Summary: Isabella lived a perfect life with her husband until the abuse started. With the death of her mother, she may have just been given life changing gift: a way out. But with it comes a whole new world that she may not be ready to face. Maybe with the help of her green-eyed savior. Mafia, Crime, Abuse, Hurt/Comfort.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephanie Meyers owns characters but the plot is of my original work.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Family Business

"I met your mother at a family event. You know how Irish people like their parties and their drinking. I saw her from the across the room, and I swear everything stopped moving. She was laughing with Esme, and I remember how her giggles stirred something inside me. I will never forget how she looked. She was a woman in a red dress that made me fall in love with her at first sight.

Now, our families had known each other from way down the ancestry line. My parents—your grandparents—were Geoffrey and Helen Swan. In her family, it was just Marion Higginbotham—her mother died during childbirth. My father was the founder of First Swan Corporation, and her father owned a casino. While growing up, our paths never really crossed. Renee studied abroad in some fancy school in Europe, and I stayed in New York. Then when college came, we were both rarely home. Even though our families were close, we were never introduced to each other. Around the time I first met Renee, I had just taken over the family business, so I didn't get around much to family events. Carlisle was the one who forced me to go that night.

After I had asked her to have dinner with me, we became inseparable. Of course, your mother never made it easy. She grew up to be a strong independent woman. She was so passionate, and even though her father wanted her to become a lawyer or something, she achieved what she wanted. I admired her so much for that. It was so easy to love your mother because she had such a big heart.

I took over the family business because both my parents' health started deteriorating. My mom had been diagnosed with Alzheimers for a few years already. Soon after I graduated from college, my father was hospitalized. He had severe arthritis, and they both died around the same time.

Renee became my rock. She helped me get through those tough times. Even though I grew up trained to be the next CEO of FSC, I still had doubts that I could run the company successfully. I feared that I would bring it crashing down, and she was always there cheering me on.

I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for her.

Then Carlisle and Esme got married and had Edward. I proposed to her and then we got married. We wanted to start having children right away but a couple months after our wedding, her father died. He was shot in the head, and that devastated her. It took her a really long time to grieve, but I understood.

Now…this is the part that gets a little tricky.

First Swan Corporation is a very successful conglomerate, and I own a number of various subsidiary industries. My businesses range from investments, life insurance, and annuity, to financial services, real estate, and transportation. I own cruise ships and two private airports here in the United States. The third tallest building in New York City is home to FSC Headquarters. I own multiple properties in the United States as well as in Greece, Ireland, and Monaco.

I'm a very successful man, Bella. Geoffrey Swan may have started FSC, but I was the one who expanded the company to where it stands today. But that's not all I do... Renee's father was shot in the head because of a drug deal gone wrong."

I gasped.

"Before you say anything, just listen. I'm not a drug lord. I don't deal with drugs nor do I smuggle them. I stopped when Renee asked me to. Ever since then, not a single man working under me has ever touched drugs. I do not deal with prostitution or human trafficking. Those were the morals my father stood by."

"Then what do you do?"

"We make weapons, and we trade overseas. They are lethal firearms, most are illegal here in the United States, which is why I own multiple properties outside of the country. They are home base to transport my goods, which are diamonds, rubies, and gold from Africa and Canada. I provide jobs for thousands of people who mine those jewels.

I own one of the largest underground gambling services in the country. Technology has allowed me to expand my control over the gaming world. And last but not least, I give out loans to people who need them the most. And trust me when I say that there are some desperate people out there."

"You're the Mafia, Charlie," I stared at him in shock.

Charlie shook his head laughing.

"Not quite, Bella," he said. "The Mafia is more blood and family oriented. I do not identify my organization and my men as the Mafia. You, your mom, and the Cullens, we're all full-blooded Irish. But even though the Cullens aren't related to us by direct blood, they are considered family and Carlisle is my second in command. Edward and Emmett have both shown interest in becoming part of the family business since they were little. We didn't force them. Although you are my daughter, Edward has been appointed the next heir to FSC. That, of course, can change should you show interest. You are, after all, the rightful heir to my company."

I swallowed audibly.

"I will never force you to do anything you don't want to, Bella," he reached a hand out to me. I hesitated, and he looked hurt as he pulled it back.

"Why…why did Mom leave?"

"In the beginning, I didn't tell her the real reason why Marion died. She was under the impression he died from an accident at the factory. Your mother knew about the business even before she met me. Marion was already exporting drugs before Renee was even born. However, she didn't know that her father got involved with the Volturi.

After you were born, Renee started to get better. She was able to move on and be happy again… Did you ever wonder why she named you Marie?"

I shook my head.

"She named you after her father."

Tears formed in my eyes. Mom had hidden so much of her past from me. It seemed I didn't know anything about her anymore. I never would have known any of this if it weren't for Charlie. At the same time, Charlie's story frightened me, but I leaned in to hear more.

"The Volturi … now they are true Italian Mafia. They take the throne for the entire drug and prostitution deals here in New York. I've never worked with them since they betrayed our family.

They were the ones who killed Marion.

Somehow, one of the Volturi henchmen got to your mother. I still don't know to this day how they got past our security. Nevertheless, they cornered her in a public mall. Told her if they didn't get their money, you would be killed just like Marion. Renee became frightened and demanded the truth. So, I told her."

"She left to protect me?"

Charlie nodded.

"She became fed up with illegal businesses. She told me to stop dealing with drugs—that's why I ceased my smuggling operation. But that wasn't enough. Renee became obsessed with keeping you safe. She didn't want to leave the house, and she became manic; asking for double security and extra bodyguards.

It was like Marion died all over again and it was my fault. I should have told her about everything from the very beginning then maybe none of this would have happened. Even though the Volturi got their money from the drugs, she still felt as if you were in danger. She didn't want to lose you too."

"So you let her leave?"

"I never wanted you both to leave. I fought extremely hard. For months, we kept arguing, and Renee just wasn't happy; I could see it in her eyes. And then one day, she finally told me that she wanted a divorce."

My heart broke as I looked at Charlie. He was reliving the worse time of his life in order to tell me the truth. I should be running away frightened, but instead, I felt so sad for him. The whole idea of Charlie being a powerful smuggler slash loan shark still scared me. But this was a side of Charlie that he never showed to anyone.

"Renee didn't want anything to do with me or this world. She didn't even want her father's last name after the divorce. Hayes was just a fake name she came up with. Jason helped her finalize the papers and set up the account for your inheritance and child support. Nothing was to be traceable between your mother and me for safety reasons. Although the Volturi no longer had any interest in harming you, we still made sure they wouldn't ever be able to find you. They never did.

And like I said, I still watched over you. Two of your neighbors were employed under me. You two were never out of my sights, and I checked in every once in a while. It baffled me when I was informed of your mother's death. It took months before someone finally told me and I can't be mad at Jason for respecting Renee's wishes."

A deafening silence filled the room. Charlie and I were both lost in thought.

Then I did something I never expected.

I walked over and I gave him a hug.

X

Later that night, I tossed and turned in bed. I couldn't sleep because I just kept replaying the whole conversation in my head. After two hours, I sighed in frustration, and decided to get some food in the kitchen.

Tammy and the other housekeepers lived on the property but the staff quarters were in a separate building. So, I was thankful that for once no one was going to hover over me while I tried to eat my food in peace.

I rummaged in the pantry for a jar of Nutella and some bananas. I giggled like a child when I found an industrial sized container. When I came out to sit in the reading room, someone was already there. Edward Cullen was sitting in the oversized leather armchair, and he was sleeping.

I stood there trying to decide whether or not I should talk to him. I wasn't in the mood to get into another argument so, in the end, I decided to play nice and just tell him to go sleep in his own bed. When I walked over to rouse him, I noticed blood all over his neck, arms, and chest. I immediately started feeling nauseous because I've always been queasy about blood. As I got a better look at him, I also noticed gashes and scrapes.

I ran over to the nearest bathroom and grabbed a towel. I ran it under warm water before heading back to him.

"Edward?"

I tentatively touched his arm to wake him. He didn't respond, but he was breathing. I could see his chest rising and falling, but his breaths were labored. He was wounded, and must have passed out from exhaustion.

Gently, I used the towel to wipe away the blood on his face and neck. Most of his cuts had already stopped bleeding. I tried carefully not to open them again.

"Edward?" I asked again.

All I got was a grunt, but he didn't open his eyes.

"Ms. Swan?" I turned around and found Jacob standing at the doorway. He was badly wounded also, but not in the same condition as Edward. "You should be in bed."

"What the hell happened to him?"

He hesitated as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Oh, cut the crap, Jacob," I rolled my eyes. "Charlie told me everything."

"Well," he sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. "It's complicated, but there was a fight tonight. We were handling some business uptown, and Edward was outnumbered. He held his ground well, but they played dirty. They had knives."

I sighed. "Does Charlie know?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. Boss was with you when this happened."

I turned my gaze back at Edward whose face was no longer covered in blood. Large purple bruises had started forming on his cheeks, and his arms had deeper gashes.

"Help me take him to bed," I said. "I can't carry him, but those cuts need to be cleaned, or they'll get infected."

Jacob nodded as he easily slung Edward's arm over his head. Edward grunted again but for the most part, he was still passed out. Jacob and I teamed up to help Edward out of his bloody shirt and pants. Jacob left the room quickly and reappeared with a first aid kit.

"Jacob, go home," I said as I accepted the box from him. "I'll take care of Edward. Go clean yourself up."

"Are you sure?" he asked as he eyed Edward on the bed.

When I nodded my head, he turned and left the room.

"And call me Bella," I called after him.

I grabbed the antiseptic and some cotton pads and sat beside Edward. He winced a little when I dabbed it over his cuts. I ignored the electric current running between our bodies each time I touched his bare skin. It took a while to finally get everything cleaned and patched. Luckily, when I turned him over, his back wasn't as bad as his chest.

By the time I finished bandaging him up, the sun was starting to come out. I laid out pain relievers and a glass of water for him on the bedside table. I gathered all of the bloody cotton pads and wrappers before I exited the room and threw them away in the bathroom.

As I headed back into the kitchen, I ran into Tammy.

She yelped out in surprise as she held my forgotten snack in her hands.

"Were you hungry in the middle of the night?"

"Sorry, I forgot about it," I apologized.

"How about we have a healthy breakfast instead, yes?" She asked me. We both laughed at how ridiculous the situation was. "Why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep last night," I said. "Charlie and I talked yesterday, and I had a lot on my mind…"

"If you need to talk to someone, I'm here. I know I'm just a housekeeper, but I am a very good listener. I've been with the Swans since before Charlie was born."

"I noticed you don't call him Boss or Mr. Swan like everyone else," I pointed out.

She rolled her eyes as she came out of the pantry with multiple items in her hand. It looked like we were eating omelets this morning.

"That man wouldn't dare tell me what to do," she laughed. "I mean, to a certain point, of course. He still does pay me, after all. I'm the boss when it comes to his health. I usually have to force food down his throat because he forgets to eat. I yell at him when he doesn't throw his clothes in the hamper. And if he drinks too much, I cut him off. Without me, this house would be a mess."

"Seems like Charlie needs guidance considering how busy he is," I said dryly.

"I guess you finally talked," she said knowingly.

I nodded my head.

"When you and your mother left, a lot happened. Charlie was depressed for a long time, but he didn't let it get in the way of his work. But I knew because I saw him come home every night with that look on his face. I would walk into his room the next morning and find his bed all made up. He didn't sleep because he was too busy trying to figure things out. Staying up all night trying to keep you and your mother safe. He'd be gone by the time I got there in the morning so I couldn't yell at him.

Over the years, yes, he did get better. However, losing you and your mom was one of the hardest things Charlie ever had to face. Then a couple of months ago, he was gone for a week, and when he came back, I knew right away that something changed. He was happy. So I asked him why and he told me that he finally met you again."

"Charlie was so hurt," I whispered to myself.

"Renee's death was a huge shock to all of us but what helped him move on is the fact that you've welcomed him into your life. He's been alone for a really long time. He didn't date or get married again. He knew that Renee was and will always be the only one for him."

"I feel like I've added more to his problems with mine," I said.

"Not necessarily. Nothing has changed much considering he's been protecting you your whole life. Keeping you safe has become easier for him now that you're under his roof. You're helping him in more ways than you think, Ms. Bella," she said as she placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You're making him happy."

"Thanks, Tammy. I actually feel much better after talking to you. Oh and, please call me just Bella," I told her. "I'm family now, right?"

"Bella it is," she smiled at me.

This chapter was edited by SunflowerFran. Thank You!

4/11/2018