authors note : Hello guys.

I am very happy that i wrote posted this chapter on quickly and it's one of the my longest chapters as well. This is chapter is a turning point in the story...so i hope you guys enjoy it.

EC!0X

xxx

Wife…

The noise in the room became a buzzing sound in Bella's ears. She was vaguely aware of Edward continuing with his...proposal very dimly, in a far-away place, his words slowly sank in. She felt an icy numbness take over her limbs and would have dropped her glass except that he caught it in time. The water slopped onto her dress. At least it's only water, she thought with banal shock, it won't stain.

Wife…

Marriage! She rationalized somewhere within her still buzzing head.

"Bella?'' Edward asked, studying the emotions on her face.

It took Bella some time to get her voice back, and when she did, she didn't know what to say. She couldn't get a hold on her thoughts. Her head was spinning; she was surprised her legs had held up. Seriously marriage? Edward couldn't be serious

"This is not the place for this," he said with a quick glance around. A couple of eyes in the crowd were looking their way. "I just wanted you to know that marriage is something I was considering between us. Just think it through and we'll talk tomorrow." He said before turning around and striding towards Alice and Reneesme dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

Bella looked at her daughter looking at her aunt. She looked happy with Edward's younger sister. There was a slight glitter in her eyes and a huge smile plastered on her face. And then it hit her, Reneesme was a Cullen.

The rest of the party went in a blur; Bella was too engrossed in thought to notice anything. Not the dancing. Not the food. Not the speeches. Or the presents. Nothing.

"Hello, Bella." The voice took Bella by surprise. She'd forgotten where she was and the voice was so close to her. She spun around to see Edward's sister Alice standing over her.

"Hello." She said in hoarse whisper.

. 'Reneesme is an adorable little girl. You've done an amazing job.' The words sounded sincere in her soprano voice.

"Thanks."

"So I take it Edward asked you?" She asked as she continued to look down at her.

"What makes you so sure?" That sounded rude. Bella shouldn't take her anger out on Alice… Bella shouldn't even be angry.

Alice seemed to ignore her un-etiquetteness and she laughed slightly. "The fact that the party finished half an hour ago and you are the only person left." Bella looked around at the empty room. No one was in sight, just tables, chairs, and expensive decoration.

"Oh." She hadn't realized time was moving so fast. "Where is Reneesme?"

"She insisted on riding to the house with Carlisle, Esme and Edward. But before Edward left he asked me to take you to the house."

***

Bella looked unseeingly at the bright lights of New York. Her mind was still trying to wrap itself around Edward's 'proposal'.

She leaned back in the comfortable seat of Alice's canary yellow porsche and replayed the 'proposal' in her mind again. She remembered Edward's last words and dreaded for tomorrow to come.

Something else caught her attention. It was the music that was coming from the car speakers that Alice was humming to. She recognized the music immediately and let out stunned gasp.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked, remaining her attention on the road.

"I'm just shocked you listen to Lifehouse. Their music doesn't make sense at all and it has no meaning"

"What are you serious?" Alice asked her attention now on Bella. She looked as though the words that had come of Bella's were hard to accept. "Who do you like then?"

"The Fray," Bella announced happily.

Alice laughed a laugh that sounded like ringing bells. "You can't be serious Bella, the Fray sing about smoking cigarettes. How is that meaningful?"

Bella joined Alice in laughter. For a moment, her worries disappeared. And she let Alice's jovial laughter wash over them.

***

The big house stood majestic in solitude. It seemed to stand on the little hill like royalty. There were trees everywhere. Half the house made out of glass and the other half out of a beautiful white stone.

Alice led into the living room, where the family was. She felt awkward being here. The Cullens and her father were practically enemies.

She studied the open and radiant room. None of the Cullens had changed. Alice, standing next to her, was in her red, floor-length gown. Jasper, Edward and Edward occupied the long sofa in their tuxes. Rosalie was radiant as she sat in between them, in her stunning golden gown.

On the love-seat Reneesme sat in between Emmett, in his tux, and Esme in a blue a gown. Esme was telling something that they found amusing because they were both smiling immensely.

Bella could feel her stomach twirl as Alice led her to the middle of the room.

Carlisle got up and walked over to her. He put his hand on Bella's shoulder. "Thank you for coming," he said offering her a genuine smile. Bella felt herself ease up a little bit. "I hope you can pardon my presence for tonight, I am going to bed." He removed his hand from Bella and leaned in to kiss Alice's forehead. "Goodnight."

Esme wasn't as reserved as Carlisle and pulled Bella in for a warm embrace before turning to her children. "I hope you remember where your bedrooms are. Alice you can show Bella and Reneesme to the guest room. Your father and I have missed you around here."

They all mumbled "goodnight"s and "see you tomorrow" as Carlisle and Esme left the room.

***

Bella woke up from her sleep. And last night came rushing back to her. She remembered how nice all the Cullens had been and how fast they had taken to Reneesme. Edward hadn't spoken to Bella after the party but all the other Cullens had introduced themselves and made polite conversation with her.

Bella had been taken aback by Emmett's kindness. As the oldest of the Cullens and the head of the family business, Bella had assumed he'd be abhorrent but apart from Alice, she'd liked Emmet best. She liked all of them actually. It's as though they forgot their hatred for Bella's father and treated her with nothing but kindness.

When Alice had shown Bella to the guest room, she'd found the small bag she'd packed for herself and Ness on the edge of the double bed. Which she now she dug through for something to wear.

She didn't have much to choose from. She'd packed lightly for her two-day trip to New York. She ended up wearing her Lurex stripped dress, tights and her leather boots.

She left Ness asleep and climbed down the long spiral stairs. She could hear conversation coming from the kitchen.

Rosalie, Alice and Esme wear sitting at the kitchen island sipping coffee.

"Good morning," Esme said with a warm smile.

Alice got up and walked to the coffee maker. "Do you want some coffee? When Reneesme wakes up we will go for brunch and then I'll have to take you to Edward."

Bella hadn't realized that none of the male Cullens where not in attendance.

***

Edward glanced at the clock in his office. Bella should be here soon.

As soon as he'd got off the plane yesterday, Emmett had called to the office. Edward thinking he was needed for business purposes had got there as soon as he can.

"Edward," Emmett had said. "The business is in trouble." He pointed at the chart next to him. The graph was one Edward knew well. Emmett, Jasper and he had done everything they could to run a successful business but from the day their father had handed the company to them they had lost of customers.

Five years ago Emmett had thought to bring back the Swan rooms but they had no rights to the name and failed. Obviously they hadn't known Bella was the daughter of Charles Swan.

"I have no right to ask this from you this," Emmett continued. "Edward we need to bring back the Swan. And the only thing any of us, including Alice and Rosalie could think of, to get rights to the name, is if one of us became part of the Swan family."