THE OTHER WOMAN

DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

January 04, 2016

BELLA

My eyes flutter open and I gradually sit up in the bed. I run a hand through my hair and stare at the dark sky outside. I look at the nightstand and read the radio alarm. It's seven in the evening. I yawn and get out of the bed. I go straight to the bathroom and take a quick shower. I dress myself in a dark gray lightweight sweater and tie my hair up in a messy ponytail.

When I step out, my eyes fall on the coffee table and my heart skips a beat. It's Edward's watch. Why didn't I see this when I woke up? Is he home? I've missed him so much. I haven't seen him in three days.

I was jet lagged when I returned and I keep getting frequent fevers for some reason. I look pale and disgusting. Ugh, I hate that. Edward and I didn't get to talk much because we have both been busy the last three days. I met with Frieda almost every day to start the pre-publishing tasks for my book. I cancelled tonight's meeting because I had a terrible headache. Mrs. Cope forced me to drink tea, and I went straight to sleep at five.

I shake out of my reverie and step out of our bedroom. I find the door of Edward's study closed and smile when I hear his voice. I don't knock as I swing the door open and find him sitting behind the desk with his laptop in front of him.

My eyes prick with tears looking at him and I just want him to hold me. His green eyes meet mine and his lips curl into a heart stopping smile. I sniffle and step inside the room. I walk over to him, crawl onto his lap and cuddle into him, breathing in his intoxicating scent.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Edward asks and I hear the concern in his voice. I shake my head and hug him tighter. He winds his arms around me and sighs.

"Kate, we'll talk later." He says softly and I freeze. Kate is on a Facetime call? I pull back and turn, just as the window closes on the laptop.

"I—I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a meeting going on. I'll come back later." I apologize earnestly and make a move to leave, but Edward tightens his arms around me.

"It's okay, Bella. I'm not mad at you," I look at him from under my lashes. "How are you? How is the fever?"

He presses his warm hand against my forehead and I sigh.

"It comes and goes. I don't know what's wrong," I whisper and stroke his cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, love." He kisses behind my ear and tightly hugs me.

I gaze at him and tears stream down my eyes from an overwhelming surge of emotions. I cry softly and he has a frown on his face.

"Don't cry, my love. Hush now," He wipes away my tears. "Tell me, what's wrong?" He coos softly and I sniffle.

"I have a headache from hell and I am not able to concentrate on anything. There is a lot of work to do. I can't afford to waste my time doing nothing. But—But, my body is behaving differently."

"You're just jet lagged, my darling. Give it another day or two, okay? Or maybe you're getting your period." He suggests and I nod.

"That's true," I mutter and feel stupid for not realizing it sooner. "Thank you."

Edward strokes my cheek and smiles. "I'm always here for you. Go ahead and rest if you want. I'll wake you up once dinner is ready."

"No, I don't want to sleep," I pout and he shrugs.

"Well, I'm not going to let you work while you are unwell."

I sigh. "I know that. Maybe I'll go read a book."

"Okay." He smiles and pulls me closer.

"I'll be with you in a while." He murmurs and pecks my lips.

"Okay."

I make my way towards the library and settle on the beanbag chair with the fiction book I've been reading for the past week. The events take place in the 28th century when humanity has spread across a galaxy called Hyperion.

I am jostled awake when I feel a pair of arms lifting me in the air. I stifle a yawn and gaze at Edward. I wrap my arms around his neck and his eyes quietly stare at me. He offers me a soft smile and kisses my forehead. I snuggle against him and close my eyes.

"What time is it?"

"Fifteen past eight."

"Feels like much later." I yawn.

"Hmm."

I open my eyes and caress his face with my hands. He smells so good and looks so handsome.

"Where are we going?" I ask and he sighs.

"Dinner."

"Edward, I don't feel—" He cuts me off.

"Not much, darling. Just a little portion. I promise I won't force you. Have some tea if you want and go straight to sleep. You'll be fine by tomorrow, I give you my word."

"You promise? I don't want to miss work." I murmur and my voice cracks.

"I promise, angel."

I close my eyes again and snuggle against him.

I'm so glad I have Edward.

January 06, 2016

"Bella!" Alice squeals excitedly and I look up from the book I've been reading. A couple of people in the cafe turn to stare at her but go back to whatever they were doing.

"Alice, hey."

I smile and stand up. I give her a quick hug and she settles on the chair across from mine. Alice is buzzing with excitement and her blue eyes seem brighter than usual. She offers me a beaming smile and I chuckle.

"Bella, you look amazing. You are glowing. And this ring is precious!" She gushes and grabs my right hand in hers to examine the ring.

I blush brightly and shake my head. "Thank you. You look great too."

"Did you know there are Instagram pages that post photos of your outfits on the internet?"

I gape at her in shock for a moment. "I'm sorry, what?"

She laughs staring at my face. "Oh, don't look so gob smacked. It's been months! People love you online, well, more than they liked Tanya anyway," She rolls her eyes at that. "You have fans around the world. They can't wait for your book to come out."

"And how do you know so much?"

"Because I'm on social media, jeez Bella! I just need to search your name and I see hundreds of photos of you on Instagram. You should join social media."

"No, thank you. I'd rather stay away from that."

"As you say, but they follow you closely. They know a lot about you. There are tons of pictures of you and Edward from Vienna. Here, let me."

"Alice, I don't want to—"

"Oh hush, just see this once."

Alice types something on her phone and puts it on the table. She turns it in my direction and I see pictures of Edward and me shopping on the streets of Vienna. Pictures of us laughing, speaking, strolling, hugging and kissing. I had no idea our private moments had become public. This is why I don't search myself on the internet. I get disturbed by seeing these.

"See, they know everything about your outfits too."

She clicks on one of the pictures and I notice how people mention the brand, the price of the product and the date I wore it. It's ridiculous.

"Thanks, Alice. I really needed to see that." I mumble and she sighs.

"Oh Bella, take a chill pill."

I decide to change the topic. "What do you want to eat? I'll go order."

"I'll have a cappuccino and a chicken and doubled-smoked bacon sandwich," My eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she shrugs. "I'm hungry."

"Okay, cool."

I order an iced tea and lemon chiffon yogurt spread for myself and recite Alice's order before returning to the booth.

"Other than having your privacy violated, how was your trip to Vienna?" Alice asks and I relax a little.

"It was magical. I wish we could've stayed longer but Edward had to go to London on New Year's Day."

"Aw, that sucks. But, at least you had a lifetime of fun last week. I know my brother is a hopeless romantic."

I blush and nod. "He is. Anyway, how was your New Year's Eve?"

"The party was a total hit! People went bonkers, and I had so much fun!"

"Did Jasper come to the party?"

Her eyes light up. "He did. I told him to come over at nine but then I lost hope when he didn't show up, but he arrived at eleven! I was so happy! I showed him around my house and introduced him to my friends. We had a couple of drinks. It was a lot of fun." She says and I sigh impatiently.

"That's it?" I ask, and she gives me a teasing smile.

"Oh Bella, what more do you want to know about my New Year's Eve party?"

I roll my eyes. "Jeez, I don't know."

"Well, Iris hooked up with some guy in my guest room."

"Alice! Tell me!" I hiss and she laughs.

"God, relax Bella. I'll tell you. So," She drawls and stops short when a waitress arrives holding our drinks. She puts my iced tea and yogurt in front of me and Alice's order by her.

Alice gives me a quizzical look gazing at my order and I offer a shrug. I wrinkle my nose when I smell bacon. I drink my iced tea while Alice sips her coffee.

"Right," Alice continues with her story. "So, I was on the rooftop with him and you know, it was really cold so he offered me his jacket. He told me that I looked very pretty and all the other things guys say. Anyway, then the countdown started, and he pulled me into his arms, and asked me if he could kiss me. He was being such a gentleman, and that was adorable." She gushes and I giggle.

"And then did you kiss?"

"Of course! Who can refuse that offer?" Alice scoffs in disbelief. "We had a full blown make-out session. It was amazing! And we had our first date on Sunday night."

"Gosh, you work fast." I shake my head and smile.

"And it was the best date ever!"

"Did he take you to a fancy restaurant that you like?"

"No, he cooked us a romantic meal at his apartment." She says with a cheesy grin and I giggle.

"Jasper is a sweetheart, isn't he? That's so great. I'm happy for you. You guys are perfect for each other."

"Really? Oh Bella, I hope that's true!"

"It is."

"Can you do me a teeny, tiny favor please?" She pouts adorably and I narrow my eyes.

"What do you want?"

"Can you please tell Edward that Jazz and I are dating?"

Crap.

I put my laptop away as soon as Edward steps into the family room. I stand up and tightly hug him. He buries his nose against my hair and inhales deeply. I rub his back and he winds down in my arms.

"Welcome home, Edward."

"Thank you, love."

"How was your day?"

"Eventful."

"Hmm." I kiss his cheek and pull back.

Edward connects our lips for a passionate kiss and I kiss him back with a similar vigor. I wind my arms around his neck and deepen our kiss. He takes off my blazer and trails hot open-mouthed kisses from my jaw down to my neck. I moan when he bites against my skin and pulls me flush against him.

He slips off the straps of my black silk camisole and I whimper when his lips trail towards my chest. I sigh softly and pull him closer.

"Edward baby, not here." I whisper and he shakes his head.

"It's okay."

"What if somebody sees us?" I breathe out and he pulls back to stare deeply into my eyes.

"It's our home. They know not to disturb us unless we ask them for something. Mrs. Cope is not here and Matt left for home, don't worry so much."

"Okay." I kiss him again and he lays me on the overstuffed couch. I take off his jacket and throw it on the carpet. I unbutton his shirt and he removes it. I pant against him as I stare at his perfect torso. I can't believe this man is mine.

He takes off my sandals and removes his shoes and socks. He shreds my camisole to pieces and I gasp. The nerve! I reach for his belt and fumble as I unbuckle it. Once I unzip his pants, his rock hard erection springs out and I gently stroke it. He groans and connects our lips for a hungry, animalistic kiss.

He unbuttons my jeans and I lift my bottom to help him take them off along with my panties. He undresses me completely and I lay naked underneath him.

"Fuck, you are beautiful," He gives me a soft kiss and I stroke him faster in my hands. "I need to be inside you, baby. Right now."

He pins my hands above my head and gently eases inside me. I moan and meet my hips to match his thrusts. He grabs my legs and throws them over his shoulders as he ploughs inside me. I dig my nails into his hand as he fucks me hard and fast. I love this. His wild green eyes are almost dark with desire as he plunges in and out of me.

"Edward, more. Please." I groan softly and he tightens his hold on my thighs as he increases his tempo. My toes curl as I feel his cock going deeper inside me. I bite my bottom lip and arch my back when his hand palms my breast.

A few thrusts later, I feel my orgasm building and he stiffens inside me too. His eyes remain locked with mine and I hold my breath.

"I'm close, Edward."

"Me too, baby. Come with me." He takes my legs off his shoulder and hovers over me. I feel every inch of his body against mine and he kisses me gently. I wrap my arms around his neck and bite on his bottom lip. He smiles and touches his forehead to mine.

"I'm close." I whisper and feel the tension building inside me. He nods and swallows my moans as we convulse around each other. He empties inside me and buries his face against the crook of my neck.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward," I stroke his hair. "So, how bad was your day at work today?"

He chuckles. "Terrible. All I could think about was coming home and making love to you wherever I found you."

"Well, mission accomplished."

"Yes," He leans over and grabs the throw blanket. He wraps us in it and flips us over so that I'm lying on top of him. I snuggle against him and close my eyes. "What time did you come back?"

"An hour ago. I had meetings with Frieda and then at the Foundation. We are finding new sponsors for our new project regarding sexual assault in the workplace. It's pretty interesting. You should attend one of our discussion groups. It's fun to interact with so many proactive people."

"I will attend, I promise." He kisses my forehead and tightens his arms around me.

"I met Alice and then I bumped into Mike on my way to the bookstore."

He stiffens a little. "Mike?"

"Mike Newton from High School."

"I know who Mike is, Bella. What did he want?"

"He was looking around the city to find the ideal place for his store."

"And he accidently ended up walking near your bookstore." He mutters curtly and I slap his arm lightly.

"Hush now, he is not going to cause me any harm."

"I'll punch the daylights out of him if he touches you again." Edward warns and I roll my eyes.

"Sure, honey."

Edward and I remain wrapped up in each other's arms until he sits up. We half-dress ourselves and go to our bedroom. We take a quick shower and Edward goes to his closet. I play with the sash of my robe and ponder whether I should tell Edward about my plans for tonight. I hope he doesn't get mad.

I step inside his walk-in closet and find him already dressed in a long-sleeved t-shirt and sweatpants.

"What do you want to do tonight, darling? Should we watch a movie?" Edward asks with a smile and I bite my bottom lip anxiously.

"Um, I want to talk about that…" I stutter out and he walks in my direction. He winds an arm around my waist and strokes my cheek.

"What is it?"

"It's Sam's birthday tomorrow so Emily made plans to surprise him with a party at midnight. Everyone is going to be there, and they invited us too. I really want to go and spend time with them. Do you mind?"

Edward chuckles and touches his forehead to mine. "Oh baby, you can do whatever you want. Why are you so nervous?"

"We haven't spent enough time alone this week."

"We are going to spend the rest of our lives together; one night won't make much of a difference." He says dryly and I blush.

"Okay. And she invited you as well."

"I wish I could but I have a breakfast meeting at eight. I need to be out of the house by seven-thirty."

I pout and wrap my arms around his neck. "I won't get to see you tomorrow morning then."

"We'll make plans for tomorrow evening," He kisses my lips soundly. "Now march your butt back to your closet and put some clothes on or I'll take you right here in my closet."

He loosens the sash of my robe and I giggle. "Don't do that!"

"I'll make dinner tonight," Edward says and kisses the top of my head. "You can get some work done until then."

"I have the best boyfriend in the world." I say with marvel in my voice and caress his face with my hand.

"I'm afraid you do." He nods and unties the sash of my robe.

"I knew you would do something like this," I murmur and connect our lips for a kiss. He deepens our kiss and lifts me in his arms. I lock my legs around his waist and run my fingers through his soft, unruly hair. He bites hard on my bottom lip and I moan.

I grind my hips against his stirring cock and he groans softly. He takes off my robe and leaves me naked against his warm body.

"I need to lose some calories before dinner." He says with a straight face and gently presses my back against the nearest wall.

"We lost a lot of calories thirty minutes ago, sweetheart." I say back and brush my lips against his.

"Not enough." He mumbles and trails gentle kisses towards my neck.

"Well, I don't see that we have another choice then."

He laughs and I giggle but his lips quickly silence mine.

He is insatiable.

"… and then Jasper had a team meeting with the people but they were not sensible enough to understand what we were trying to do for them so, I had to step in. I put them all in one room and listened to their opinions." Edward says as he whisks a mixture in a large bowl.

"Then what happened?" I ask and he sighs.

"Some were so uptight about it and I don't need those kind of people working for me so I fired them."

My eyes widen. "What? How many people did you fire?"

"Twenty."

"Oh my god, why would you do that?"

"Because they were unable to adapt themselves to the bloody system. I haven't implemented the changes for myself, but I have for my employees to make their work easier. But, if they are being difficult to work with, I don't need them. It's been almost seven months now."

Edward shrugs and puts the tray of chopped root vegetables in the oven. I inhale the aroma of spices and steak and smile. He is making flank steak with roasted root vegetables. I'm very hungry tonight. I can't wait.

"Would you like something to drink, my love?" He asks with a smile and I shake my head.

"No, I'm not drinking tonight." I murmur and return to the presentation in front of me.

It's a corporate presentation of the foundation and it needs a lot of amendments. I had told the interns I would look through it this week but I didn't have any time on my hands before now. I need to get this done. I also need to give Tia a call to discuss the latest idea she has for the bookstore. She wants to add hideaway spaces and I love the concept! We just need to meet on the site tomorrow.

Ugh, there is so much work and so little time.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Edward snaps me out of my reverie and I look at him.

"How do you manage four different tasks at once?" I ask and his lips curl into a smile.

"It takes time, Bella."

"I don't have time," I whisper and he walks towards me in the dining area. He kneels in front of me and strokes my cheek.

"What is it?" He kisses my hand.

"How will I manage my book and the bookstore at the same time? What about my work at the organization? We have such interesting events planned in the coming months and I want to be a part of them."

He gives me a thoughtful look and exhales soundly. "Well, how about you just concentrate on your book for now? I'll take care of the bookstore, don't worry about it. And you can go to the organization alternate days of the week."

"Okay, I can give it a try this coming week."

"You should ask Edythe to find you an assistant who can manage your schedule; it'll get difficult to do everything on your own."

"I guess so. She can help me with that."

"She must definitely know someone from her agency that can help. You are in dire need of an assistant."

"Okay. I'll ask her."

"And what about Charlotte? Is she helping you with the store?"

"She does when I ask her to. I want her to get involved once we officially start, with managing and accounting."

"She seems like a good person. Maybe she'll help you recruit new employees since you will be also running a café."

"Hmm, Tia said that the construction and interior should be finished by mid-March."

"Yep, she mentioned that to me as well," Edward stands up and kisses the top of my head. He returns to the kitchen and takes the tray out of the oven. "Do you want a grand opening for your bookstore?"

I shrug. "I'm not sure what to do, sweetheart."

"Why is that?"

"Frieda and I locked in a date for my book launch today."

He grins at me. "Which is…?"

I blush and smile shyly. "March 13."

"That's great, baby. Congratulations."

"But, that means we can't open the bookstore until later."

"Then we'll do it in April. It'll give us more time to make it perfect. We can open it anytime you want." Edward reassures me and I sigh.

"I have to get your opinion on something." I say instead and he frowns.

"Sure, baby. Let me serve our meal. We can talk during dinner. Would you like a drink?"

"No, thank you," I put my laptop away and rise to my feet. "I'll get your drink. What do you want to have?"

"Surprise me, darling."

I giggle and make my way to the cabinets and grab a red wine glass. I pick out his favorite red wine from the refrigerator and carry it to the dining table. I pour him a glass of wine and set the bottle next to it. I grab the bowl of side salad while Edward carries our plates to the table. He lights the candles on the candelabra and dims the overhead lights.

I blush under the glow and he offers me a charming smile. We start eating our dinner and I moan as I take the first bite of steak. It's delicious.

"Oh my god, this is really good, Edward. It's amazing." I rave and continue eating.

"Really? I'm glad you like it, baby."

"Did you learn how to cook this somewhere?"

"Yeah, my nana taught me," He clears his throat. "What did you want my opinion on?"

"Um well, Frieda told me that ever since the word has gone out that my book is being published in the next couple of months, the publication has been getting calls from around the country regarding the details."

Edward gives me a warm smile and gives my hand a soft squeeze. "That's great, baby."

"And people are asking when the tickets are going to be on sale for the book launching event," I shake my head. "So, the president of the publication wants to do an event in Seattle and a book signing event the same week in New York."

"Sounds good. People seem really excited about your book. I think it's also because your online cooking blog has received such a great response."

"I know," I beam at him. "People posted pictures of the holiday meals they made using my recipes and everyone loved them."

"Of course they did, you're amazing." He kisses the top of my head and I blush.

"And I received a lot of queries about my book signing events, which Frieda and I had not discussed much about. She has an idea that maybe I should have a book tour since everyone is asking for it."

"How do you feel about that?" Edward whispers and uses his thumb to stroke the back of my hand.

"I wouldn't mind but, I'll be travelling a lot and it's going to get tiring."

"How many cities are you talking about?"

"At least twenty cities and the tour will last for nearly one month."

His lips form into an adorable pout. "A whole month without you? I can't do that."

"Me neither."

"But you should," I meet his thoughtful gaze. "This will be a great opportunity to interact with people and form a connection with them. Since they only see you in magazines and newspapers, they don't know your personality. Let them see what an amazing person you are."

"I'm just scared nobody will show up." I whisper and he laughs.

"Even better, you can come back home to me." He says and his smile turns bittersweet.

"Hmm, true."

"And I'll visit you all the time. I'll go crazy without you after even four days."

I smile and shift onto his lap. He wraps his arms around me and I put my head on his shoulder. I stroke his cheek and his lips press against my hair.

"I'll tell Frieda 'yes' then. We'll have to set everything up by end of Feb if the tour is going to start in March or April."

"Yes, you do. I'll miss you so much, baby."

"You're the one, who convinced me to do this, don't make me change my mind." I mumble and hug him tightly.

"I promise I won't."

That month is going to be unbearable.

January 08, 2016

I snap my eyes open and take a lungful of breath. I try to recall my nightmare but I can't remember what it was about. I sit up and check the time on the nightstand. It's 07:45. Edward must be in the shower. I stretch a little and put on his t-shirt from last night. I walk towards the French doors and smile staring at the faded lush green vegetation. I shiver from the cold and close the doors.

I enter the bathroom and find Edward showering and humming a tune under his breath. I brush my teeth and wash my face with ice cold water. Maybe I should join him in the shower? I take off the t-shirt I'm wearing and slip out of my panties before stepping inside the glass-encased space.

I wrap my arms around him and press my face against his back. I plant a soft kiss there and his hands clasp with mine.

"Ms. Swan, it's pretty appalling of you to hop into the shower while your boyfriend is in here. I feel violated."

I giggle and he turns to look at me. He offers me a blinding smile and gives me a soft kiss. "Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning, handsome."

Edward shakes his head with a bemused expression. "You can't stand in the shower and stay dry."

He grabs my waist and his strong arms lift me off the ground. He turns me towards the showerhead and the water sprinkles right on my face. I gasp and squirm a little but hear his laughter.

"Edward! Put me down!"

I squeal when the water suddenly turns ice cold. He quickly sets me on my feet and I stand frozen in his arms as the cold water runs down my back. He sighs and leans over to press something. The water turns warm instantly and I press my face against his chest. He rubs my back and I release him.

"You turned the hot water off with your squirming," I sigh and glare at him.

"And who made me squirm?"

Edward shrugs innocently. "I never meant to do this." He lifts me again and the water showers on my face again. He laughs and quickly sets me down.

I wipe the water off my face and struggle against him. He unwraps his arms from around me and I sigh.

"Thanks for that. I'll just shower later." I mutter and turn to leave but a sudden tug on my hand takes me back to Edward.

I look into his gorgeous green eyes from under my lashes and bite my bottom lip. I look away from him and he gently backs me against the glass wall.

I gasp when the cold glass wall hits my back. Edward snakes his arms around my waist and his green eyes stare deeply into mine. His lips hover over my mouth and I part my lips to kiss him. He leans in and gently brushes his lips against mine.

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer. He claims my lips for a searing, sensual kiss that leaves me breathless. Just as I try to deepen our kiss, Edward breaks it and smiles warmly. He strokes my cheek and releases me. I frown and gasp when he suddenly turns me so that my front is pressed against the wall.

I put my hands on the glass and he puts his hands over mine. I feel his erection against my hip and the water cascades down our bodies. His lips travel from my neck to my shoulders and back, leaving a heated trail.

He enters two fingers inside me and I moan softly. I arch my back and tilt my head to capture his lips for a quick kiss. I whimper when he bites hard on my bottom lip. He pistons his fingers in and out of me and I pant against him. He suddenly retracts his fingers and I feel him tapping his cock on my clit.

Edward fills me and I throw my head back in pleasure. He adjusts his size and starts rocking his hips against mine. I grind my hips along his and he puts his hands on either side of my waist. Our grunts and moans fill the bathroom as he plunges in and out of me. I close my eyes and feel the water running down our bodies.

He circles my clit and I feel myself tightening around him. Edward ploughs harder and builds a pressure between us. I tighten around him and he sighs against the back of my neck. I cry out his name and convulse around him. He continues thrusting in and out until he empties inside me.

Edward pulls out of me and turns me in his arms. He leads me right under the showerhead and tightly hugs me. We calm ourselves and I wrap my arms around him. I feel his soft kisses against my neck which make me sigh.

I drop my arms from around him and pull back to smile. He smiles back and reaches for the bottle of body wash. He lathers my body with the vanilla-scented shower gel and washes my hair with the shampoo. I help him with the shower gel and we quickly wash ourselves.

Edward and I step out of the shower and he grabs a towel from the wooden stool. He wraps it around his waist and walks over to the towel rack. He brings a robe for me and wraps me in it. I stare at his sexy torso and watch the water rolling down his chest. My mouth goes dry and I try not to get light headed.

I blow dry my hair while Edward leaves to get dressed. Ten minutes later, I go to my walk-in closet and dress in an ivory silk dress, matching pumps and wear a cady coat on top. I let my hair flow down my back and put on a hint of red lipstick. I apply eyeliner and thoroughly brush my locks.

Once I'm presentable, I grab my purse and head to the kitchen. I find Edward sitting in the dining room, drinking a glass of juice and reading today's newspaper. His eyes drink in the sight of me and he offers me a loving smile.

"Hey."

"Hi, honey." I mumble and peck his lips.

"You look like an angel, my love."

I blush and look at him from under my lashes. "Thank you, Edward. You look just as handsome."

"Breakfast is almost ready."

I take a seat in my chair and pour a glass of juice for myself. I put the rim of glass near my lips and pause when Edward suddenly sputters out the juice he was drinking. I frown and put the glass down. He folds up the paper and coughs a little.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Edward just smiles weakly and nods. "Yes, sorry about that. Please excuse me for a moment."

He rises to his feet, gathers all the newspapers in his hands and marches out of the room. Mrs. Cope and I share a puzzled look as she walks over to clean the table. Edward comes back fifteen minutes later with a composed yet irritated face. He takes a seat and Mrs. Cope serves us her famous blueberry pancakes.

I lean towards Edward and plant a soft kiss on his lips. Edward takes me by surprise and places his hands on either side of my face and deepens our kiss. I moan softly and we breathlessly pull back few minutes later. He touches his forehead to mine and sighs.

"I love you, Bella."

"I know," I murmur and caress his cheek with my hand. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"Something about work but it doesn't matter. Breakfast?"

I nod and we start eating our breakfast. Edward is heavily distracted but I don't disturb him. We finish up and he is suddenly in a hurry to leave. He swoops me in his arms and gives me a breathless kiss.

"When will you be home?" He asks and I sigh.

"After dinner. I am meeting Frieda for dinner tonight. But I cancel if you want."

"No, please don't cancel for me. I'll see you later tonight then. Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?"

"That's okay, Edward. I need to leave in an hour; I'm in no hurry to go."

"Okay."

"Miss me." I whisper and he smiles. He cups my cheek and runs his nose down mine.

"Every second that we are apart, I promise." He plants a soft kiss on my lips and reluctantly leaves for work.

I'm really going to miss him.

January 10, 2015

"Bella!" I hear Alice squeal even before I have the chance to climb the porch steps. I find her waiting by the coat closet with an eager smile on her face. I take off my coat and hand it to the housekeeper. I smile at Alice and we share a quick hug. She takes my hand in hers and leads me to the family room.

"Alice, what is it?"

She just giggles and we step inside the room. I see Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper sitting inside. I smile as I watch him talk to Edward's parents. Wow, these guys are fast. Didn't they start dating only ten days ago? I stifle a smile when I see Emmett glaring at Jasper for some reason and I'm glad Edward is not here yet.

"Bella?" I turn to Alice. "Please tell me Edward knows about us."

I smile nervously. "I haven't told him yet. I completely forgot, I'm sorry."

She pouts. "When is he getting here?"

"He should be here soon."

"Hey, Bells," I turn to Jasper and find him walking in my direction. He offers me his charming smile and gives me a bear hug. I laugh and squirm in his arms. "I missed you!"

"We saw each other four days ago," I mutter and he releases me. "Meeting girlfriend's parents, huh? Huge step."

He smiles and rubs the back of his neck. "It's happening fast but it feels right."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." I reassure him and he smiles.

"Oh, you're the best. And where's Edward?"

"Edward is working today," I mumble and try to keep the sadness out of my voice. He has been working through the weekend. "He'll get here by dinner time, I'm sure."

I look over Jasper's shoulder and find Emmett marching my way. He literally pushes Jasper away and hugs me. I laugh and find Jasper stumbling a little. Alice puts her hands on her hips and glares at her older brother. Jasper is anxiously eyeing Emmett and I giggle.

"Does Goldilocks look scared?" Emmett whispers to me and I nod.

"Great!" He smiles satisfied and releases me. I snort and shake my head.

"Emmett, what the hell do you think you are doing?" Alice snaps and Emmett shrugs innocently.

"What? I just came over to meet Bella and your boyfriend was in the way." He mumbles and walks away.

Jasper frowns at his retreated form. "He was nice to me at the Annual Dinner."

Alice rolls her eyes. "It's his weird overprotective older brother thing. Edward is worse. I hope you are ready. Bella forgot to tell him about us."

"Oh fuck," Jasper meets my gaze. "Bella, really?"

"I'm sorry." I smile sheepishly and walk over to greet Carlisle and Esme.

"Bella dear, when is Edward coming?" Esme asks and I sit next to her.

"He'll be here soon."

"I can't believe that boy is working weekends." Esme mutters under her breath.

Carlisle gazes at us and he seems on edge tonight. "It must be important." Is all he says, like he knows what my boyfriend is doing. Maybe he does.

My eyes fall on Rosalie and she offers me a tentative smile. I smile back shyly and sigh. Maybe she isn't a bad person after all.

Everybody waits for Edward for another twenty minutes but he doesn't arrive so we finally go to the dining room. I fiddle with my roast chicken as I wait for him to come. I'm getting worried about him. He has been behaving differently for the past two days. On Friday, after he left, I went to his study to grab a spare file but it was locked. He has never locked his study before.

My heart finally settles in my chest when Edward enters with a small smile on his face. Rosalie stiffens when she catches Edward's eye but quickly looks away. Edward has a cute frown on his face when he finds Jasper at the dinner table. Jasper pales and Alice is beaming at her brother. I smile and take a sip of my wine.

Edward gives Alice a quick hug and kisses her cheek. She whispers something to him and he listens intently. He looks over at Jasper and then at her again. She sits in her chair again and Edward chuckles.

"It was about fucking time, Jasper." Edward mutters and pats his back before going to greet Esme.

Jasper and Emmett look equally shocked and I can't believe he handled it so maturely. But, I think he has other problems at work to really be concerned about who his sister is dating. Carlisle and Edward whisper something amongst each other for a couple of minutes before Edward walks over to me.

He sits next to me and reaches for my hand but I shake my head. He did not spend a single minute with me this weekend without any explanation. I know it must be important but he needs to tell me what is bothering him. I'm not mad at him, I'm upset with him. I peek towards him and find him staring at his dinner plate with a heartbroken expression on his face.

I feel a pang of guilt for making him sad but he needs to spend time with me. Ever since we have come back from Vienna, we've been busy. I had cleared everything this past weekend so he and I could have uninterrupted time together.

Kia serves Edward his dinner, and the room is filled with talk by Alice and Emmett's stories. They do seem to have a lot of fun.

I drink my tea and gaze at the lovely, cold night. I can hear the voices of Rosalie and Edward yelling at each other. They're fighting. Again. He gave Rosalie three months to confess everything to Emmett, and she still hasn't.

I stare at my right hand and idly play with the ring. This ring reminds me of happy times. The ring is beautiful and precious and I love the compliments I receive from everyone.

My ears perk up when I hear a pair of footsteps approaching the balcony where I'm standing. I turn and it's Esme. She has anxiety written all over her face and I sigh.

"Bella, please get Edward out of the room. He is going to kill Rosalie if he stays any longer."

"Where's Emmett?" I ask softly and she shakes her head.

"They won't let Emmett enter! You are the only person who can help us right now. Please."

"Esme, I don't know what happened to him two days ago, but he has been behaving weird ever since. I'm not sure if he would listen to me."

"He will, honey. Please help us."

I nod and quickly down the rest of the tea. Esme takes the empty cup from my hands and ushers me towards Carlisle's study where they both are. Emmett is standing outside, pacing back and forth with an irritated expression on his face. He sighs when his eyes fall on me.

"Hey." I mutter and he places his hand on my shoulder.

"Bella, tell me if you know what Rose is hiding from me." He whispers and I bite my bottom lip.

"I really don't know… I wish I did."

"Really? Edward hasn't told you anything?"

"No. You should talk to Rosalie. All I know is that you need to know something important."

Esme puts her hands on her hips. "What's wrong? Did she do something?"

"I—I don't know. Edward won't let me get involved."

"Get him out of there, I'll handle Rose," Emmett says firmly and I nod. "This shit has been going on for three months now. Enough is enough."

"That's true," Esme whispers and clears her throat. "They are quiet now. I think that's a good sign."

"We'll be in the den." Emmett says and they leave me alone to handle Edward and Rosalie.

I give a soft knock on the door and hear the clicking of heels approaching. The door swings open and I find Rosalie on the other side with tears running down her cheeks. Her expression falls when she finds me standing here. She immediately wipes away her tears and her face turns unreadable.

Rosalie pushes past me and hurriedly walks out of the room. I take a deep breath and step inside. I can feel the negative air and tension in the room. My eyes fall on Edward who is seated on the couch with his head in his hands. His shoulders are hunched in defeat and he seems tired.

"Edward?"

"Bella, I'm so sorry."

"Why, sweetheart?"

He looks up and his glazed over green eyes meet mine. I walk over to him and wipe away the tears around his eyes. I sit on his lap and he crushes me to his chest. I wrap my arms around him and he pulls me closer.

"You are mad at me." He mumbles against my neck and I stroke his hair.

"That's not the issue right now. What the hell were you and Rosalie fighting about?"

"Rosalie is a horrible person. I hate her. I hate her so much."

"I know, sweetheart. She is a horrible person."

"I gave her three months, Bella."

"Let's not talk about her, okay? Look at me."

Edward pulls back and leans his forehead against mine. His troubled green eyes stare at me and I cradle his face in my hand.

"I can't watch you look so disturbed all the time. Tell me. Please." I beg softly and he takes a deep breath.

"Tomorrow, I promise."

I nod and give him a chaste kiss. I can wait until tomorrow.

"Home?" I ask and offer a smile.

"Home, please."

January 11, 2016

I quietly stare at Edward and trace his relaxed features with my index finger. I bite my bottom lip and glide my finger over the shape of his eyes, his long lashes, his nose, his soft lips and those high cheekbones. He has such a handsome face. He is perfect. And all mine.

I stifle a yawn as exhaustion dawns over me. I barely got any sleep last night. I was up late worrying about Edward. I need to know what happened to him on Friday. He has been behaving unusual ever since. On top of which, he wants to tell everybody tonight what Rosalie has been hiding from them. The thought of more fights is making me nauseous.

I brush my thumb against Edward's lips and sigh. His lips pucker up and plant a soft kiss on my thumb. I giggle and kiss his cheek. His green eyes flutter open and his lips curl into a beautiful smile.

"Good morning, handsome." I whisper and stroke his cheek.

"Morning, beautiful. You're up early today." He frowns and I shrug.

"I just figured I'd wake early to have a clear head."

"You do realize you can't lie, right?" He says in an obvious tone and I blush. He chuckles and draws me closer to him. I rest my head on his chest and close my eyes. "What's wrong, my love?"

"My mind was preoccupied with thoughts that wouldn't let me sleep."

Edward kisses my hair. "Have we switched roles?"

I snort and he reaches over to turn off the beeping alarm. He gazes at me expectantly and I know that look very well. He wants to know what thoughts I'm talking about. I stroke his hair and sigh gently.

"It's nothing." I mutter and he tips my chin in his direction. I look into his eyes and sigh.

"Tell me."

"I'm just worried about you."

His green eyes soften. "Baby, there is nothing for you to worry about."

"Are you sure? You don't usually behave so… distant. Did I do something?" I ask and bile rises in my throat.

"Of course not, Bella. It has nothing to do with you."

"Really?" My eyes prick with tears.

"Yes, love. Truly."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Bella."

We stay silent in each other's arms until my phone rings on the nightstand, breaking me out of my reverie. I cuddle closer to Edward and answer the ringing phone. He buries his face against my hair and tightens his arms around me.

"Hello?"

I hear nothing but silence on the other line.

"Hello?" I say again but there is no response.

"Who is it, baby?" Edward asks, and the line goes dead. I shrug and put the phone down.

"Don't know. Nobody spoke." I mumble and sigh.

"I'll look into it. Don't worry."

I nod and put my head on his chest.

"I don't want to go to work today." Edward says and plays with a strand of my hair.

My mood brightens hearing that. I look up and offer him a beaming smile. "Then don't."

He smiles and nods. "Might be a good idea."

"Really?"

He laughs and nods his head. I smile and enthusiastically kiss him. He rolls us over so that I'm underneath him and he deepens our kiss. Oh, I'm finally getting to spend the day with him. His hands travel inside my shirt and he squeezes and palms my breasts. He rocks his hips against mine and I moan. He bites hard on my bottom lip and drags his lips towards my neck and shoulders.

"God, your skin is so soft and pale," He murmurs silkily and tugs on my sweatpants. He reaches inside my panties and cups my sex. He groans under his breath. "Fuck baby, you're wet."

I capture his lips for another kiss and we sigh when his phone starts ringing. We ignore the ringing phone and continue making out. I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him closer to me. His phone starts ringing again, and he breaks our kiss. He mutters something under his breath and reaches over to answer it.

I sigh when he plants gentle kisses on my neck.

"Cullen," Edward snaps and exhales deeply. "What? I said tomorrow, Kyle. What the fuck is Madden doing? I also mentioned this to Kate!"

Edward kisses the top of my head and sits back on the bed. I crawl over and curl up on his lap, not wanting to let him go. He wraps an arm tightly around me.

"Is she not back from her fucking vacation? Tell Irina to handle the fucking press… I do not have time to address such stupid shit… Let Jasper know he needs to be ready with the audits by Friday… What do you mean eleven-thirty?... No, I'm not coming to the office today."

I smile at that and he smiles back and leans his forehead against mine. He closes his eyes and I stroke his cheek.

"I can't, stall it until tomorrow morning then… I don't care…" He snaps open his eyes and listens intently. "Oh fuck! Kyle, when the fuck were you going to tell me this!… I'll be in the office by nine then." He hangs up and puts the phone down.

I pout and he sighs sadly. He kisses my lips soundly and rubs my arm.

"I'm sorry, baby. I have to go."

"You said you could take the day off." I murmur and he nods.

"I did and you have no idea how sorry I am. I'll be back by lunch. We can spend the rest of the day together."

"I have work too, you know. I cleared my weekend so we could spend time together and you were working," My voice breaks and I wipe away my tears. "I have a meeting with the marketing team at Seattle Publishing House this afternoon. I wanted to spend time with you. We have been busy since we came back from Vienna. All I wanted was for us to be together and think about anything but work. You can't even give me that."

I try to get off his lap but he tightens his arms around me. I squirm but he holds me still. He tightly hugs me and I sniffle. I straddle his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. I bury my face against the crook of his neck and breathe him in.

"I've missed you, Edward." I whisper and he gently rocks me.

"I'm sorry, baby."

"I've missed you so much."

"I'll come home early if you want. Let me know when your meeting finishes and I'll come pick you up," I pull back and he cradles my face in his hands. I whimper and he wipes away my tears. "We won't come back home tonight if you want. We'll go to my penthouse, spend the night there. It'll be a nice change for both of us."

"What if you run to the study to work?" I mumble and he chuckles.

"That won't happen, I give you my word."

"If it does, I'll leave for home." I say and he pecks my lips.

"Whatever you say. How about I make reservations for dinner tonight at your favorite restaurant? It's right around the corner from the penthouse. Sounds good?"

"Yes."

"Please, smile for me," He begs and my lips curl into a smile staring at his adorable pout. "Thank you."

I let out a yawn and cuddle against his chest. I close my eyes and he gently runs his hand up and down my back. He gently rocks me and I feel myself drifting off to sleep. My eyes open when I feel Edward putting my form in a lying position. He covers me with multiple layers of sheets and kisses my forehead.

"Looks like my girl needs more sleep." He whispers and I shake my head.

"I'm good. I'll go to the kitchen and make breakfast." I croak out and he sighs.

"Hush, go to sleep. I'll wake you up when I have to go."

"Stay here." I whisper and he kisses my hand.

"I'll be in the gym, darling. Just two doors away."

"'Kay, love you." I mumble and feel his lips brushing against mine.

"I love you too, baby." His velvety voice says and those are the last words I hear before I fall into a deep slumber.

"… and don't forget we have to go shopping this coming Saturday! So Bella, take time out of your very busy schedule for us." Angela reminds me and I sigh.

"Yes, ma'am. I remember. Where are we going?"

"Can we go somewhere for the weekend? Like a Hot Springs resort?" Emily suggests on the conference call and I smile.

"That sounds great."

"We can ask Alice to join us too." Angela says and I chuckle.

"Sure, she'll be super excited about it. I'll ask her if she's free."

Angela and Emily start babbling about our weekend plans and I continue brushing my hair. It had been more than a week since we have spoken to each other so Emily; put us on a conference call so we can make plans to hang out. I decided to get ready for my meeting at the publishing house with Edythe and the marketing team while on the phone.

We're going to discuss the tour dates and the possible book launch events that can be organized. And later, I'll see Edward. I can't wait.

"Bella? You there?" Angela questions and I giggle.

"Yes, I'm here. Our plan sounds great."

"Do you have to be somewhere?"

"Yep, I have a meeting in an hour."

"Oh okay, we'll talk later then. And let me know about the yoga class. I'll register for us." She says and I sigh.

"Can you please do that, Ang? Thank you so much. We can start in a couple of days."

"Yay! It'll be so much fun!"

"You guys are re-joining your yoga class?" Emily asks and I can hear the exasperation in her voice.

I huff. "Yes."

She laughs heartily. "I can't wait to see how many days you go this time."

"Shut up." Angela and I snap in unison.

"Anyway, I'll catch up with you later. I have to pick Jared from school. Bye ladies!"

"Bye guys." I mumble and end the call.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror and sigh. Time to get ready. I put lotion on my face and arms and add a hint of mascara to my eyes. I put a touch of lip gloss and rise to my feet. I re-tie the sash of my robe and walk towards the bathroom. I step inside and grab my ring that I left by the sink.

I put it on and find that one of the vanity drawers is open. I touch it and a blue colored box catches my eye. I open the drawer further and frown softly. When was my last period? Shit! I rush to the closet and hastily grab my phone. I open my calendar and check my notes.

I sink to the floor and hold my head in my hands. I stare at the dates that Edward and I went on our vacation and sigh. I messed up with the time zones and missed taking my pills. It takes at least four months to adjust to a change in their birth control method and it's only been two months since I switched to pills again. Damn it, how could I make such a stupid mistake?!

I shakily grab my phone and blink back my tears. Edward is going to be mad at me. We discussed that we were going to wait for two more years before thinking about starting a family. What if I am pregnant? What about the book tour? My bookstore? Ugh, there is a lot to think about! Do I even want a baby right now?

There is only one way to answer these questions.

I stagger to my feet and make my way to the bathroom again. I open the bottom drawer of my vanity and pull out three pregnancy tests. My heart pounds a little faster as I stare at them. I always have several pregnancy testing kits in case I need them, like I do now.

I pee on the sticks and wait for the results. I put the sticks on the closed toilet lid and nervously pace in the bathroom. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It's probably a false alarm. Maybe my period is late because I've been stressed lately. Plus, Edward and I need to spend time with each other. We haven't had enough time. It's only been six months. We aren't even engaged!

I wish I could talk to someone. I feel overwhelmed. My life has turned upside down in the last fifteen minutes. I shake my head and sit on the edge of the bathtub. I impatiently tap my foot and feel my heart beat increase.

About five minutes later, I get the courage to see the results. I swallow hard and kneel in front of the toilet seat. I shut my eyes and take a deep breath. I bite my bottom lip anxiously and gingerly open my eyes to see.

Pregnant.

"Oh my god," I murmur and cover my hand with my mouth in shock as tears gather in my eyes. I'm pregnant. One of the stick has two pink lines and the other two clearly read pregnant in bold letters. "Oh my god."

My hands fall on my belly and I smile through my tears. Edward and I are going to have a baby. All the anxiety I was feeling vanished away after looking at the results. I'm going to be a mom. Edward is going to be a dad. Oh my god, we're going to be parents! I can't believe this! I need to share this news with Edward.

Maybe I can surprise him when we meet for lunch. Will he be happy? It is a huge shock and I hope he won't get mad at me. I suggested not long ago that we should wait and now this has happened.

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

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

I sigh with relief and shake my 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."

What if he doesn't want the baby? My eyes tear up with that thought. What if he forces me to abort the baby like James did? I shudder as I think about it. I shouldn't compare Edward with James, they are light years apart. And Edward loves children. I have seen how happy he is when he plays with Jared or Vanessa. He adores them. His love for our baby will be million times more than that.

I remember discussing about this to him few months ago.

"You would never do that, would you?" I ask hesitantly and he pulls back to gaze at me. His hand caresses my face gently.

"Do what, Bella?"

I swallow hard. "Abort, if I ever unexpectedly… got pregnant." My voice is nothing but a whisper as I choke out the last two words.

Edward has a warm smile on his face. "Of course not. I would never do that. Even if it was unexpected, I couldn't even think of letting go our baby."

Of course Edward will love our baby. There is no question. Even if the timing is not perfect, we won't give up the baby. I think he will be happily surprised. I smile at that thought. It's the best news I can give him today.

I wipe away my tears and rise to my feet. I pick up the pregnancy tests and stash them in an empty box. I want to keep them. I grab my phone and catch my reflection in the mirror. I suddenly look happier than I did fifteen minutes ago. On my way to the closet, I think of ways I can surprise Edward with the news.

My phone rings in my hand and I check the name of the screen. Edythe. I answer the incoming call.

"Hey."

"Bella, are you on your way?" Edythe asks and reality comes crashing down on me. Shit, I have a meeting.

My book tour. We have to discuss dates for the tour along with a couple of things. Can I go on a tour while I'm pregnant? Will Edward let me go alone? Ugh, I can't discuss anything until I tell Edward about the pregnancy!

"Bella? You there?"

I clear my throat. "I'll be there soon."

"Cool, see you in a bit." And she hangs up.

I take a deep breath and untie the robe. I take it off and don a coral silk crepe blouse and navy blue cropped pants and matching cady coat. I slip into a pair of navy pumps and grab my clutch. I rub my flat belly and smile.

"We'll see daddy in a short while. Let's go."

"…We can have the official book launch at the Fremont Foundry on March 13. It'll be a private event and we won't invite more than fifty people. Perhaps we could invite a couple of reporters to hear you talk about the book." Pat, the marketing guy from Seattle Publishing informs me and I take in the information.

I'll probably be three months pregnant by then.

"Sure, I would like that."

He clears his throat. "And then we'll have a book signing event at the Broadway Lounge in New York the following Wednesday, on March 16. We'll invite a larger number of people and put VIP passes up for sale as well."

"Do you think people will attend these events?" I ask and he chuckles.

"You won't believe how many calls we've received to inquire about your book. That has never happened before at our publishing house. Since we had a meeting with your website developer, we could find out the percentage of different cities as to where your responses are from."

I look at Edythe and she offers me an excited smile. "You have readers all over the country and a good percentage in Europe too."

"Really?" I gape at her and she nods.

"Yes, it's shocking but exciting. It's been a month since you started the website and your daily recipes and Sunday specials are total hits already!"

Pat nods and continues. "Since you have agreed to the book tour, we have some rough dates of when you can start."

"Sure, I'd like to know about it."

"Well, we can start in the last week of March, in Dallas, Texas and end around May 5 in Vancouver."

"Canada? I thought we were just doing the US."

"Well, you do have a good following in Canada. We figured we could hit two cities, Toronto and Vancouver."

"Okay, I would like to know what cities are included. Just email the list to me, and I'll look through it."

"Sure, Ms. Swan."

A month and half. I'll be travelling, meeting new people, signing books, taking photos… being away from Edward. And I'll be pregnant through it all. Being away from Edward for so long will be unbearable. I have a lot to tell him today.

"Is there anything else left to be discussed?" I ask quietly and check my watch. It's three in the afternoon.

My heart flutters happily. I'll be seeing Edward in less than thirty minutes. I can't wait!

"No, I think that'll be all." Pat nods and Edythe and I stand up.

We bid him goodbye and Edythe and I walk towards the elevators. She starts babbling about the preparations she has been doing for the book launch and whom she plans to invite. She also tells me about a surprise her husband has planned for her but she already knows what it is. I can barely hear her as my mind is preoccupied as I think about how I should tell Edward about the baby.

"Bella, are you alright?" Edythe asks, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Nothing, you seem to be distracted." She mumbles and I blush.

"It's nothing."

"Really? You look different," She stares at me for a moment. "Your face… you seem very happy about something."

I chuckle. "I'm meeting Edward, maybe that's why."

"Might be true."

We step out of the building and my smile disappears when I find two photographers across the street, snapping my picture. Edythe turns to me with a grin on her face.

"Call me if you need anything and let me know when we can meet next."

"Thank you being a great help," I hug her and sigh. "You are the best."

I hear her scoff. "I know that, Bella."

I giggle and she kisses my cheek as she pulls back. "Bye, take care." I whisper and she nods.

"You too. Bye."

Demetri holds the door open and I get in the car. He gets in the driver's seat and looks in the rearview mirror.

"Where to, Ms. Swan?"

"Can you please take me to the gift shop on Ballard Avenue?" I ask and he nods.

"Yes, ma'am."

Half an hour later, I step out of the gift shop with a big grin on my face. I have the perfect gift to surprise Edward with. He'll love it. I'll have to make an appointment of my gynecologist sometime this week for a check-up. I want to know the due date of the baby and exactly how far along I am. One thing is for sure, our baby was definitely conceived when we were in Vienna because that's when I messed up my birth control pills.

I sigh and make my way to my car. My phone buzzes in hand and I check the screen to see it's an unknown number. I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Bella, hi this is Rosalie."

What? Are you kidding me? Rosalie. Rosalie Hale-Cullen just called me? This is the most unexpected call I could ever receive. Why the hell is this woman calling me, anyway? Does she not have anything else to do?

Maybe she is calling to convince me to tell Edward not to go to his parent's place tonight to tell whatever he is going to. I can't judge her intentions unless she lets me know about them. I'm sure I can tell Edward that his dear sister-in-law called me.

"Hi, Rosalie."

Awkward silence.

"Um, I just wanted to let you know a couple of things that I personally think you deserve to know but the rest of the family is keeping from you."

I frown. I have no idea what the hell she is talking about. Edward would never keep something from me unless it doesn't concern me.

"No, thank you Rosalie. I sincerely believe that my Edward would tell me if something happens."

She sighs on the other line. "It's important for me to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you over the phone, can we meet in person?"

I contemplate the offer. Rosalie wants to meet me in person. This had better be important. But, should I go? She isn't the safest person to be around. I strongly believe that after the bookstore incident when she dropped by to insult me in front of the customers that she isn't trustworthy.

"Um, okay. How about we meet tomorrow?" I bite my bottom lip and wait for her to respond. If she wants to meet today that means it's going to be about what's tonight.

"No! Tomorrow is too late. How about Raphael's at four?" I check my watch. It's already five past three thirty. Decisions, decisions.

"Okay, I'll be there."

"Thank you, Bella. This is for your benefit."

"We'll see." I say with mild irritation.

"Um, could you not bring along your bodyguard?" Demetri?

"I'll see how Edward feels about that."

"You can't tell this to Edward. After we finish talking at the cafe, you can place a call and tell him we met. Not before we meet though, please. I know he doesn't necessarily like me."

"He has his reasons to not like you. I'll see what I can do, Rosalie."

"I'll see you in thirty minutes then."

"Bye." I hang up and take a deep breath.

What does Rosalie want to tell me? I'll tell Edward about this as soon as I finish talking to Rosalie. He will flip out if I don't tell him about the suspicious phone call. I tighten my coat around me and an idea strikes in my brain.

Rosalie said I can't bring along Demetri, that doesn't mean I can't ask someone else.

A smile twists on my lips and I call the person who I have in mind. The call is answered two rings later.

"Hi, Bella."

"Hey, I have a small favor to ask. Can you come to Raphael's at four?" I ask hesitantly and hear silence on the other line for few seconds.

"Um, what is it?"

"It's about Rosa—"

"I'm in, tell me everything." She says making me laugh.

"Demetri, you can go home after you drop me here. I'll ask Edward to pick me up." I say and he nods.

"Yes, Bella."

Oh, I forgot to tell Edward! I call him and he answers on the third ring.

"Hi, baby. I'm leaving in two minutes, is your meeting over?" Edward asks gently and I take a deep breath.

"Um, actually I'm meeting Tia at the bookstore right now. Can you come get me at five?"

He groans softly. "Oh come on, Bella! I cancelled two meetings so you and I could spend time together. Weren't you the one crying this morning because we don't spend enough time together? I'll call Tia and tell her to meet you tomorrow."

"Edward, don't. Please, it's just a matter of one hour."

"That doesn't matter! We have to be at my parent's place at seven, we'll hardly get to spend two hours together. I made dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant for eight-thirty." He says in a hard voice and I feel bad about lying to him.

"You can cancel our reservations, sweetheart. We can make something at home. It's not really important. I just want to spend time with you."

"If you were going to cancel our plans later during the day, why did you make me feel guilty in the morning?"

"Honey—"

"I'll see you later, Bella." He hangs up and I sigh tiredly.

I guess he has his reasons to be mad at me.

I walk into the cafe and spot Rosalie sitting in one of the booths with her back to me. I would recognize her hair anywhere. There aren't many people here today. I see a woman in a faraway booth wearing cat-eye gold plated sunglasses and a leather beret. That's… odd. She is reading a book and has a cup of steaming coffee in front of her.

Rosalie suddenly turns and her eyes lock with mine. She gives me a smile and I stare at her as I answer my buzzing phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." Jane whispers and I break my gaze.

"Where are you?" I ask softly and she snorts.

"I'm sitting at the far end. I'm wearing sunglasses. Didn't you recognize me?"

My eyes race back to the woman I was leering and I find her with a phone pressed to her ear. I press my lips together to keep from laughing. Jane is unrecognizable.

"I did not. You look great, by the way."

She scoffs. "Yeah right. Now, don't end the call and keep the phone in your coat. Let's see what Rosalie wants. I want to hear everything."

"You got it."

"If worse comes to worse, I'll come over and smack her pretty face."

I giggle. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Me too. Alright, she's looking confused. You need to go over." Jane whispers urgently and my eyes widen.

"Okay."

I put my phone in the pocket of my coat and walk in her direction. Rosalie turns away from me and gazes out of the window. I take a seat across from her and follow her gaze. She is staring at children who are playing in the garden with a wild happy abandon. I smile looking at them. My stomach fills with butterflies and I snap out of my reverie.

I put my coat on the table so that Jane can listen closely to our conversation. A waitress walks in our direction and puts Rosalie's empty mug on the tray.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" I can't have coffee anymore.

"Water would be fine, thanks." I murmur and she nods.

"Thank you for coming, Bella." Rosalie says, once the waitress it out of an earshot.

I clear my throat and nod my head. "Yes, what is it?"

"It's about Edward," My heart skips a beat. "And something he's kept from you for the last two months."

I frown. Two months. My mind travels back to what happened two months ago. We were in Dubai. We had so much fun. Where the hell is this woman going? Two months ago, Edward was fine. We were doing great.

"What is it?" I ask and the waitress puts a bottle of water in front of me and walks away.

"I'd rather show you." She whispers softly and pulls out a file, I didn't know she was holding on her lap. She puts it on the table and turns it in my direction. She opens it and I gasp staring at the photograph in front of me.

It's Tanya. Not just a picture of Tanya, but a pregnant Tanya Denali. Oh my god, she's huge! I can't predict how far along she is, but she's definitely past four months. That's when you start showing, right? I should know about this now since I'm having one as well.

Why hasn't Edward told me about this? God, he is annoying sometimes. But again, I don't want to fight with him over Tanya. I'm tired of it. Plus, there are happier things to look forward to in life.

"Wow, I had no idea." I murmur and she nods with a smile on her face.

"She is really excited about the baby. It's a boy."

I grin despite my annoyance towards Tanya. "Oh? That's nice."

Maybe she will change now. A child can make you see things in a different light. Perhaps, that has happened with Tanya. Wait a minute. Who's the father? Who would possibly have knocked her up? Is it that architect—Alistair something? Or somebody from the string of boyfriends she's had in the past? I wonder…

"She found out a few months ago." Rosalie whispers and I hear a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"I'm sure things will work out for you." I say kindly and she chuckles, nodding her head.

"Thanks."

How will she react when she finds out I'm pregnant? Will she be jealous of me? I know how passionately she wants to be a mother. I don't think she'll speak to me.

"Is this what you wanted to tell me?" I ask and her eyes meet mine.

"Yes," I sigh with relief that it wasn't anything serious. "But there is more to this than you can see."

I frown. "What more?"

She flips through some pages and shows a medical report.

"How far along do you think she is?"

"I don't know," I murmur to myself. "She does looks like she's ready to pop at any moment."

"She's eight months along." Rosalie says and her blue eyes hold my gaze. Her lips curl into a smile, almost a smirk.

Wait a minute. Eight months? My heart stops. Eight months? I back track from January and I freeze.

June.

She got pregnant in June. Edward and I spoke about something not long ago that rushes back to me.

"I'm sorry, but it's not like you didn't have sex with Tanya even after we met."

"Not once," Wow. "We barely kissed."

We barely kissed. They barely kissed. After we met. We met on July 9. We met when he was about to be engaged. We met when he was in an unhappy relationship. We met when Tanya was carrying his baby? No. No. NO! This can't be it. She is pregnant with my boyfriend's baby?

No. That's not true. I don't believe it. I don't buy her explanation. Edward can't have a child with that woman. She would've had a baby bump when she came to our place and held me at gunpoint in September. I remember her clothes vividly. She was wearing the skankiest lingerie I had ever seen, and she was drunk.

Tanya is having a boy. I can't picture her son looking like my Edward. Rosalie is lying. Edward is not the father. I wrap my arms protectively around my stomach and take a shaky breath. This is our baby.

"You're lying, Rosalie." I whisper and swallow the lump in my throat. I blink back my tears and gaze at her.

She peers at me with an unreadable expression on her face. "I thought you might say that. I have somebody bringing the paternity test results. Edward took them last weekend." What?

"Okay, I'll wait." I mutter and drink water from the bottle.

I fiddle with my promise ring and stare at my hands. How is this possible? I still don't understand. When Tanya texted Edward two weeks ago, was she talking about a paternity test?

Suddenly, I hear a loud cough from Jane's direction. I peek at her and find that she has sputtered coffee all over the book and table. I frown. I follow her gaze and a gasp escapes my lips. My eyes well with tears and I can't believe what I'm seeing.

Tanya has stepped inside the cafe, dressed in an ivory sweater dress that tightly hugs her body. She has a large protruding belly as she waddles in our direction. She is more than six months along. Oh dear god! Is Rosalie right? Is she really eight months pregnant? My breathing quickens as I stare at her. What about my baby?

"Hello, Bella." Tanya says and carefully sits next to Rosalie. My stomach churns uneasily and I have the sudden urge to puke.

I don't greet her and she slides the file she brought in my direction. I open it and read the Paternity Test Certificate. The results are quite similar for Edward and Tanya's baby. I skim through the minor details and read the conclusion.

Based on our analysis, it is practically proven that Mr. Edward Cullen is the biological father of the child.

I can feel tears streaming down my face as I stare at the results. This is a nightmare. I flip through the other pages and stop short on the Paternity Test Form. Edward has signed the form. He took the test last week. Why didn't he tell me?!

I pause my tears and look closely at his signature. I haven't known Edward for very long, nor have I ever watched him make any business deals but I do know his writing habits. Edward uses his first and last name when he signs documents. Whereas, he uses his initial E.A.C when he signs checks. He has signed his initials on this form. That's weird.

"Oh look, he's kicking!" Tanya exclaims happily and I gaze at her. She beams at Rosalie and rubs her belly. "I think he knows we're talking about his father."

Rosalie simpers in my direction. "Oh and there is something you should know, Bella. The family knows about it."

Wait a minute. No, they don't.

"Everybody knows?"

"Yes, every family member knows. We are so excited. It's the first grandchild of the family. We figured Edward had mentioned everything to you and it was a hard topic, so we never spoke about it in front of you. Esme and Alice started shopping months ago."

"Even Jane?" I croak out and she nods.

"Jane is also very excited." Rosalie says and I wipe away my tears.

These bitches are trying to scare me so that I will leave Edward. I know exactly what they want. Tanya wants Edward and Rosalie wants me to break up with Edward so that he doesn't tell her secret tonight. Oh, they are smart. I must give them credit for using their brains. But, they didn't plan perfectly.

"Oh shoot, I didn't know Jane knew about it. She never mentioned this to me." I whisper and Rosalie rolls her eyes.

"Why would she? Anyway, now you know the truth."

"Do I?" I whisper and turn towards Jane.

"Jane, are you happy about the first grandchild of the family?" I ask loud enough for her to hear. I end the call and Jane stands up from her position.

I turn to Rosalie and Tanya who are white as sheet. Jane removes her glasses and beret and walks in our direction. She smiles sweetly and pats Tanya's head.

"Of course I am happy about the grandbaby." Jane gushes fakely and I stifle a giggle.

"Jane… what are you…" Rosalie stutters and gulps.

"Now Tanya, is that a baby or babies?" Jane asks and Tanya blankly stares at her. Oh my god, she's having twins. Poor babies.

"This is Edward's baby." She snaps harshly and I giggle.

"Tanya, give it a rest."

"These aren't twins; did you not see the results?" Rosalie shoves the files in my direction and I roll my eyes.

"Rosalie, Tanya your plan failed miserably. Anybody can fake results. And for the signature… you should've paid closer attention to Edward's signature habits. This is not how he would sign them."

"Good observation, Bella," Jane says and I rise to my feet. I smile sweetly in Rosalie's direction who is glaring murderously in my direction.

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Rosalie."

"We'll see you this evening at Esme and Carlisle's… if you drop by after this." Jane says and I smile.

Jane walks away and I don my coat again. I grab my purse and we walk out of the cafe leaving the two blondes still recovering from what just happened. Once we are out, we burst out laughing and I try to catch my breath.

"That was so much fun. Thank you for inviting me, Bella."

"No problem. And how did you know that they were twins?" I ask curiously and she points to her phone.

"I texted one of my friends and asked her. She is close friends with Carmen. I texted her as soon as Tanya entered the cafe. I couldn't believe it!" She shakes her head and I sigh.

"Same here. But, thank god we found out the truth."

"Bella, thank you for not trusting what they said. They had documents and a lot of evidence but you held your ground."

"I would've left Edward if any of it had been true." I mutter and she nods.

"Of course. He should've told the family about Tanya's pregnancy."

I chuckle humorlessly. "Oh, he is not getting away with this so easily. He has no idea what is going to happen to him once we meet."

"Don't be too harsh on him."

"I'll see what I can do."

"How are you going home?" She asks and I smile.

"Edward is picking me up. And I'm sure Demetri is lurking around somewhere even though I told him to go home." I mutter and she chuckles.

"Okay, now I have to get some work done before we meet in the evening. I have to rush. Bye, darling. I'll see you in a while," Jane gives me a tight hug and releases me.

"Bye."

Jane goes to her waiting car and I spot Demetri standing not far from me, reading a poster. I walk over to him and his eyes widen when he finds me walking in his direction. I notice he is holding my gift wrapped box in his hand.

"Demetri." I nod at him and he nods back politely.

"Ms. Swan."

"I thought I told you to go home."

"Your forgot your gift in the car. I thought it was important." He says with a straight face and I give him an amused smile.

"Yes, it is. Thank you very much. Now, you can really go home."

He gives me a hesitant look. "Bella, I can drop you off."

"No, thank you. Please go home. Edward and Matt will be here any moment."

"Yes, ma'am."

Demetri passes me the gift and walks away. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I check the name on the screen. Edward. How should I handle this phone call? I'm mad at him but I don't want to be too harsh. I want to share the news about our baby but he needs to know about Rosalie first. I answer his call.

"Hey."

"Bella love, I'm sorry for being rude on the phone earlier." He apologizes earnestly and my hard demeanor almost crumbles. Almost.

How can he not tell me Tanya's pregnant?!

"It's okay." I whisper and continue walking down the street. My bookstore is one block away; I can be there in ten minutes.

"What's wrong? You sound different."

"Can you pick me up at the bookstore? I sent Demetri home."

"Uh sure," He pauses for a moment. "Bella baby, what happened?"

"Are you on your way?"

"I'm leaving in five minutes. Why are you dodging my question?" He asks anxiously and I tighten my hold on the gift.

"We'll talk when we meet. I have a lot to tell you." I snap angrily and increase my pace.

"Okay, I'm sorry if I did something to upset you."

"Your apology is not going to get you out of it, Edward."

"Tell me already, Bella."

"I know Tanya's pregnant," I mutter and hear nothing but silence on the other line. "Given your less than verbal acknowledgement, I'm sure you are shocked."

"How—How did you find out?" He croaks out and clears his throat.

"I saw her today. Along with your sister-in-law."

"What? Where?" He demands and I roll my eyes.

"I want to talk to you face-to-face about it. I just want you to know how upset I am that you didn't share this with me. I don't want to be in a relationship where my partner doesn't trust me. I don't want you to keep things like this from me. This was important news. I should've known about it."

"I'm sorry, Bella."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to tell you after the test results came back. We received them an hour ago. I was going to tell you tonight."

"I guess we have a lot to share tonight," I murmur and stare at the gift.

"We still do. Is there something else you want to tell me?" He asks warily and I blush.

"Hmm, yes. Something very important." I whisper and hear him chuckle.

"What might that be?"

"It's a surprise." I smile and take a right turn and my bookstore comes into my view.

"You're happy. Did Alice cancel your shopping plans?"

"No."

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Yes."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Edward." I whisper and hear a screech of tires behind me.

I turn and gasp loudly when I see a car charging towards me. As if everything happens in slow motion, the car hits me with a force and I'm thrown towards the street. My phone slips out of my hands in the process and I find myself lying on my stomach in the middle of the road. My head is throbbing with pain and I'm unable to move my limbs.

Through my hooded gaze, I see the shiny black car dashing away and disappearing altogether. I can feel tears streaming down my eyes and sharp pain generating in my abdomen. I can hear whispers around me and see blood dripping from my forehead on the concrete road. I pant softly and wince in pain. It hurts to breathe.

I try to lift my head and see a minivan speeding in my direction. My heart quickens and everything blacks out.

SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!

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