THE OTHER WOMAN
DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.
January 25, 2016
EDWARD
My phone buzzes when I'm in the middle of a business meeting with the Directors and Alex. I smile when I see Bella's face and name flashing on the screen. I check the time on my watch. It's seven-thirty in the evening. I wonder what's happened so I answer it.
"Hey." I whisper and run a hand through my hair.
"Hey," She mumbles and I hear her yawn. "When are you coming home?"
"Probably in an hour or two. I am in the middle of a meeting. I told you, darling. Remember?" I remind her and she sighs.
"Oh right! I completely forgot. I'm sorry. There is just so much on my mind today, I didn't remember. Sorry."
"It's okay, love. Have dinner and get some sleep. You sound tired." I whisper and can't help but worry. She needs rest.
"I will. Bye, I love you." She says softly and I smile.
"I love you too. Bye." I end the call and the meeting resumes.
Around ten pm, the meeting ends and Alex and I bid everyone goodbye. We stay back as everybody leaves, and he takes a seat on my left. He gives me a big grin and I roll my eyes. I have no clue what he wants.
"What is it?" I ask and he clears his throat.
"How was the trip to Chicago?"
"It was fine." I'm engaged to the love of my life, it was fucking amazing.
"Just fine?" He prods and crosses his arms over his chest. "I heard some rumors from Alice and Aunt Esme."
"About what?" I ask casually and he glares at me.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Edward?!" He yells in exasperation and I chuckle.
"I proposed to Bella, and she said yes." I tell him and he grins at me.
"Oh my god, that's amazing! Congratulations! When is the wedding?"
"We haven't discussed that yet. We're just really happy to stay in our bubble until Alice, mom and Aunt Jane break it." I explain and he laughs out loud.
"That is true. Do you want to drop by Emmett's before leaving for home?" Alex asks and I check the time. It's five past ten. Bella must already be asleep.
Sure, what the hell.
"Yes, let's go."
The elevator opens and Alex and I step inside Emmett's apartment. He shocked every single person in the family when he sold his house and moved to the penthouse he bought a few years back. Emmett and I purchased penthouses at the same time, with mine on the floor above his. Emmett has barely used his, but he is surely going to make this his permanent residence now.
Emmett threw, literally threw Rosalie out of their house and she went running back to her parents in New York. Mom mentioned that Chris and Jill called and they want to meet Emmett here in Seattle. I have no clue what Emmett's reaction is going to be. They always treat him like their son. They love Emmett.
Alex gravitates towards the wet bar and I shake my head. I walk past the foyer and find Emmett sitting in the living room, working on his laptop with a pile of files next to him.
"Hey, Em." I greet cautiously and he turns to gaze at me.
His lips curl into a smile and he puts his laptop away. He rises to his feet and walks over. He gives me a tight hug and I pat his back.
"Congrats. Heard you finally got the balls to propose to Bella."
I laugh and pull back. "I did. And she said yes."
He rolls his eyes. "Of course she did. I told you on the phone as well. She wouldn't have refused. And I'm sure you must have proposed in the sappiest way possible."
"Hey," I frown and glare at him. "It was romantic as hell."
He grins. "Sure it was."
"I hope you're fine with that," I say in a low voice and try to gauge his reaction. "We were planning to get married in the next month or so. Is that alright? We haven't told anyone yet. Bella and I wanted to check with you first."
"Of course I'm fine with it," He smiles and pats my shoulder. "You know how much I love you and Bella. Nothing would make me happier than that. I wish I was a better example of how to have a happy marriage."
His smile turns bittersweet and I sigh. "Emmett, it's done. It's better late than never, right? You are doing amazingly well. We are all proud of you."
"I know, I'm glad I have my family's support," He says and puts his hands in his pockets.
"Do you want to be the best man?" I ask and he snorts.
I hear footsteps stomping my way and I know its Alex. "Oh no, no, no. I'm the best man. Emmett, back off. And Edward, shut the fuck up."
I glower at him. "Shouldn't I be the one getting to decide who my best man is?"
Alex rolls his eyes. "No, we decided this when Emmett got married. Will was Emmett's best man, I get to be yours, Emmett will be my best man and you'll be Will's."
"That's ridiculous and you sound like Alice. Plus, do you really think Will is ever getting married? I'll never get to be a best man. He'll probably be the bachelor uncle that can't be left unsupervised with my kids."
Emmett and Alex laugh at that. Alex speaks up. "Hey, we made a pact so don't argue."
"Whatever," I grumble and stare at the tray in his hands. "Did you fit the whole bar on that tray?"
"It's time to get drunk!" He whoops and I glare at him.
"It's Monday." I inform him and Emmett shrugs by my side.
"I don't mind actually. It's been a rough couple of weeks." Emmett says and I give in. I can't argue with that.
"Sure, go ahead and get drunk." I mutter and they grin.
"Let's play pool. It's been a while since we've played." Alex suggests and we go to Emmett's library where the pool table is situated.
I rack the balls on the pool table as I watch Emmett and Alex line up shot glasses to pour tequila. Alex meticulously cuts lime wedges and puts them on the side. He keeps the salt ready and they high five each other.
Oh boy, it's going to be hell.
"Edward, are you in for shots?" Emmett asks and I shake my head.
"Thanks, I'm good."
"Come on, don't be such a pansy ass!" He shouts and I gaze at him skeptically.
"Have you started drinking already, Emmett?"
"Whatever, dude."
"Alright, Em are you ready?" Alex asks and they hold up their shot glasses.
"I was born ready." And they gulp down their drinks.
God help me.
"… I mean, how could she lie to me for all of these years! That whore!" Emmett yells as I help his drunken form towards the master bedroom.
"Emmett, calm down."
"I loved her, Edward. I loved her. And she cheated on me," He mumbles and stumbles against the door. "I'm so sorry, Edward. Are you okay?"
I roll my eyes. "I am fine. Let's get you into bed buddy."
"I think about her all the time. I don't accept her to call," He frowns. "Accept. Except. Accept. Accept. No! Not this word. Do you know what word I'm thinking about?"
"Do you mean expect?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Yes. You are a genius. You are the smartest person I know, do you know that? And you will have a wonderful family while I'll be all alone."
"Emmett, you have everybody here to support you."
"I'm just sad that I'm sad but others are not sad." He sighs and plops on the bed. I take off his shoes and pull the blanket over his body.
"Everything is going to be okay. Sleep. I'll call you in the morning."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
I smile and get off the bed. I can hear his loud snores as he immediately falls asleep. I return to the library and find Alex passed out on the bean bag chair. I shake him but he swats my hand away.
"Go away!" He yells and I slap him.
"Wake the fuck up, Alex. Sleep in the guest room."
"Ow," He rubs his cheek and opens his eyes. "You're mean."
"Get up. Now." I say sternly and he grumpily stands up.
Alex stumbles into me and I steady him. I carefully lead him to the guest room and he immediately crashes on the bed.
"Night, Edward. You're the best." He mumbles sleepily and drifts off to sleep. I take off his shoes and drape the blanket over him.
I place two Advils and a glass of water on the nightstands of both bedrooms before I rush out of the penthouse. After five shots, Alex and Emmett started wrestling and almost punched the daylights out of each other. I had to stop their fight and then Emmett started crying and rambling shit about his wife.
Ugh, I'm done for the day.
January 26, 2016
I step inside my bedroom and gently shut the door behind me. I find Bella sleeping on the bed and am tempted to crawl under the covers next to her, but I stop myself. I need to freshen up first. I need to wash off the tequila stench. I grab a change of clothes and take a quick shower.
Ten minutes later, I'm ready for bed. I check the time on the radio alarm and it's ten past midnight. Fuck, I hope Bella isn't mad at me. I get under the sheets and spoon her sleeping figure. I sigh soundly when I touch her warm body. I bury my face against her sweet-smelling hair and close my eyes.
"Edward?" Bella whispers and I kiss her hair.
"Shh, go to sleep."
"What time is it?"
"Midnight."
"That's strange." She mumbles and puts her hand on top of mine on her belly.
"What happened, love?" I ask softly and kiss her shoulder.
"Nothing, I just thought it was later than that."
"What time did you go to bed?"
She sighs. "Around nine-thirty. I was very tired today and then I woke up twenty minutes ago to throw up my dinner."
"I'm sorry, baby. How was your day?"
"The worst one ever," She whispers and her voice breaks. "I slept until eleven after we came home from Chicago and you were gone by the time I woke up. I peed about ten times today and all I wanted to eat was spaghetti with Oreos. I missed you so much." She sobs and turns in my direction.
"Hey, beautiful. Don't cry. I'm here now. I'll go late to the office today. We'll spend the morning together. Does that sound nice?"
Bella nods and sniffles softly. "Yes."
"And I missed you too. I couldn't wait to get back home to you."
"Then why are you so late?" She pouts and I sigh.
"You don't want to know."
I wipe away her tears and press my lips against hers. Her soft lips mold against mine and she runs her hands through my hair. I sigh and deepen our kiss. Her tongue dances with mine and I lightly graze my teeth against her bottom lip. My hands travel from her face down to her clothes and I realize she is wearing nothing but a silk camisole and matching panties.
Fuck, it's been more than two weeks since we've had sex. I'm dying here. It took everything in me not to make love to Bella on our engagement night. It was the most special night of our lives and all we did was drink hot chocolate and have a heavy make-out session. It was not enough.
I can feel my member rising as Bella pushes her body impossibly closer to mine and smiles against my lips. Oh, she loves to tease me. Alright, I can play dirty too. Her breathing hitches when I play with the waistband of her panties. My right hand travels inside her camisole and she whimpers softly. I let my other hand graze against her breast and she swats it away.
Bella pulls back and sighs. "They hurt, a lot."
"I'm sorry." I whisper and put my hands on her waist. I peck her lips and she smiles sadly.
"I didn't mean to kill your buzz. I'm sorry too."
"Don't be, I understand."
"Thank you," She gives me a chaste kiss. "And what kind of meeting goes on until midnight?" She demands suddenly and I smile.
"The meeting got over at ten and later, Alex and I went to Emmett's place."
"Oh," Her expression softens. "Is he alright?"
I nod and bury my face against her neck. She massages my scalp and I sigh soundly. "That feels nice, baby."
"Hmm, tell me what happened."
I tell the entire incident to Bella. She is silently listening to me and I would've thought she was asleep if it wasn't for the soothing massage she is giving me. Once I'm done, I stroke her arm and feel her soft breathing against my hair.
"What are you thinking about?" I murmur and Bella kisses my forehead.
"Do you think he'll feel alright about our wedding?" She asks hesitantly and I pull back from her.
"Yes, I spoke to him about it." I say and put my head on the pillow next to hers so that we are at an eye level.
"What did he say?"
"Emmett has no problem with it. He is very happy for us." I assure her but the unsettling expression on her face doesn't dissolve.
"Do you think it will be selfish of us to get married while he recently separated from his wife?"
"I don't know, baby. I really don't," I admit and stroke her cheek. "But, I also know that I don't want to wait another year before we get married."
"Me neither." She whispers and kisses me.
"We can fly to Vegas right now and get married." I shrug and she giggles. Her beautiful eyes shine brightly and I chuckle.
"That sounds tempting, Cullen. Very tempting. But, I want to get married to you in front of our friends and family." She explains and I nod.
"We can do whatever you want."
"And I want to get married before this peanut starts to show." Bella says shyly and strokes her belly.
"Peanut?" I ask curiously and she laughs.
"Well, the baby looked like a peanut during the ultrasound and we don't know if it's a boy or girl yet… so peanut."
"I like peanut," I smile and give her a chaste kiss. "Do you want to get married next month, like we decided?"
"Yes, but after the book launch."
"Of course. Can I tell you a secret?"
She gasps with mock surprise. "You're keeping secrets from your wife-to-be?"
I laugh. "Just one. Well, I have been planning to propose since we came back from Vienna and I knew neither of us would want to wait for long. So, I had a meeting with Edythe and Frieda and the marketing team three weeks ago. I told them my plans and they picked up the pace for the book launch. They were surprisingly supportive of it."
I continue. "So when Edythe was speaking to us in Chicago, she casually slipped the point of preponing the date so that we will have almost two months' worth of time for the wedding and honeymoon."
"You are so sneaky, Edward Cullen," She chuckles and kisses my lips. "I didn't suspect at all. I'm happy you did that."
"You're welcome."
"Wait," Bella suddenly frowns. "The honeymoon? You've planned our honeymoon already?"
I grin at her. "You're going to love it, baby. And it'll be a perfect distraction from all that's happening. Then you can start your book tour later."
She blushes and plays with my fingers. "Where are we going?"
"It's going to be a surprise. Let's just leave it at that. So, the wedding date?" I change the topic and it works. She gazes at me thoughtfully and smiles.
"February 21?"
I smile back. "February 21, it is."
"I can't wait!" She says excitedly and I nuzzle her hair.
"I know."
"I love you," Bella whispers and gives me a chaste kiss. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, angel."
"Alice will love to help with the preparations," She muses and puts her head on my chest. I stroke her hair and sigh. "We should decide on the venue though."
"Yeah," I murmur and kiss her hair. "I'll have to ask Zidek to arrange security. I mean, it's going to be chaotic. There'll be reporters and paparazzi everywhere. I wish we could get married somewhere in which we wouldn't have to worry about all of that."
Bella grins at me. "Then we should."
"Really? You wouldn't mind?" I ask happily and she giggles.
"Not if it gets you this excited." She points out and I smile.
"How about Rome?"
Her eyes bulge out and she gazes at me like I've grown three heads. "I was thinking somewhere near Seattle."
I roll my eyes. "Think big, Bella."
"Yeah well, I don't want you to spend your money on an expensive wedding."
"Our money." I correct her and she huffs.
"Edward, Rome really?"
"Yes, baby. There is a lovely venue, 20-something miles from Rome in a town called Bracciano. You'd love it."
"I just feel like that large a sum of money could be put to better use," She says in a small voice and bites her bottom lip anxiously.
"I agree, darling. How about we donate all the leftovers to the charity you want? The food can be given to a homeless shelter and the flowers can be sent to hospitals, funeral homes, or senior living facilities. We can also donate the dinnerware to a charity. Does that sound good?" I ask and her lips curl into a heart-stopping smile. She's so beautiful.
"Yes, that sounds great. I love the idea. You're so smart." She tightly hugs me and kisses my neck.
"I know that, Bella." I say cockily and I know she must be rolling her eyes.
"Sure, sure."
"So, Rome?"
She beams at me. "Rome it is!"
I shut my laptop and let out a sigh. I check the time on my phone and see that it's seven-thirty. Shit, we're late. I hope Bella is ready because we need to leave for mom and dad's place in ten minutes. I go to our bedroom and walk straight into my closet. I change out of my work clothes and put on a pair of navy blue trousers, a white cashmere sweater, and a blue bomber jacket.
As I'm tying my shoelaces, I try to hear any sounds from Bella's closet, but hear nothing. I frown. Maybe she is ready already. I make my way to her closet and find her to be nowhere around. Her vanity is clean and there aren't clothes on the tub chairs; usually they are strewn across them while she tries on outfits. Fuck, she's not ready.
I know exactly where my fiancée is.
I walk in the direction of the basement past the library. I can hear her talking on the phone to someone and she sounds anxious. I open the door and watch her pacing behind her desk with a worried expression on her beautiful face. I notice her attire and she still in her shirt and sweatpants.
Bella ends the call and her brown eyes unexpectedly meet mine. She stares at my clothes and screws her eyes shut.
"I'm so sorry, honey. I completely forgot about dinner at Esme and Carlisle's." She apologizes and I walk over to her.
I don't care about the dinner right now. Bella looks genuinely worried and I want know what happened. She looks like she might cry at any moment. That's also partly because she's hormonal but I can tell there is something bothering her.
"Forget about it for now. What's wrong? Who were you talking to?" I ask and she puts her phone on the desk.
"It was Edythe. She said that the owner of the studio in New York—where my launch event will be, has pulled out at the last minute due to legal issues. It's in two weeks, Edward. How are we going to find a place on such short notice? We've already put the tickets on sale; the venue has been printed in every place we're marketing. I don't know how we're going to pull this off."
"I'm sure you'll figure something out. I'm here to help too, baby." I say gently and she nods.
"I know that," She whispers and buries her face against my chest. I rock her back and forth and kiss her hair.
"My girl can get through any problem, I'm confident."
"I hope so." She tightens her arms around me and sniffles.
"Don't cry, my love. Do you want to cancel tonight? I can call mom. We can stay home."
"No," Bella pulls back and I wipe away the tears gathered around her eyes. "I want to go. I need a distraction."
"Okay, I'll call mom and tell her that we're running a bit late," I whisper and she nods. "Can you please smile for me?"
Bella shakes her head and her bottom lip quivers. She plays with the zip of my jacket and sniffles against me. I envelope her in my arms and a sob escapes her chest. I lift her and set her on the desk. I hug her impossibly closer to me and let her cry. She was already nervous about the book launch, and silly enough to read articles talking trash about her. She's thrown up three times since this morning.
Five minutes later, her cries turn to whimpers and I sigh with relief. She breathes against me and I pull back enough to gaze at her gorgeous tear-stained face. I kiss away her tears and touch my forehead to hers.
"We'll figure everything out tomorrow morning, I promise. For now, take your mind off it. I want you to get a good night's sleep. Can you do that for me, darling?"
"Yes," She says and tries to compose her face.
"Good girl," I kiss the top of her head. "Second, get dressed. We'll go to mom and dad's. Alice will probably start making plans for our wedding and drive you crazy. She probably already has an idea about what kind of wedding dress you want."
That makes her smile and her brown eyes stare into mine. "Probably."
"Don't underestimate Alice. She designed her wedding dress when she was fourteen. And she already has a menu planned and the band decided. Good luck to Jasper, she's going to literally give him a heart attack."
Bella chuckles and shakes her head. "Well, I think Jasper can handle her."
"Good thing you didn't have crazy wedding plans in your head already." I say and she giggles. She blushes and shyly stares at me from under her lashes.
"When I was fourteen, I wanted to marry Justin Timberlake and have a lot of babies." She mumbles and I burst out laughing.
"I apologize I'm no Justin Timberlake. You had to settle for less." I stroke her cheek and she shakes her head.
"You are the handsomest, most caring and compassionate man in the world. I love you. You are my everything." Bella says and cradles my face in her hands. She gives me a soft kiss and I eagerly kiss her back. I don't know what I've done to deserve such a beautiful angel in my life.
"I love you, Bella. I hope I tell you enough how much you mean to me." I say and she chuckles.
"More than enough."
I grin at her. "Would you like to get dressed, ma'am? We need to go."
She pecks my lips. "Give me ten minutes."
"… and we can contact the catering, you don't have to worry. It's going to be perfect. You also don't need to hire a wedding planner. Aunt Jane and I will take care of everything. Now, what do you think should be the theme…" I ignore Alice's annoying suggestions and turn to gaze at Emmett who is sitting alone on a sofa, drinking beer.
Dad and Alex are in the kitchen plating dessert for everyone; mom is on the phone with Pops—whom I called to tell about the engagement and now he wants to speak to everyone. I tune my attention back to where I am and see a lost expression on Bella's face as Aunt Jane and Alice torture her with information.
I gently unwrap myself from Bella and she sends me a panicked glance. I smile apologetically and kiss her lips. "I'm sorry; I can't sit here any longer. I think I'm going to get myself a bottle of beer."
"You traitor. We are in this together!" She hisses and I peck her lips again.
"Sorry, bye." I stand up and she grabs my hand.
"Edward…"
"Bella, listen! I need your help to decide the centerpieces. We'll keep the look romantic, obviously," Alice mutters the latter part to herself and Aunt Jane nods in approval. Bella turns to them and I sneak away as quickly as I can.
I grab a bottle of beer from the bar and set down next to Emmett. He gives me a half smile and takes a swig of his beer.
"Rome, huh? Sounds great." He comments and I nod.
"Yeah, uh we just didn't want the media to cover our wedding. We'll keep it low key." I explain and he gazes at me.
"That's smart. My wedding was in New York and my wife absolutely loved the media attention. She craved it. That's why we spent millions on our wedding, not because she loved me." He mutters and I remain mum. I don't know what to say.
"Emmett—"
He cuts me off. "Sign a prenup."
"No." I say firmly and shake my head. My eyes race over to my Bella who has a gorgeous smile on her face as she speaks to Aunt Jane and Alice.
"Don't be an idiot."
I get irritated with my brother. "What do you mean? Do you think Bella is some kind of gold-digger? That she's marrying me for my money?"
"Edward, it's not about that. I know what a great person Bella is. But, it's better to just have one signed."
"We are not discussing this again." I snap and he glares at me.
"I'm looking out for you, Edward. Don't get angry at me. A prenup clarifies your financial rights and obligations."
"Well, what's mine is Bella's. End of topic."
"You think that you're going down the same path and few years later, you find out you married the wrong person and when you have a prenup like I do, there won't be a lengthy legal process to get divorced."
I sigh. "Emmett, Bella and I will be getting married soon. Can you please not mention divorce already?"
"I'm just looking out for you, for fuck's sake!" His voice gets louder than before and all heads turn in our direction.
I glower at him and rise to my feet. "Keep your fucking concern to yourself! I don't need that right now. I know I'm making the right decision! I don't need your advice!"
I put my bottle away and walk towards the balcony. I open the French doors and a chilly air breezes in. I walk out and close the doors, taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of my nose. How can Emmett even think of the possibility of Bella and me getting divorced? Just because he had a failed marriage with his wife doesn't mean I will too.
Mom and dad never signed a prenup. Emmett had because I think he knew his wife was a fucking gold-digger.
I hear the door open behind me and already know who it is.
"My god, it's freezing out here." Bella whispers and tightly hugs me. She remains wrapped to me and I kiss the top of her head.
"Baby, please go back in the house. It's really cold." I say and stroke her cheek. Her brown eyes look patient and curious.
"I will, in just a moment." She mumbles and I hold her.
A few seconds later, I sigh and play with her engagement ring. "I had a small argument with Emmett."
"I saw that. What was it about?"
"He suggested that you and I should sign a prenup." I scoff as soon as the words come out of my mouth.
Bella patiently gazes at me. "Maybe we should."
"No!"
"Hey, it's alright," She says gently and smiles. "I won't mind. I think your lawyers might suggest the same thing."
"That's bullshit, Bella. Everything I have is yours and I won't have it any other way."
"I get it," She rubs my back. "But, you can't blame Emmett. He is just concerned for you. He's going through a rough patch and he just shared what he was feeling."
"I didn't like it."
"Come on, Edward. You have to be mature about this," She murmurs and kisses my jaw. "You have to be supportive towards Emmett. His marriage is over and you can tell he isn't the happiest person in the room right now. Everybody is in a jolly mood, and he can't be that way a week after what happened. He loved that woman."
"All I'm saying is that don't take his words the wrong way. He's hurt right now. Just listen and nod along to whatever he is saying. Maybe you can help him out with something. You always do. He is comfortable talking to you. Be patient, please."
"Okay." I smile and peck her lips. She smiles against my lips and kisses me again.
"Come on in now. Esme's dessert is served and she made blueberry pie."
"Did she? Sounds delicious."
Bella turns to leave and I grab her wrist. I yank her back in my arms and she smiles with surprise on her face. I connect our lips for a kiss and she laughs but kisses me back. I wind my arms around her waist and continue kissing her until we run out of breath. She tries to catch her breath and chuckles.
"Let's go." Bella interlaces our hands and we make our way to the family den again.
"Wow, that's delicious!" I hear a familiar voice mumble with a mouthful of pie and Bella and I turn to see Will sitting on the armchair with his duffle bag at his feet.
"Will! Oh my god!" Bella beams at him and I frown.
"Aren't you supposed to be in LA?" I ask and he rolls his eyes.
"Yes, sir. Well, Alice said that she might know something that might get me really…" He trails off when his eyes slowly fall on the engagement ring in Bella's hand. "Oh my god..."
"I know right!" Alice bounces excitedly and I chuckle.
"I forgot to lock the car." Will ends his sentence, making everyone sigh.
"Thanks, Will." Bella says dryly and immediately reaches for a plate of pie. She settles next to Will and he hugs her.
"Congratulations, darling. I'm so happy for Edward, although you could've done better." He says and sends me a sarcastic smile. I flip him off and sit next to mom on the sofa.
Everyone engages in a light chatter over dessert and I see Emmett having a monosyllable conversation with dad. He gazes in my direction and I look away. I watch Will put his empty plate away but the fork remains in his hand. Bella turns to talk to Aunt Jane and he grabs a sizeable amount of pie from her plate.
Big mistake.
"Dude, don't." I whisper loud enough for Will to hear but he ignores me. He has no idea how possessive Bella is about food these days.
Bella turns her attention back to her plate and then looks at Will—who is putting a forkful of her blueberry pie in his mouth. She sends him a death glare and his face comically contracts with fear.
"I—I'm sorry, Bella. It's just there was no pie left and I was really hungry. I didn't mean to eat it." He stutters out and Alice tries to control her laughter.
"How dare you eat my dessert?! Do you know how long I have been waiting to eat this? I've thrown up three times today! Three times! Do you realize how difficult it is to constantly be nauseous and run to the bathroom to pee every two hours?! I can't have coffee or alcohol. This pie was literally the only thing I was looking forward to. Why did you—"
I cut her off. "Bella baby, come sit with me," I say softly and her angry brown eyes meet mine. Her anger melts and instead tears prick her eyes. "Come here."
I nod encouragingly and she rises to her feet. She walks in my direction and blushes when she finds all eyes on her. I can see everyone staring at her in shock and she's embarrassed. When she is close enough, I pull her onto my lap and she hides herself against me.
"Everyone's staring." Bella mumbles and her voice breaks. She buries her face against the crook of my neck and takes deep breaths.
"You want to eat my blueberry pie?" I ask gently and she shakes her head.
"I have to go pee." She stands up and leaves the room without glancing at anybody.
"Guys, what the hell was that?" I snap angrily and Alex sighs.
"We've never seen her that angry. And about food!" He says incredulously and I nod.
"She's just really picky about food these days and she is physically and mentally exhausted today. Don't push it."
"You should've told us beforehand," Mom says and shakes her head. "I would've made her favorite foods."
"It's alright, mom. She'll be fine. And Will, don't eat food off her plate for the next eight months." I order him and he nods.
"Noted," He says and mock salutes me. "Anyway, have you guys decided on a date yet?"
"Yep, February 21." I flash him a smile and his eyes widen.
"Damn, that's soon."
"Guess where Edward and Bella decided to get married?" Aunt Jane asks excitedly and her blue eyes gleam with exuberance.
"Chicago?" Will guesses and she shakes her head.
"At the Odescalchi Castle in Rome!" She yells in delight and I laugh. I can't believe she is so excited about it.
"That's amazing! I've never been to Rome. Good call."
"Thanks," I look around and find Emmett nowhere. I frown. "Where's Emmett?"
"He said he had to make an urgent call," Dad shrugs. "He's in my study."
Mom puts her hand on my shoulder and I gaze at her. "Honey, get everything sorted with him. You know things have been rough for him. Why don't you talk him into seeing a counselor? My friend divorced her husband last year, and she consulted Dr. Gerard Pollock to cope up with the issue. She said that he helped her a great deal."
I nod at her thoughtfully. "I'll try. He is going to file for divorce, isn't he?"
Dad chuckles without humor. "He already has, son. And Chris and Jill are coming to meet us on Thursday."
"Oh, does Emmett know?"
"Of course. He wants to speak to them too."
"Hmm."
"Also, Pops is coming the same day." Mom says and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
"Really? That's shocking. Why is he coming?"
"He's been under the weather lately and he can rest better here. Plus, he wants to meet everyone. I think if you convince him, he will probably stay until your wedding. We can fly together from here."
"Yeah, that sounds great. I haven't told him about the baby yet. I think he'll be really happy." I grin and she smiles at me.
"Definitely. He seems very pumped up to give Chris and Jill an earful about how badly they raised their daughter 'Emily'," She chuckles. "He doesn't even remember her name. He also told me that he never really liked her."
Dad groans. "I hope he doesn't blurt that out in front of them. God, he can be irritating at times. Edward, can you take him to see your place? I bet Bella and you can keep him company while we meet Chris and Jill."
I give him an amused smile. "Sure, dad. No problem. I think Bella has meetings on Thursday but I can take some time off work."
"Thank you."
Alice waves in my direction and I look at her. "Yes, Alice?"
"I would like to throw an engagement party for you guys. We won't invite a lot of people, just family and friends." Alice suggests and shrugs innocently.
I sigh. "Alice, please don't. It's not the ideal time to throw parties when Emmett is going through such a hard time. We need to be understanding."
"I'm sorry, you're right. It would've been simpler to just announce it to everyone at once." She says and I nod.
"I know, but it's alright. I think they'll know about the engagement once they receive the wedding invitations."
"Right."
Bella comes back in the room with a composed and calm expression on her face. She sits next to me and her lips curl into a beautiful smile. I return her smile and wind my arm around her waist. She interlaces our hands and sighs.
"Jake called," She whispers in a low voice and I tune my attention to her.
"Yeah?"
"I haven't met him since I came home from the hospital. So, I invited him for dinner at our place tomorrow. I hope that's okay."
I chuckle. "Of course, love. You don't need my permission."
"And he also spilled to Angela and the others about the engagement so they want to meet us. I was thinking of inviting them too."
"Sure, anything you want. Although, I have a meeting at six in the evening, so I might be late."
"Okay."
I fill in Bella with the news of Pops coming to town and she seems happy with the prospect of that. I think it'll be fun to spend time with him. She also suggests that we take him to the book launch that is two weeks later. I think he'll like it.
"Bella, are you free this weekend?" Alice suddenly asks and Bella shrugs.
"I have meetings on Saturday but, I'll be free by the evening. Why?"
"Well, Aunt Jane and I were thinking of taking you to New York to get your wedding dress designed. We've contacted the best wedding designers and they are absolutely stoked to do it. We'll be back by Monday morning."
Bella fidgets by me and smiles hesitantly. "That sounds great Alice, but I have a doctor's appointment on Monday for the ultrasound. I can't miss that."
"Oh," She pouts and then her expression perks up instantly. "We'll leave Saturday evening and return by Sunday night. I promise!"
"No!" I say sharply and all eyes turn in my direction. "I mean, can't you do it any other week? Bella has been really sick this past week, and she's not feeling well. Plus, she has a lot of work here." I explain and sigh.
I don't want Bella to go. She'll be gone all weekend and we'll be busy this week. I still haven't told her that I have to go to Massachusetts on Monday. Ugh, I hate this. She'll be busy next week and then she has her book launch event coming up. Then Alice, mom and Aunt Jane will hover over her for the wedding festivities. All in all, I won't get to spend time with her until we go on our honeymoon.
"Or you just don't want her to go," Aunt Jane mutters and I look away. "Bella, would you like to come with us?" She asks my fiancée hopefully.
"Yes," Bella answers and her brown eyes gaze at me. She strokes my cheek and pecks my lips. "It's just a matter of one night, sweetie. And a wedding dress can't be made overnight, it takes time. The sooner I get over with it, the better. I won't have time on my hands later on."
"Okay," I whisper, knowing she is right. "It's just that I'm going to Massachusetts on Monday. I'll try to come back the same day but I might get held up with work."
She pouts. "Why didn't you tell me? Why are you going?"
"One of my professors wants me to conduct a four-hour seminar."
"What about?"
"Relationships between broad, macroeconomic factors driving building infrastructure and the specificities of architectural and urban form." I explain and she gives me a weird look, like I've just spoken in Dutch. I chuckle and kiss her forehead.
"So, you won't be back by Tuesday?" She asks and I shrug.
"Possibly."
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, baby."
"Can't you come with us to New York for the weekend? Massachusetts is closer from New York." She suggests and I smile.
"That's a great idea, darling, but I promised Alex that I'm going to look at our Bogotá project. I haven't touched it in months. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I understand." She says and gives me a patient smile.
"I really hate my family sometimes," I mumble and tightly hug her. She giggles and nestles against me.
"I'm not a big fan of them right now either."
I knock on the door of dad's study and open it. I find Emmett standing in front of a portrait with a glass of whiskey in his hand. I walk in his direction but he doesn't acknowledge my presence. I sigh internally when I see what he is staring at. It's a family portrait that was taken two months ago on the night of the Annual Dinner.
I can't help but gaze at Bella who has a beautiful smile on her face. Fuck, she's stunning. Everyone looks incredibly happy in this picture and it's hard not to feel nostalgic.
"Do you think she ever loved me?" Emmett whispers gravely and turns in my direction.
"Yes," I whisper and his eyes regard me with surprise. "She loved you very much. But, she was weak enough to have affection for another man."
"I've been wondering over the past week whether everything we shared was just a lie. If she truly loved me or not. Was she just pretending to love me? Was it for the money?" He mutters and shakes his head. "No, that can't be it. Her parents are pretty loaded too. They can take care of her. I think it was the fame. She was greedy for it."
"Maybe," I whisper and run a hand through my hair. "So, you're meeting her parents, huh?"
"Yes, I have to. I need an explanation."
I frown in disapproval. "You don't need an explanation from them; you need to ask for it from your wife. I'm sure Chris and Jill knew nothing about it. They are good people."
"I know."
I clear my throat and decide to bring up the topic mom asked me to talk about. "How are you feeling, Emmett? Tell me the truth."
"I," He sighs loudly. "I feel like I can never trust anybody in my life, ever. I've known her for ten years, Edward. How many men did she sleep with behind my back? Did she love that man? How can she have an affair with a married person? Was it my fault? Did I not love her enough?"
"You were too good for her, Emmett. She didn't deserve you." I whisper and he sits on the nearest sofa.
"I sold the house because it had too many memories of us. I can't go back to that place. I need to move on. I can't live in the past."
"Do you think you should see a counselor?" I ask and his eyes gaze at me with disbelief.
"Edward, that's bullshit. You know how I feel about therapy crap. And I have my family to help me."
I speak up instantly. "Of course you have us. For anything you need. But, professional help can be more effective. It'll help you cope faster than you think. It'll help you move on." I press on the last two words and his brain registers what I just said.
"Do you think it'll work?" He asks skeptically and I try not to show my elation that he agreed to get help.
"Why don't you try it for a month? I think mom can help you find somebody good. If it doesn't work, you can stop the sessions."
"Okay. If therapy is going to cure my sleepless nights, I'm up for it." He mutters and chuckles dryly.
I walk over to him and easily maneuver the packet of cigarettes from his pocket. I had seen cigarette butts strewn about on his balcony yesterday and saw him sneak out to smoke twice. He stares at his hands with a guilty face and I sigh.
"Emmett, look at me," I whisper and he glances at me. I give him a hard stare and look him in the eye. "If I find you smoking again, believe me, I'll make your life hell. Only Alex and I know of your newly adopted habit, so make sure you end it before others have a chance to find out. Think about mom."
"I'm sorry, Edward. I just couldn't help myself."
"It's okay to have a little setback but we need to get onto better things in life."
"Yeah," He gives me his first real smile of the day and sighs. "Alright, enough with this shit. Tell me, where are you taking Bella for your honeymoon?"
That makes me laugh. "You'll love the places we'll be going to."
"Well, I might join you guys then."
"Don't you even joke about it." I warn him and he chuckles.
Getting alone time with Bella is something I desperately need, where we won't be swamped with work and family.
January 27, 2016
I try to get the sleep out of my eyes as I step inside our home and check the time on my watch. It's nine-thirty. Shit, I'm very late. And very hungry. I hope there are leftovers for me. I take a deep breath and decide to greet everyone before taking a shower and changing out of my work clothes.
I've been spending extra hours at the office because the merger with Aro's company is in process and we have a lot of paperwork that needs to get underway. Jasper has been an integral part of this merger and I am glad I have him on board. Aro also seems to like him and I'm glad they get along well.
My team is also speeding through so that we can complete our Dubai project by March 2017. We have a lot to do and if we stay on schedule, we might be able to complete everything on time. I'm just worried whether my involvement will decrease in coming months since Bella and I will have a baby in September. I want to spend the initial months bonding with our baby instead of being away on work. There is a lot to consider.
I hear Sam's boisterous laughter and I follow the sound. I find everyone sitting in the family room, drinking and having fun. It's great to have guests in our home. As I step inside the room, I feel all eyes on me. I offer a smile and Bella springs to her feet.
Bella gives me a beautiful smile and I drink in the sight of her. She is dressed in a black and white striped silk shirt midi dress. She looks breathtaking. She walks in my direction and I open my arms for her. She slams herself against me and I tightly hug her. I hide my face against her hair and take a deep breath. I inhale her soothing scent and close my eyes.
We stay in our embrace for a couple of seconds and then Bella releases me. I keep my arms around her and she strokes my hair.
"How was your day, sweetheart?" Bella asks softly and I touch my forehead to hers.
"It was long. I'm glad I'm home."
"Me too." She beams at me and presses her lips against mine. We keep our kiss short and sweet, given there is an audience behind us.
"How was work?" I ask and her brown eyes shine brightly.
"We found a new venue for the book launch event in New York. It's better than the one we previously booked. I love it."
"That's great," I kiss her lips soundly. "I'm so glad, baby."
"You won't believe how relieved I am."
I brush my hand against her belly. "How's our peanut?"
Bella blushes and gazes at me from under her lashes. Her face lights up every time we talk about our baby. "Peanut is good. I've been eating short meals throughout the day, so I'm not feeling nauseous all the time. I threw up twice but I'm just too happy to mope over it."
"That's all I wanted to hear," I smile and kiss her nose.
"Have you eaten dinner?" Bella asks and caresses my face with her hand. I lean against her touch and sigh.
"Not yet. I'm starving right now." I pout and her eyes soften.
"Oh baby, I'll reheat dinner for you. You could've called me on your way here; I would've kept everything warm."
"That's alright, darling. I'll ask Mrs. Cope to do it. Why don't you sit and relax?" I suggest and she nods.
I tell Mrs. Cope to reheat the dinner and return to the family room. I greet everyone as I take a seat and Bella nestles against me. I kiss her hair and pull her closer.
"Edward, Bella told us how you proposed and that was the most romantic thing I've ever heard. It was beautiful." Angela gushes and I smile.
"Thank you."
"It was perfect." Bella whispers and kisses my cheek.
"And you chose the best wedding venue ever!" Seth exclaims making me laugh.
"I know. It's pretty great, right?" I say and he nods.
"The dates are fixed, correct? We need to book tickets." Emily says and I curiously gaze at Bella.
"Wait, you didn't tell them?" I ask and she giggles.
"I was waiting for you."
"Alright," I chuckle and look at everybody. "We're flying everybody to Rome; you don't have to worry about tickets. Just pack your bags."
"For real?" Paul asks and his face breaks into a big grin. I nod and he laughs. "That's sweet of you."
"You didn't have to guys. We could've managed." Sam shrugs and Bella sighs.
"Sam, we're flying our family and close friends at our expense. So shut up and suck it up." She snaps and he gives her a weird look.
"Okay Bells, calm down. Whoa, you are getting weird mood swings tonight." He mutters under his breath and I look at Bella again.
"You didn't tell them that either?" I ask and she shakes her head.
Bella and I decided to tell all of her friends since they are close to us and Bella will be eight weeks pregnant starting tomorrow. I think there is no harm to tell anyone anymore.
"She didn't!" Jacob says with exasperation and gazes at us impatiently. "And she won't let me tell either. I can't stomach secrets!"
Bella laughs. "I'm sorry, Jake."
"Can I please tell?" He asks eagerly and flashes us a smile.
"Tell us what?" Ben inquires and everyone tunes their attention to us. I nod at Jacob and he claps his hands.
"Bella's pregnant!" He announces and exhales deeply with a relieved expression on his face. "Damn, it feels nice to get that off my chest."
"What?!" Emily and Angela yell in shock and Bella laughs by my side.
Once they snap out of their stupor, they walk in our direction and my eyes widen. Sam yanks me away just as they tackle Bella for a hug. Fuck, that was intense. I send Sam a grateful look and he pats my back.
"Congrats, man."
"Thanks."
Ben, Paul and Seth also say their congratulations to me as Angela and Emily are busy hovering over Bella and taking every detail from her. They start discussing shopping for baby clothes and maternity wear and yoga class and god knows what else. Bella seems overwhelmed and I can only imagine how much worse it's going to be for her when Angela, Emily, Alice, Aunt Jane and mom are discussing the wedding plans with her on Friday.
I hope my Bella will be safe.
January 28, 2016
I wake up to the sound of the alarm beeping. I hit the stop button and snuggle against Bella again. Her warm body cocoons against mine and I bury my face in her soft hair. I don't feel like getting out of the bed just yet. It's cozy and I want to cuddle under the sheets with my Bella.
A couple of minutes later, I reluctantly get off the bed to start my morning routine. Once I freshen up, I head to the gym for my usual workout. I watch the news but my mind still wanders to my schedule for the day. I have meetings until five and then I have to pick up Pops from mom and dad's and bring him here.
I'm excited to spend time with him. He hasn't seen my place yet and I think he'll like it. Bella and I also have to tell him that she is pregnant. He's going to have a great grandchild. How cool is that?
Around seven, I enter the sauna and stay in there for twenty minutes. Later, I shower and put on a t-shirt and sweatpants. I make my way to the bedroom and find Bella to be nowhere around. I frown. She isn't in the bathroom. That's odd. I check her closet and she isn't there.
I shrug to myself and go to my closet. I take off my t-shirt and I'm suddenly reminded that I have to ask Bella if she's free tonight so that we can have dinner with Pops. I hear movement in the bedroom and smile to myself. Bella.
I exit my closet and slide open the doors. "Good morning, beautiful. How…" My sentence trails off when I find a woman standing near the sofa with an alarmed expression on her face.
She must be in her early twenties. Her jet black hair is in a tight ponytail, she is dressed in a white shirt tucked into a pair of grey trousers and wearing black sky high heels. She must not be more than five feet tall, similar to Alice. Her brown eyes look dazed and her mouth is agape.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I ask politely and she blinks a couple of times. Should I call Mrs. Cope and ask? Who the hell gave her the permission to enter the bedroom?
I reach for the intercom and she snaps out of her stupor. "Uh… yeah. I know you. I mean you don't know me. I'm Nicole, Ms. Swan's new assistant." She stutters out and I stare at her with an unreadable expression on my face.
"Nicole, I would prefer if you knock on the door before you enter next time." I say firmly and she gulps.
"Y—Yes, Mr. Cullen. I apologize." She whispers hurriedly and zones out again.
I look past her when I hear the clicking of heels approaching the room. Bella enters dressed in a tight blue bodycon dress that looks beautiful on her. Her face lights up when she gazes at me and she curiously frowns in Nicole's direction.
"Nicole, I did say it's in the first drawer." Bella says and Nicole stiffens. Her ears turn red and she turns to Bella.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Swan. I just—"
"It's alright," My girl smiles in her direction. "It's your first day; you are bound to be flustered."
Nicole relaxes a little and Bella walks in my direction.
"Honey, I guess you met Nicole. She is my new assistant. Nicole, this is my fiancé Edward." Bella says and Nicole doesn't look at me.
Bella stares at me narrowly. "Did you scare her?" She whispers and I run a hand through my hair.
"I just told her to knock on the door before entering next time and she just kept staring at me with her mouth open." I whisper back and she stifles a smile.
"Well, I told her to get the files from the drawer and I thought you were still in the sauna. It's not my fault that you are ahead of your routine today," Bella mutters and shrugs. "Be nice to her."
"Fine, I'll try."
"And get dressed. You can't stand shirtless in front of a woman and expect her to not drool while looking at your perfect body." She whispers and gives me a chaste kiss.
I roll my eyes and nod. I kiss the top of her head and look at the assistant again. "Hello, Nicole. I'm sorry we started off on the wrong foot. It's nice to meet you. I'll see you around."
"Yes, Mr. Cullen." She nods and I nod back.
I give Bella a quick kiss and return to the walk-in closet.
I hope the new assistant does her job well.
"… and I was so surprised. I wasn't even wearing gloves. I'm sorry, honey. I know we had decided to keep our engagement away from the public eye for the next month." Bella rambles on and I can practically imagine her holding in her tears.
Bella was at a cafe with her assistant and Edythe, and as she stepped out, there were photographers hovering over her. I'm pretty sure the news will be everywhere about our engagement within next few hours. I was really looking forward to keeping it under cover. But, it isn't Bella's fault either.
"Hush baby, it's okay. I'm not mad at you." I say soothingly and she sniffles.
"I was so scared, they were yelling questions and I didn't know how to react. If it hadn't been for Demetri and Felix, they would've toppled over me. And you weren't with me." She whispers the latter part sadly.
"Come home, love. I'm waiting."
"Is Anthony there already?" She asks softly and I chuckle.
"He's been here for two hours now. It's time for his dinner. I am trying to persuade him to stay here tonight but he is adamant to go to mom and dad's. I'm going to try my best."
Bella chuckles. "I'll be home in fifteen."
"Alright, darling. I'll see you in a bit then. I love you."
"I love you too, Edward. Bye." She ends the call, and I put the phone in my pocket.
I return to the theater room where Pops is. He was fascinated by the room and wanted to watch a movie in it. I think he just likes the overstuffed couches. The movie he is watching is coming to an end. It's called Rear Window, a classic, and he also has a thing for Grace Kelly.
"Who was that?" Pops asks and I take a seat next to him.
"Bella. I told you she called before I walked out."
"Oh, I chose not to listen to you," He mutters and I roll my eyes. "Is she coming back? I want to meet her before I leave."
"Pops, why can't you stay here tonight? I'll ask Matt to get your bag and medications. Bella and I will drop you off at the hospital tomorrow and then you can go back to your son's place." I say and he laughs.
"I'll think about it."
"Bella and I are cooking pasta tonight," I give him a smile and his ears perk up. "With shrimp. And she's made dessert too. Dark chocolate pudding."
I just told three things to Pops that he loves to eat. Pasta. Shrimp. Dark chocolate. His eyes gaze at me and he nods.
"Fine, I'll stay. But, I need to take my meds before I eat. Can you tell your driver to get them?"
"Yes, of course." I murmur and text Matt to bring Pops' belongings.
"Now, you need to give me the softest pillows you own and I need three thin blankets. Also, give me the room where the Wi-Fi is the strongest. I need to send pictures of your house to my friends. They will love it. I wanted to order green colored socks, which website might give me the best quality socks? I also want to buy something for Bella; I didn't get her much for Christmas since I didn't know how serious you were. I want to get her something nice. Do you think…" And he continues rambling on about weird shit for the next fifteen minutes.
I nod to everything he says, and he wants to buy a necklace for Bella. He wants to know if Tiffany & Co. has an online shopping site. There is a Tiffany's twenty minutes from here but no, he wants to order online.
I hear a familiar voice in the living room and feel sane again. Bella's home. Oh thank god. I turn when I hear her footsteps approaching the room. She enters with a smile on her face and Pops stops talking. I walk over to her and connect our lips for a quick kiss. I'm so glad she is home. Fuck, I love her.
"I love you, Bella." I whisper and kiss her forehead.
"I love you too, honey. Now, let me greet Anthony." She kisses my cheek and walks past me.
"Bella! It's so nice to see you again, dear." He says with a bright smile and gives her a quick hug.
"You too." She blushes and pulls back.
I walk over to them and wind my arm around her slender waist. Bella shifts closer to me and I kiss the side of her head.
"Wait a minute, that ring looks familiar." Pops says, making us laugh.
"Doesn't it?" I whisper and take Bella's left hand in mine. She interlaces our hands and I kiss her knuckles.
"It's been ages since I've seen it. Your mother hid it away. I'm glad Bella gets to wear it now. It's a beautiful ring. It shouldn't be kept in hiding. Your nana used to wear it all the time. It was her favorite piece of jewelry."
"Of course it was, it's perfect." Bella gushes and Pops smiles.
"I think she only said yes to marry me because of the ring," I chuckle and he shakes his head. "It took me a while to get this ring made. I rejected twenty samples before I found this one. Edward's nana was high maintenance; she wouldn't have liked something plain."
I roll my eyes. "Oh come on, Pops. Nana wasn't that bad."
"That woman had the weirdest habits. I can talk about it all night. Bella, once she—"
I cut him off. "Okay, we can talk about it during dinner. Why don't you continue watching your movie, Pops? Bella and I will make dinner until then."
"Sure."
Bella and I leave the room and she giggles as soon as we are out of his earshot. I chuckle and tightly hug her.
"I'll change and get started on dinner. It won't take long." Bella whispers and kisses my chest. I nod and release her.
"I'll help you. It's going to be a long night, love."
"I can see that."
It's still nice to have him here.
January 31, 2018
"And I need the employee basic details. I don't like the fact that they have excessive members on the Tender and Post-Tender board. They need to cut back on a few people on staff. Also, tell Sasha's team that I want the members of this board to work in our office until the Dubai Project gets completed." I say as I read through the documents in front of me.
"Yes, sir." Kyle says and I can see him typing in his phone.
"Tell HR to interview this team and have only eight people working. They have ten interns working on Tender and Post-Tender Board. Wow," I whisper and shake my head. "Cut it down to four. I want four interns only."
"Yes, Mr. Cullen."
"Did you respond to Mr. Campbell's email?" I ask and he gives me a nervous smile.
"Not yet." He mumbles and I nod.
"That's alright. But, could you do it this coming week?"
"Yes, I'll send an email on Monday. Can I ask a question, sir?"
I smile. "Sure."
Kyle fidgets a little. "Are you investing in Chisora and Hearn?"
"I'm planning to. Probably in the coming months. I want invest in a different field this time. And I love Scotch whisky. I've learned so much about it from my brother. He loves it too. He was drinking Chisora and Hearn whiskey when we were hanging out at his place last week and he was raving about it. I drank it and it was divine. I absolutely loved it. They have a distillery on the Isle of Skye in Scotland."
"That sounds amazing." He says with an excited smile and I chuckle.
"It does. It's a well-established business, and I wrote them an email telling them how much I loved the whiskey. They responded back by asking if I would like a tour of their distillery and I told them I would like to invest in their company. They were over the moon when they heard that and responded positively. You need to send a reply that I'll be busy until March so I can visit in April."
"Got it."
"Have you ever tried their whiskey?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"No, sir."
"I'll have Matt send two bottles to your place. Try it and let me know what you think. I'm going to need somebody to come with me to Scotland. You can come, if you want."
"Thank you so much, I would love to. I've never been to Scotland before." He says and tries to suppress his excitement. I have never seen him this excited before.
"You'll be pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it is."
"I think so too."
I frown when I hear a familiar voice talk from his side of the screen. "Pete, its midnight! Are you still working? Max has been sitting by the door for the last hour! He is waiting for you! You know he can't sleep before he sees you."
Kyle turns red and twists in his chair when the door opens. Their one-year-old golden retriever rushes inside and tries to jump on Kyle. He laughs and pets the dog.
"There's my buddy. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. You missed me, yeah?" Kyle asks Max and he barks in response. He wags his tail and continues staring at Kyle. "Give me ten minutes, okay? I'll be right with you."
I hear a sigh behind him. "Peter! How long will this take? It's Saturday, for Christ's sake!"
Ursula stomps inside and freezes when she sees me on the other line. I wave at her and she smiles anxiously. "I—I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. I had no idea he was in a meeting with you. I'll take Max out. Excuse me."
"It's okay, Ursula. I'm sorry for taking up his time. I know it's a weekend, but this work was immediate and I'm not going to be in the office on Monday and possibly Tuesday."
She blushes. "Please don't apologize, sir. And on a completely separate topic, congratulations on your engagement."
I beam at her. "Thank you very much. You'll be receiving a wedding invitation soon enough. I'm sure Alice is already on it."
Ursula laughs. "She's already working on it. She told me when we were discussing Ms. Swan's wedding shopping. And getting outfits ready for the book tour."
"Ah, okay. I'm sure Bella has no clue about the wedding shopping." I mutter and she laughs.
"Probably not. I need some time to find proper outfits for the next few months." She says and gives me a secretive smile. Bella doesn't want to announce the pregnancy yet so she has told Ursula to find her clothes that won't show off her growing bump. That's a tough job.
"Yeah, you do," I say and Kyle looks a bit confused. "Anyway, I'll see you guys later. Good night."
"Good night, Mr. Cullen." They say in unison and I end the Facetime call. I shut my laptop and take a deep breath.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. I don't want to go to bed. Bella left for New York this evening along with Aunt Jane, Alice, mom, Emily and Angela. Yes, everybody tagged along. I'm just concerned that my fiancée will run away if they get too crazy.
I have an empty bed waiting for me. Bella will be back tomorrow night, probably late. She wanted to check the venue of the book launch event and I'm sure it will take time. I told the ladies to stay at my penthouse and I'm glad Bella loved it. I knew she would. I just wish I was there with her. It's ours now. I would've loved to wake up to the view of Central Park with Bella sleeping in my arms.
Maybe some other time.
I am shaken out of my reverie when my phone buzzes. I frown and check the screen. It's Bella. I get anxious. It's very late. What must have happened? I answer the incoming call.
"Bella?"
"Edward," Bella whimpers softly and my heart breaks hearing her cry.
"Baby, are you okay? What happened? Was it a bad dream?"
"Yes, about my dad." She croaks out and I sigh.
"Don't think about him, darling. Hush now, don't cry."
"I have been having nightmares about him and that l—letter he left for me. I want to read it." She admits softly and I stiffen.
That's a bad idea. A terrible idea. She can't read that letter in this condition. She will be stressed and traumatized after reading that. I have no clue what's in the letter but it can't be some flowery shit. God, I don't want something happening to her. Her body is finally healing; she is finally living every moment to the fullest. That letter might bring her down.
"Do you think it's the right time, baby? With all that's happening?" I ask gently and hear her sigh.
She clears her throat. "Do you mean our wedding? Yes, I want to know why I don't have a father to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day. I need answers, Edward. This has been eating me alive."
"Baby—" She cuts me off.
"Don't 'baby' me, Edward. You know how I feel about this."
"I know, Bella. But, can you read it few weeks later?"
"There is never going to be a good time."
"Fine, I won't force you to do anything against your will. It's your choice."
She is silent for a whole minute. "Fine, I'll read it after a couple of weeks. I'll tell Jake about it too."
"Sounds good enough, love. Should I stay on the line until you fall asleep?"
"Yes, please."
"Did you know Alice and Ursula are shopping for you for the wedding week?" I ask and she gasps.
"What? Oh, I'm going to kill Alice for this."
I laugh. "I think I'm going to join you."
My sister can be a pain in the ass sometimes.
February 01, 2016
I rest my head against the seat of the car and close my eyes. It's almost nine-thirty in the evening and I can't wait to see my Bella. It's been a while since we've spent time together. I cut back on all the other tasks I had in Massachusetts and rushed back home. I need Bella. She is my focal point.
My eyes snap open and I unlock my phone. I press on the photo gallery and pop open the last image saved. My mood brightens as I look at the picture of the ultrasound. Our peanut has gotten bigger in the past two weeks. Bella had an appointment with Senna today and all the reports are normal. Thank god for that. Bella and the baby are fine and everything is on track. I couldn't be happier.
Matt stops the car outside the house and I step out. I climb the steps and rush towards the bedroom, knowing that's where Bella is. I run a hand through my hair and smile to myself. I frown when I see the door closed. That's odd.
I open the door and my eyes bulge out of their sockets looking at the bedroom. The room is illuminated by the glow of candles everywhere. There are candles in glass tea light candle holders and every inch of the room is surrounded by them.
My breathing stops when my eyes fall on Bella. She is leaning over one of the holders lighting the last candle. Her lips curl into a beautiful smile and her sultry brown eyes meet mine.
She straightens out and my cock stirs looking at the sight in front of me. Bella is dressed in a skimpy black silk kimono that hugs her sexy frame. She unties the robe and I stifle a groan when I take in her outfit. She is wearing a black see-through chemise and a lace thong. Fuck, this is too much to handle.
This woman is testing my patience. She knows we can't have sex. Why is she doing this? I'm so painfully hard right now, it's ridiculous.
Bella puts the lighter away and slowly takes off her robe. I swallow hard and watch her every moment like a hawk. She is bare foot and her toned legs look hot.
"Welcome home, sweetheart." Bella whispers in a husky voice and my mouth goes dry.
"Hi." I choke out and she chuckles softly.
"You know, the doctor's appointment went great today. She gave me some other news too. She said that since there is no harm to me or the baby anymore, we can engage in—"
I don't wait for her to complete the sentence as I walk over to her in two steps and crash my lips against hers. She moans sexily and winds her arms around my neck. I bite hard on her bottom lip and run my hands over her body. Fuck, my fiancée is hot.
"Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this?" I whisper breathlessly against her neck and nibble against her delicate skin. She whimpers in response and grips me tightly.
I lift her in my arms and her legs lock around my waist. I carry her to the bed and gently lay her down. I hover over her frame as we slowly undress each other. She helps me takes off my jacket, shirt and pants while I slowly tease her as I lower her chemise. I touch every inch of her skin and she writhes against me. I pull down her thong and throw the chemise away. That little thing was a tease, anyway.
"You are so beautiful, Bella," I whisper and take a hearty look at her face. I stroke her cheek and she leans against my touch. "You are perfect."
I give her a soft kiss and drag my lips from her lips and her neck, to her shoulders. I bite against her tender skin and she gasps. I shower kisses to her breasts and she moans the loudest. They are a feast right now. I suck one of her nipples in my mouth and she sighs my name. I massage the other one and give equal attention to either of them.
"Edward, please." Bella moans and grinds her hips against mine.
"Please what, baby?"
"Make love to me. I need you so much. I've missed you." She whispers and her eyes glaze over with tears. I tenderly press my lips against hers and she kisses me back.
"Your wish is my command." I say and lower my boxers pressing my raging hard cock against her.
I touch my forehead to hers and our breathing mingles as I slowly enter her. She gasps and connects our lips for a kiss. I thrust completely into her and start rocking my hips against hers. Her breathing quickens and she matches my rhythm. Her moans fill the room and her face reflects passion, need and love. She holds so much love for me in her eyes, it's disarming.
I speed up and start plunging in and out of her. She wraps her legs around my waist and grinds her hips. She grabs onto my hair and pulls me closer to her. I press gentle kisses against her neck and continue thrusting. Soon, we come undone in each other's arms. She keeps her body locked around mine and her face hidden against my neck.
"I love you, Bella." I murmur and nuzzle her hair.
"I love you too, honey. So much."
I gently pull out of her and she sighs softly. I lie down on the bed and pull her to my chest. She puts her head on my shoulder and her hand lands on her belly. I put my hand atop hers and she gives me a cute smile.
"I'm sorry I missed today's appointment. I won't miss the next one." I whisper and she pecks my lips.
"It's okay, baby. I understand."
"When is the next one?"
She chuckles. "Senna said that we need to confirm with her. She wants to check up on the baby and me the day we leave for Rome. The next appointment was scheduled for March 03, but I don't think we'll be in Seattle."
I smile. "No we won't. We'll be somewhere far away."
"Where?" She asks innocently and flutters her lashes.
"Do you really think you can coax answers out of me? You are mistaken." I kiss her lips soundly and she pouts.
"Can you at least tell me how long we'll be gone?"
"Yes, I can tell you that. Hold on," I do the mental math of the locations I'm planning to take her to. "We'll be leaving on our wedding night and coming back on March 18."
Bella gasps in delight. "We're going on our honeymoon for almost a month?!"
I chuckle. "Yes, darling."
"Oh my god! I can't believe it! This is great!" She kisses me and I smile against her lips. "I won't have to share you with anybody for a month."
"Just us." I murmur and she blushes.
"I can't wait."
"Me neither. You are going to love it."
"I have no doubt about that," Bella says and straddles my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and connects our lips for a passionate kiss. I tug on her bottom lip and her tongue tangles with mine. I sit up and pepper kisses over every inch of her soft skin. Her skin is flawless. Bella moans and rocks her hips against mine. I can feel my member already rising and she wraps her soft hands around it. She starts stroking me and I groan. I've missed this. She grins at me and bends down to envelope me in her mouth.
"Oh fuck, Bella. That feels good," I murmur and lie down again. "I've heard that women get really horny when they're pregnant."
Bella pulls back and laughs. "Yeah? Maybe it's true. Do you think you can keep up, Cullen?"
I smirk at her. "I think so."
"We'll see," She whispers and sucks the tip of my cock. I moan and close my eyes.
"You don't believe me?" I ask and she shrugs. Her teeth graze against my sensitive skin and I sigh. "I hope you got enough sleep last night then. You won't be getting any tonight."
Her eyes glimmer with anticipation and she nods. "I'm up for it."
So am I.
February 02, 2016
BELLA
My eyes snap open and I can hear my heart thundering in my chest. I can feel tears on my cheeks and I wipe them away. Was that just a dream? It felt so real. I feel a warm arm draped over my stomach keeping me caged. I turn and see Edward snuggled against me, with his face buried against my hair.
I try to unwrap his arms from around me but he just draws me closer to him. It takes me a couple of more attempts but I finally put his arm away. He frowns in his sleep and I kiss his forehead. He relaxes immediately and I smile. He's so cute. I stroke his hair and can't help but ogle his glorious torso.
I pick up his shirt lying on the foot of the bed and put it on. I button it and put on a pair of panties. I wince softly as I get out of the bed. I check the time on the alarm and see it's four in the morning. We fell asleep an hour ago. Edward kept his promise of keeping me up all night. It was a wild, intense, passionate, gentle and sensual experience. He made up to me for every second of the last twenty days in one night.
I am a bit sore but it was worth it. I blush and make my way to the bathroom. I pee and wash my hands in the basin. I stare at my reflection in the mirror and gasp. I have light love bites on my neck. I shake my head. Oh, Edward. My eyes are bright and big, my lips look swollen and my hair is a mess. I'll clean up later.
As I'm leaving the bedroom, my mind is plagued with the thoughts of my dream. I don't remember what it was but it involved my father again. His letter. Will I have this recurring dream until I read the letter? I know Edward wants me to wait but I can't help myself.
I pad along the closet and grab hold of my purse. I take the letter and exit the bedroom. I'll read it in the family room. I open the envelope and take the pages out. The letter is a total of three pages, front and back. I blink back my tears and start reading.
SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!
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