breath and run a hand through my hair.

I clear my throat. "After your father called on your birthday, I ran a background check on him."

She stiffens and her eyes stoically stare at me. "W—What did you find out?"

"He lives in West Glacier, Montana. I unexpectedly met him in August when Alex and I drove up there. You called me when I was there, remember? You were making a shopping list to buy groceries. You asked me about steak." I say and tuck the stray pieces of hair behind her ear.

"He was there in that restaurant?" She asks in a small voice and I nestle her closer to me.

"He owns the restaurant, baby," I swallow hard. "With his wife."

"Wife?" Bella rests her head on my chest and wraps her arms around my neck. "He is married?"

"For twenty-three years." I say cautiously and she gasps in an anguished voice. My heart breaks hearing that. I shouldn't have said anything. Fuck!

"He married somebody else as soon as he left us. Does he have children?" She breathes out and I sigh.

"Two sons, according to the background check."

She buries her face against my neck and cries softly. I kiss her hair and gently rock her in my arms. I hate to see her cry. I can't bear it.

"Baby, hush now. Please, don't cry." I whisper and she pulls back to gaze at me. I wipe away the tears streaked on her face and kiss the top of her head.

"I can't believe this." She whispers and I cradle her heart-shaped face in my hands.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you," I apologize earnestly and she frowns.

"Don't be sorry, I needed to know."

"But, I can't stand to watch you cry so much. I can't."

She sniffles and nods at me. "I won't cry, okay? Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"No." I lie and she touches her forehead to mine. Her eyes deeply stare into mine and she brushes her thumb across my bottom lip.

"Have my bad lying skills influenced you?" She asks and I crack a smile. "Tell me, sweetheart."

"Bella, it's not important. Really."

"Ever since I realized my father was not coming back, I wondered why he left us. Now I know. He left us for another woman. If there is anything else you can tell me, please do. I need to know everything. I don't have the desire to meet or talk to him. But, now that this drawer has been opened, I want to know everything before I shut it tight forever."

"If you put it that way, I'll tell you."

"Thank you."

"On Thanksgiving, your father visited your apartment. He waited for some time and then left. He left an envelope by the doorstep."

I pick up the envelope and the picture and show it to Bella. She holds in her tears and bites her bottom lip anxiously as she stares at her father's photo. Her hands turn shaky and her tears drop on the paper. I kiss the side of her neck and close my eyes.

"He looks older but I recognize him," She says, mostly to herself. I open my eyes and her beautiful eyes gaze at me. "What's in the envelope?"

"I didn't open it."

I wipe away Bella's tears as she opens the envelope. She pulls out a piece of paper and I notice a couple of paragraphs written on it. She stares at the paper for a second or two and I realize she is reading it. Suddenly, she hurls the paper away from us and cuddles against my chest.

"It's too hard. I can't." Bella croaks out and I kiss her hair.

"It's okay."

"I can't read it."

"Hey, it's okay." I murmur and wrap the blanket around her frame.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, angel."

We remain quiet and the only sound heard is the crackling of the fireplace. A while later, there is a knock on the door. Bella remains unmoving in my arms and I turn my head to find Mrs. Cope standing in the doorway. She gives me an apologetic smile and I motion for her to enter. She stands by the edge of the sofa and I offer a small smile.

"I am leaving for Church in thirty minutes, would you like me to make you something for breakfast before that?"

"That's okay, Mrs. Cope. I'll make brunch for us. You can leave if you want." I say and kiss Bella's hair.

"Alright then. I'll see you kids later."

She sends a worried glance in Bella's direction before walking out of the room. I close my eyes and nuzzle against her brown locks. Oh my sweet girlfriend. I don't know how long I sit here holding her, but eventually my phone starts to ring and I know it's ten already.

Bella pulls back and I tip her chin in my direction. Her brown eyes look calm yet lost. I know she has a lot to think about, but she also wants to forget about it.

"You are late for work." She whispers and I nod.

"I'm only going in for two hours today. I'll leave after brunch. What do you want me to make?"

"Anything you can make."

I roll my eyes. "Oh come on. I know you are in the process of writing a bestselling cookbook but that doesn't mean you can start judging my cooking skills. I can cook well."

Her brown eyes shine brightly and she giggles. Her cheeks flame with a gorgeous blush and I smile softly.

"I want to have shrimp." She says shyly and I chuckle amusedly.

"Again? We had a seafood platter on Sunday and you made shrimp cocktail for lunch yesterday. You're craving an awful lot of seafood this week. Are you sure you aren't pregnant?" I tease her and glide my hand across her stomach, making her squirm.

"No!" She squeals and her cheeks flush redder than before.

"Really? Then what's with the cravings?" I gently poke her stomach and she giggles.

"I just really like shrimp."

"Are you sure?" I tickle her sides and she laughs against me. She squirms in my arms and tears run down her cheeks as I tickle her harder.

"Edward, no! Please!" She begs me through her laughter and I snort. "Edward!"

A couple of seconds later, I pause my fingers and Bella tries to catch her breath. I chuckle and kiss the side of her head. She puts s her head on my shoulder and takes a lungful of breaths. Once she is calm enough, her bright face gazes at me.

"You are the meanest person ever." She accuses softly and her eyes are alight with humor.

"I'm glad you think so. And since your cravings are leaning towards seafood, I'll make shrimp and grits. How about that?"

"Sounds delicious. I'll just go take a bath until then."

"Sure, just don't use strong scented bath salts. You might have an acute and heightened sense of smell from—" She slaps my arm and I crack up.

"Get out! I'm not pregnant!" She laughs and I kiss her cheek soundly.

"Alright, alright."

I let out a deep sigh and look into her beautiful brown eyes. She bites her bottom lip and thoughtfully gazes at me. I stroke her heated cheek and her lips curl into a smile.

"Edward?"

"Yes, love?"

"I hope you want to wait for a while before we have kids."

I chuckle. "Of course, baby. I'm just messing with you."

She sighs with relief and shakes her head. "It's just that with my book coming out in a couple of months and having a bookstore to look after, it'll be a year or two before things settle down."

"I know, love. Don't worry. And it's only been six months since we met. Let's wait for a couple of years."

"Yes."

"Now get your butt in the bathtub, I'll have our brunch ready," She pecks my lips and I sigh dramatically. "Gosh, you're getting heavier. Will you gain more weight by the next trimester?"

"Edward! Leave, right now!" She yells through her smile and stands up. I chuckle and rise to my feet. I plant a soft kiss on her lips and walk out of the bedroom.

"I love Dory!" Ness yells with delight by my side and I chuckle softly.

"Ness, no shout." Jared shushes her, making me smile.

I did not expect to spend my afternoon in the theater room watching Finding Nemo with two four-year olds. I am having a lot of fun with them but I'd rather get some work done. Jared and Ness attend the same preschool and their Christmas break started yesterday. Emily is out of town so Victoria didn't have a babysitter and Maria didn't have one either. On top of which, both children wanted to see me today.

I was supposed to leave for home at three but since these two convinced me to watch a movie with them, here I am. I check my watch and see that it's four thirty already. Fuck, I was supposed to pick up a delivery from Alice's store for Bella on my way home. I pull out my phone and text Matt to do it.

"Guys, do you want more popcorn?" I ask and they shake their little heads.

"No."

"Edward, look! It's a starfish." Ness giggles and crawls over to sit on my lap. I put an arm around her and kiss her hair.

"It's very pretty."

"Me too!" Jared squirms a little and sits on my lap as well. I shake my head and ruffle his hair.

"Jared, do you like Nemo?" I ask and he nods.

"And Cars too! Nana and I watch Cars in Chicago for Christmas!"

"Really? That's interesting. What do you want for Christmas from Bella and me?" I ask them and they turn their heads in my direction.

"Helicopter!"

"Princess Castle!"

I laugh and take in their information. I'll have to tell Bella. She was asking me what we could get them.

"Alright, we'll get you something really cool."

"Knock, knock." Kate says from the doorway and my eyes fall on her. She gives me an amused smile and walks in my direction.

"Looks like the boss is the babysitter today. That's nice. You need to sign a few documents." She flips open a file and I grab my pen to sign the documents she presents in front of me.

"Edward, what this?" Jared asks, patting the file and I smile.

"It's boring work that grownups do."

"Oh." He nods and turns back to the screen.

"Finding Nemo, I love this movie!" Kate sits next to me and puts the file away.

"Kate, what the hell? Get your work done."

"I'm getting orders from the man watching Finding Nemo at four o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon." She rolls her eyes in my direction.

"Whatever, Kate."

"Edward, watch movie!" Jared pouts and I kiss the top of his head.

"I am watching, buddy."

We continue watching the movie for the next forty minutes. The kids eat popcorn and their focus remains on the big screen. Kate leaves at some point and I'm left alone with Jared and Ness.

I feel someone's eyes on me and I look at the doorway to find Bella silently staring at me with her arms crossed over her chest. Fuck, I'm in trouble. I smile and she lets out a soft sigh. She is dressed in a red crepe dress and black ankle boots. I love it when she wears boots.

"Hey." I breathe out and her lips curl into a small smile.

"Bella!" Jared squeals excitedly and claps his hands. "Sit here!"

"Bella, you watch movie with us?" Ness asks and my girlfriend walks towards us.

"I would love to, sweetheart, but I can only stay just for a little while." Bella says, smothering Vanessa's hair—who grins and nods her head.

"Hi, honey." Bella whispers to me and bends a little to plant a soft kiss on my lips. I cup her cheek and peck her lips one more time.

"Bella, move!" The kids protest and she laughs.

"Alright, fine."

"It's almost over." I murmur to her as she settles next to me.

"Okay."

She puts her arm around me and gently strokes my hair. Her hand massages my scalp and I smile softly. She leans in my direction and her lips brush against my ear.

"I love you." She murmurs and kisses my cheek.

"I love you too, baby," She continues massaging my scalp and I sigh. "What about dinner?"

"I've done most of preparation; it won't take more than an hour to get dinner ready."

"I'll get dinner ready, if you want. You can rest. It's been a long day for you." I stroke her cheek and she smiles.

"That's okay. It was quite fun today. We came up with an idea for the book cover. We're doing the photo shoot tomorrow itself."

"Tomorrow?" I ask surprised and she nods.

"Once the holiday season begins, I don't want to work. Plus, I might gain a couple of pounds in the course of the next week. I want to get it done before that."

I laugh and kiss her hair. "You are adorable, do you know that?"

She blushes and I press my lips against hers. She smiles and eagerly kisses me back. It feels kind of weird to make-out with my girlfriend while two kids sit in front of me but she is irresistible. I can't help it.

"Hold on, guys! Let us take the kids away and you can continue that!" I hear Vic say and I break our kiss.

I find Victoria and Maria standing by the aisle of our seats with big grins on their faces. I motion to the kids who are watching the credits on the screen. Bella blushes and shyly smiles at them.

"Jared, Ness… It's time to go home. Come on now." Maria says and the kids snap their heads towards their mothers. They pout and hold on to me for dear life.

"No! We wanna watch one more with Edward and Bella!" Jared whines and Victoria puts her hands on her hips.

"We need to go now. Edward and Bella have to go home too. They need to have dinner and get ready for bed."

"No!"

"Nessa, come on baby. Their bedtime is at eight. They need to have dinner and go to sleep."

"They no sleep at eight. They are big now." Ness argues and hides her face against me. I chuckle and stroke her hair. Jared crawls over to Bella and pats her cheek.

"Bella, I wanna watch a movie." He says, and she strokes his cheek.

"I know, honey but it's dinner time for everyone. And you need to be a good little boy. You don't want Santa to be upset with you so close to Christmas, do you? What if he hears about this?"

Jared gasps in horror. "No! My gifts!"

"Exactly, you need to go now."

"Okay."

Maria clears her throat. "You look really cute with the kids but we need to take them away from you now."

They walk closer and Vanessa reluctantly goes over to her mom. Jared gets off Bella's lap and grabs hold of Victoria's hand.

"Say thank you them. Did you have fun watching the movie?"

"Yes, thank you!" Vanessa cries out in delight.

"But, Edward and Bella kiss lots and lots." Jared wrinkles his nose and I try to hide my smile. Oh god.

Bella blushes a deep red and stares at her hands. Victoria and Maria laugh making me roll my eyes.

"Yes, honey. We are aware of that problem." Victoria says dryly and I sigh.

I rise to my feet and smile at them. "Alright, thank you for the movie guys. We'll do it again sometime. Bye now. We need to leave."

I grab Bella's hand and we bid them a quick goodbye. Bella is still blushing as we step inside the elevator. I pull her flush against me and kiss her hair. She strokes my cheek and her brown eyes look utterly happy. I love this expression on her.

"Apparently, we need to stop making out in front of kids. It's too inappropriate." Bella muses and I kiss the back of her hand.

"It's alright. When they grow up, they'll understand."

"You are such a bad influence."

"And yet I'm their favorite person." I say cockily and she rolls her eyes at that but I see a smile threatening to escape her lips.

I cross my arms over my chest and watch Rosalie interact with my girlfriend. She is helping my girl serve dessert to everyone. Mrs. Cope is busy doing the dishes and so my dear sister-in-law volunteered to help Bella. I'm sure Rosalie is just trying to put on an act. I want to know why she is doing this.

Rosalie laughs about something Bella says—who goes on to explain to her how she made the cheesecake. I don't like this. I don't want Bella bonding with Rosalie. Bella unexpectedly looks up and her merry brown eyes meet mine. She frowns staring at my displeased expression and sighs.

"What's wrong?" She mouths and I shake my head. She shrugs and resumes her task in the kitchen.

Mrs. Cope lifts the tray and carries it towards the doorway where I am. She gives me a surprised look and leans closer.

"Since when did Ms. Fifth Avenue start entering the kitchen?" Mrs. Cope whispers and I run a hand through my hair.

"I have no idea but I'm going to find out."

"Anyway, she is getting along really well with Bella. So, don't ruin that," She motions to the tray and smiles warmly. "Cheesecake?"

"No, thank you. I'll have it in a while. You can serve everyone else."

"Sure."

Mrs. Cope makes her way to the family room and I find mom walking in my direction. She marches towards me with a tiny glare on her face. She grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards the theater room.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"You haven't proposed yet?!" She hisses angrily and I frown at her.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry, have you missed what happened the night I was supposed to propose to my girlfriend?"

Mom sighs and puts her hands on her hips. "Edward, what about now? It's Christmas. You should do it now."

"Mom, it's too soon after what happened," I say anxiously and breathe deeply. "And that ring always causes trouble in my life. I think I'm going to get a customized one. I've contacted Lorraine Schwartz—" She cuts me off.

"I don't care that you contacted a famous jewelry designer. I gave your nana my word that I would pass that ring to you once you find someone worthy of wearing it. It's not the ring that is causing the problems, Edward. Why are you being so negative? That ring could be the beginning of something special for you and Bella. Think—"

Mom stops talking when Bella and Rosalie walk out of the kitchen and make their way in our direction. Bella has a curious frown on her face and she smiles at us.

"Hey, is everything alright?" She asks softly and places her hand on my back.

"Yes, of course," Mom smiles brightly. "Why don't you go ahead? I just need to have a word with Edward."

"Okay." Bella kisses my cheek and they walk away from us.

Mom continues staring at their retreated forms until they disappear. She peers at me and raises an eyebrow.

"When did that happen?" Mom asks, talking about Rosalie and Bella being friends.

"Aren't you happy?" I ask dryly. "That's what you wanted, right?"

"Of course. It just feels… different." She shrugs and I roll my eyes.

"It feels weird. I don't know what the hell is going on." I mutter and she shakes her head.

"Not the biggest issue at the moment. We were talking about the proposal, Edward."

"Mom, please don't pressure me. I'm not going to propose to her anytime soon," She opens her mouth to protest but I hold up an index finger. "But, I'll make sure she gets a hint that I might do it."

"What? That makes no sense."

"I'll handle it, ma'am. Please don't be so nosy, it's unlike you."

"I just want you to take things to a new level. Get married, have your own family. You deserve it."

"Sure, sure. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, mom. I hope we don't have this conversation ever again." I mutter and we go to the family room.

Jacob bumps into me in the doorway and smiles nervously. "Hey."

"I hope you aren't leaving, Jacob. Alice is supposed to force everybody to play Christmas Charades. You can't get out of that so easily." I warn him and he chuckles.

"I was about to leave, actually. If I stay any longer, I'll be late for work tomorrow."

I roll my eyes. "You can stay over, Jacob. It's not a problem. I'm sure Bella won't mind. One of my drivers can drop you off at your apartment early in the morning. You should stay; everyone's here."

He thinks about it for a moment and then nods. "Okay, thank you."

I smile and sit on the overstuffed sofa next to Will—who acknowledges me with a nod. Aunt Jane and mom are discussing something about their dresses, dad and Emmett are busy eating their slice of cheesecake, and Rosalie is surprisingly speaking to Alice. Jacob takes a seat next to Will and they talk about Will's LA apartment.

Where is Bella? I smile when she walks inside holding my jacket in her hand. She puts it on and walks towards me. I tug on her hand and pull her onto my lap. I tightly hug her and sigh soundly. She shifts a little and hugs me closer. I give her a chaste kiss and she smiles.

"Cold?" I ask softly and rub her back.

"A bit," She rests her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes. "I thought Jake was leaving."

"I told him to stay the night."

She smiles. "Good."

I glance at my family having conversations amongst themselves about the holidays and I hear them talking about our home. It's such a wonderful time to be with everyone. I never spent more than two days here before during Christmas. But, I made a decision to move to Seattle at this time last year. It's the best decision I ever made. I met my Bella because of that.

Things would've been worse if I had decided to stay in Chicago. My life can't get any better than this.

"Edward sweetheart, you didn't have cheesecake?" Bella asks and her brown eyes look surprised.

"I forgot about it," I mutter and she grabs a plate for me. She feeds me a piece and the soft mixture of cheese and vanilla melts in my mouth. "Fuck, it's delicious."

Bella blushes and strokes my cheek. "I'm glad you like it. Rosalie was asking me how I made it."

I frown. "Yeah, what the hell was that all about?"

She rolls her eyes and I devour the cheesecake. "She was being friendly. I think it's because of the holiday season."

"She didn't visit you when you were badly bruised and barely able to move. Where was her friendliness then?"

"I know she is acting strange," Bella whispers and kisses my cheek. I put the empty plate away and wrap my arms around her. "Don't worry, I can handle her. She won't do anything to hurt me. If worst comes to worst, I'll kick her ass back to Fifth Avenue where her parents live."

I chuckle. "Mrs. Cope told you about her nickname for Rosalie?"

She giggles and nods her head. "Yep."

I peck her lips and turn towards the fireplace when I hear a commotion. I find Alice, Alex and Aunt Jane setting up a giant board with ten numbered blocks. Ugh, it's for the ridiculous game Alice wants us to play. Everyone goes quiet and Alice squeals and steps forward. She starts blabbering shit about the game like we don't know anything at all.

"Oh, I'm so bad at this game." Bella murmurs against my chest and I laugh softly.

"It wouldn't feel like Christmas without Alice involving us in stupid games."

She beams at me and her brown eyes shine with joy. "How does it feel to celebrate the holidays with your family?"

"Complete." I whisper and she nods.

"I bet everything feels perfect now."

"Bella, you are the only reason my life feels so perfect."

She blushes and her smile widens. "Look who's being corny."

"It's fine when it's Christmas."

SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!

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Paint the Walls