Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks for continuing to read my story. This chapter is a little short but to the point. I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest.

Chapter 9 – Shroud Lifted

I froze, my body chilled to the bone. Edward's hands were still on me, moving slowly up my neck to cradle my face. His eyes were wide, pleading, but I couldn't look at them. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to disappear.

"Get off of me," I said through clenched teeth.

I felt the weight of his body disappear and I sat up, turning away from him.

"So, her name was Marie?"

"What?"

I looked at Edward, his brow creased, his lips twisted in confusion.

"The one you lost. Her name was Marie?"

He reached out to grab my hand, but I pulled it away.

"You don't understand," he murmured.

"The hell I don't," I spat. "I was about to give myself to you, and you called me Marie. What the fuck, Edward?" I was seething. He apparently wasn't over this other woman, and I was hurt that he'd called out her name in the midst of our passion.

"Your middle name is Marie," he choked on his words. "You never liked anyone to call you Bella because that's what your father called you, and it was too painful for you to hear it. I'm sorry, but I was calling out your name…what I used to call you."

I couldn't believe my ears. My heart picked up pace, my hands clenched at my sides, I wanted so desperately to hit something, or someone. "You knew me?"

Edward's head dropped. "Yes," he breathed.

I lifted my fist into the air then slammed it into the ground. "You fucking knew me and didn't say anything?"

Edward reached out for me. "Bella…"

I pushed him away. "Don't fucking touch me!" Realizing my chest was still exposed, I fixed my clothes and stood. Since the day I walked into his office he knew me. I walked around with the false impression that he knew nothing about me, and I'd been trying to keep myself from him, hiding what little I knew, when in reality he probably knew more about me than I did myself. I felt like such an idiot. The only one in the dark, blinded by a shroud I couldn't escape. I couldn't even look at him.

Turning away from him, I stomped off in the direction I'd come.

I heard Edward scramble to his feet, following me as I trudged through the trees. "Bella, please…"

I ignored him and kept walking.

"Bella, please stop."

There was nothing he could say that would make me feel any better about being deceived. When he agonized over being forgotten, while questioning me about my past, the thought of anyone forgetting him had been inconceivable to me. I now knew that person was me. I loathed myself, and was infuriated with him for his dishonesty.

Edward caught up to me, grabbed my arm, and spun me around. "Would you fucking stop and let me explain?"

I couldn't look at him, so I stared at his chest, which happened to be exposed as he had not put on his shirt. "No, I will not listen to you tell me how or why you lied to me, keeping me hidden in my own shadows."

I ripped my arm from his grip and walked away again.

Edward was relentless. "I wasn't keeping you hidden. I wanted you to remember on your own."

I kept walking. "Oh, yeah, like I was making so much progress. You should have told me."

"If you remember correctly, you didn't want to know."

I whirled around, and Edward was so close he almost bumped into me. I was so angry I didn't consider the next words that came from my lips. "Maybe I didn't want to remember you."

Edward blanched, and in his eyes I could see that I'd crushed him. The longer I stayed in his presence, the worse it was becoming. I had to get away before I did something really stupid. I hated myself more every second.

Turning on my heel, I continued toward Esme's House. I didn't hear the sound of Edward following until I was approaching the end of the trees. My words must have caused him to hesitate.

When I reached the house, I entered through a back door. Somehow I knew my way around the kitchen, walking through another hall, making my way to the front entrance. Esme was standing next to the staircase talking to one of her employees. She turned as I walked in.

"Isabella? Is everything alright, dear?"

Edward entered, still half dressed. "Bella, please."

"Oh, dear," Esme gasped.

"It's not what you think," he said, and then reached for me. "Please, let me explain."

"Explain what?" I spat. "How you played me for a fool? How you knew every fucking thing about me and kept it from me? For what? To benefit me? Do you know how that makes me feel? I fucking hate myself!"

He tried to wrap his arms around me. "Bella, please."

"Stop saying that!" I pushed away from him. Turning to Esme, I asked, "Can I use your phone? I left my purse and cell phone at work. I'd like to call a cab."

Edward intervened, "That isn't necessary. I can drive you back."

I kept my back to him as I responded. "I don't want to ride with you. Right now I don't even want to look at you."

"Look, I'm sorry. If I could take it all back…"

"But you can't." I walked to the next room and slumped down on the sofa, burying my face in my hands. I heard Esme stop Edward from following.

"Give her some time, son," she said, and then her heels tapped along the wooden floor as she made her way over to me. "Isabella?"

I looked up and into her concerned eyes. "I know you are hurting, and I understand. I would rather you not take a cab though, so I will have one of my employees give you a ride. Would that be alright with you?"

I nodded.

She knelt down next to me. "He's been hurting for years. Please consider his pain as a source for his lack of good judgment."

I looked into her eyes. "Did he consider my pain?"

Looking down she sighed, "No, I guess he didn't."

Just then the young man she had been speaking to by the staircase walked in. He was blond and had a baby face.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"More than ever," I said, standing and making my way around Esme.

She stood and reached out to grab my hand. "Isabella?"

I stopped and turned.

"I truly am sorry. If you ever decide to learn about your past, please come and see me."

I smiled, knowing that I would probably come to see her sooner or later…probably sooner. "I will."

She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. "Hang in there," she whispered, "and don't be too hard on him."

I pulled away and nodded, not knowing if I would be able to keep that promise.

Not looking Edward's way, I followed the young man out the door. In the car it was quiet for quite some time. I stared out my window at the passing buildings.

"So, I'm taking you to Edward's office?"

"Yes."

"By the way, you don't happen to remember me, do you?"

I turned to look at him. "Should I?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, you should. I only tortured you for years."

"What?"

"It's me," he looked at me like I was crazy for not remembering, "Mike Newton."

"Um…" I hated this. It happened to me all too often and made me feel like such a moron. "I'm sorry. I was in an accident and…well, I've lost many years of my memory. I can't remember anything before my seventeenth birthday."

"You're shitting me!"

I looked down at my hands, "No, I'm not."

"I'm sorry."

He continued driving, the silence suddenly driving me mad. I was quite curious about Mike.

"So," I started but didn't finish.

"So?" he prompted, glancing my way.

"How did you torture me?"

He laughed out loud. "Man, you had to ask." He glanced at me again, a huge grin on his face. "I had the biggest crush on you, but you were so wrapped up in Edward, your Eddie Bear, that I had no chance in hell of winning you over. I used to flirt with you in front of him just to piss him off, and I'd send you gifts and shit to get under his skin. I hated him for winning you over so quickly, especially cause he was so fucked up, and I wasn't. I couldn't understand what you saw in him, but I had so much fun torturing him. I truly wanted to win you over though." He sighed, "And for all that, I really feel bad for him now."

"Why is that?"

We'd stopped at a red light and he turned to me, his expression serious. "Because the day you left him, he died inside. Everyone could see it. He hasn't been the same since. Three days ago he came barging in to see Esme, and it was the first time we'd seen any form of life in him since that day so many years ago. Though I'd still love to win you over," he grinned and snickered, "cause you are still quite a catch, I can't stand to see him so shattered."

The light turned green and we continued on in silence.

Mike's words made me feel worse. Not only had I hurt him once, but twice. My heart twisted in my chest as the image of Edward's pained eyes came to mind. I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to keep from falling apart myself.

When we reached the office I thanked Mike for the ride and stepped out, not looking back as he pulled away. During the drive I'd decided I had two options. Option one: I continue working for Edward and accept him as a part of my past. Try to learn more about what we had together and see if a relationship with him would be possible. Though I wasn't sure I was ready for a relationship or to face my past. Option two: I quit working for Edward and move on with my life. Start over on my own and build new memories without having to face my past.

I decided to take option two. I really wasn't ready to face my past. Trying to deal with what I had with Edward was already hurting me. I couldn't imagine dealing with all the other shit I couldn't remember, and I knew the other things were much worse than leaving him.

When I got to work, I was determined to gather my things and just call it quits. Conversations ceased as I flew through the office. I was very nearly in tears and I didn't want a confrontation. As I stood staring at my desk, I realized there was nothing there that was really mine aside from my purse and a pen. The feeling that I would be forgotten all too soon crept into me making me hurt even more inside. No mark would be left behind…nobody would remember that I ever worked here.

I walked out of Edward's office with my head down, hoping to avoid eye contact with anyone, but after only a few steps I had the intense urge to look up. I found Edward standing in the center of the aisle between the cubicles, blocking me from the exit. He was fully dressed, panting as if he'd run all the way from Esme's, though I knew he hadn't.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm leaving. I quit."

His hands balled up into fists at his sides. "Don't quit, please," he begged between clenched teeth.

I glanced around the room, all eyes were on us. "Who else in here knows me?"

Alice timidly raised her hand.

Jake stood up. "I know you and I was going to tell you, but you turned down our dinner plans."

I nodded my head. "Anyone else?"

Edward shook his head.

"And the waitress…what was her name?"

"Rose."

I nodded, "Yes, Rose. She knew me too, and Esme, your mother."

Edward dropped his head. "Yes."

I laughed bitterly. "So I'm the freak, walking around clueless, nobody caring enough to shine some light on me. Just keep me in the fucking dark why don't you!"

Jake shrugged. "Hey, I tried."

Edward and I turned toward him and spoke simultaneously, "Shut up, Jake."

We looked back at each other and he tried once again. "Look, I wanted you to remember me on your own. I didn't want to have to tell you what we had."

"What did we have, Edward? It must not have been too great if you have no qualms with defying me."

Edward stepped toward me, reaching out. "Bella, please."

I stepped back. "No."

"Why won't you fucking let me explain?"

"I think you've said enough." I pushed past him and stormed out, stopping just outside the door to find my keys. As I opened my purse I saw an envelope that wasn't there before.

The front of the envelope had words written in beautiful script.

Bella, I hope this helps. Alice

I opened the envelope and pulled out a photo. The sight seized my breath, my lungs contracting, my stomach twisting, my hand shaking so much I could hardly focus on the couple in the picture. Young Edward, wearing the same blue shirt of my dream, was holding a young version of me in a tight embrace. Our faces were so happy, full of love and life. The way we held each other told a story in itself. I turned back to the door, my legs giving way to my pain, bringing me to my knees. How could I have forgotten someone I obviously felt so strongly about? How could my heart have not felt what I saw in the picture the instant I laid my eyes on him? I didn't deserve him. He should not feel anything for someone who could so easily dismiss him.

The door opened and I looked up. Alice had opened the door but it was not her my eyes fell upon, because past her was Edward, on his knees, head in his hands. He looked up, tears running down his face.

Without thinking, I rose and crossed the distance between us, dropping to my knees. I held out the picture for him to see.

"Is this what we had?" I asked.

Edward nodded.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

He reached up and placed his hand on the side of my face, catching the tears that trailed down my cheek.

Without a word, and in front of every employee, Edward leaned forward and mended my heart with a kiss.