I know this chapter is really long, but it's WORTH IT.
It's one of my favorite chapters. :)
I hope you like it!
-MW-
P.S. I suggest listening to the Rascal Flatts song when Edward's 2nd POV starts.I think it fits perfectly. :D
Chapter 11
"Lifeline – Kjwan"
"What Hurts the Most – Rascal Flatts"
"What If – Safety Suit"
Edward POV
"Good evening, Mister Edward."
"Hello, Emma. I'm here for Bella."
"Ah, yes, she will be right down. Miss Alice and Miss Rosalie are still with her."
"Thank you."
We had all agreed to go to the Charity together as a group – well, I was rather forced into it. I wanted more alone time with Bella. I'd told myself that if she was going to choose whether or not to want to have me, then she should know everything – about my father's condition, Tanya, what I did… she deserved to know. And if she still wants me, even after all the begging and groveling on my part, then I'm all hers.
My phone rang, snapping me out of my reverie.
"Hello?"
"Son, where are you?"
"I'm at Bella's. We're going to the Ball together, didn't I tell you?"
"No… You didn't…"
"Oh. Well, I don't know how much more until we get there. Alice and Rosalie are up there with her."
"Alright, don't be too late. I have some very important news to announce and I need you here with me. Good practice for when you take over the company." I could feel the smile in his voice.
"Okay, I won't." I said suspiciously.
Just as I snapped the phone shut, the doorbell rang and whoever was on the other side couldn't wait for Emma to open it.
"ED-WURD!!! BROTHER, ARE YOU HERE???" I heard Emmett shout.
"Emmett, will you keep your voice down?" someone else said.
I stood up chuckling, making my way to the entrance.
"Jasper! Emmet! You sure know how to make an entrance."
"You forget to whom you are talking to, Edward." Jasper said, rolling his eyes.
"What does that mean, Jazzy?" Emmett said, using Alice's pet name for him.
"You know what it means, Emmetty-boo-boo-poo."
Emmett was advancing towards Jasper with a menacing glare.
"Alright, alright, stop crying like little girls. Let's just sit in the living room and wait for the ladies to finish." I said, standing between them.
"What's taking them so long, anyway?" Emmett asked, the earlier situation completely forgotten. It did always amaze me how my brother could get easily distracted.
"Relax, we just got here." Jasper said, with no evidence of his irritation from earlier left on his face.
"I'm sure they just want to look their best." I said, leading the way to the living room.
We sat around the room, and then the one thing I did not want to talk about showed its ugly rear right out of Emmett's mouth.
"So, Eddie-boy, you finally get Bella to fall in love with you?"
Jasper's head snapped in my direction.
"What?"
"I… Uh… I don't…" Great. Thanks, Emmett.
"What is he talking about Edward?"
"Didn't Alice tell you?" Emmett asked him.
"Alice?" Jasper and I said at the same time. He looked from Jasper to me, and again before he answered.
"Well, first of all," he turned to me, "you can't honestly believe that she bought that whole speech-thing you gave her last time, did you?"
Then he turned to Jasper.
"That's the thing I told you about earlier."
"Emmett! That's not--! Jasper, I--!" I sighed in frustration and ran a hand through my hair, "That's not true!!"
"Edward," Jasper said, surprisingly calm, "the only reason why I haven't lunged for your throat yet," he made sure to emphasize that word, "is because it would make your family unhappy, and I don't want Alice to be unhappy. Now…" he stood up and walked towards me, stopping just a foot away from me.
"I may not have adopted the Swan name, but she means more to me than just that. She's like a sister to me, Edward. If you do anything at all to hurt her, I will personally make sure that you have to be fed through a tube that goes through a hole... In. Your. Throat."
I really did not want to get on Jasper's bad side. He's always been the quiet one out of all of us and his silence is what always scared me the most. I never knew what was on his mind. I wonder what he'd do if he found out I pushed Alice off her bike when we were six…
Bella POV
I stood in front of my full-length mirror, examining myself. My hair was curled and put in a low side-ponytail – a little informal for tonight's event but I thought it'd balance my entire look nicely and my dress was probably the most beautiful thing Alice has made me wear so far.
"Wow, Bella." Rosalie said, coming from my walk-in where she left Alice.
"Thanks," I smiled at her. I couldn't believe that she thought I looked good. She looked like she just came out of a magazine!
"Rose, you look better than me, hands down!" she just laughed and said thank you before going to my vanity and sitting in front of it. I turned to look at myself in the mirror again.
"Rose… Do you think it'd be weird if…" I was so embarrassed to ask her this.
"If what, Bella?" she asked, turning herself in the seat so she was now facing me. I bit my lip.
"If Edward and I were to… You know…"
"OH. Hmm… I don't think so. You guys are so good together! Why would it be weird?"
I sighed, giving up. There was no reason that we shouldn't be together. My silence made that clear to Rose.
"Bella… Don't be afraid to try again. I know that your past with Jake was bad, but Edward seems like a really nice, genuine guy."
I still wasn't convinced. Not that Edward was a good guy, I'm sure he was… But I wasn't convinced that I was good enough for him. I mean, who would want to date someone with as much extra baggage as I have?
"Come on, sweetie, don't be afraid." Rose tried again, smiling at me.
"Okay…" I said, confidence growing in my voice, "I will try."
Alice POV
I have to get to Edward. Soon.
(.At the Ball.)
[A/N: I didn't bother putting in a part where the guys see the girls for the first time in their dresses because we all know how much time seems to stop and their hearts speed up whenever they see each other. *rolls eyes*]
Bella POV
"Good evening, everybody, and welcome to the annual Swan-Cullen joint Charity Ball!" I said into the mic.
I stood on the stage, next to Carlisle. As heads of the companies, we were supposed to give a short speech before the actual festivities started. But I had a surprise of my own for someone tonight.
Applause could be heard from everyone in the ballroom. I can already tell that tonight's going to be amazing.
"Tonight, we are celebrating something much more than just a simple charity. The proceeds from tonight will be going to a charity that the Swans and Cullens have been helping out for a very long time now. So not only will the cancer-stricken children be receiving the much-needed medical care, but they will know that there are many of us who care for them, and wish for them a bright future."
As Carlisle spoke, I searched the crowd below for the bronze head of hair I've grown rather fond of. He stood there, looking right at me, smiling. I smiled back. I told him that I haven't decided yet on the Italy issue, but I think deep down, I already have.
I wasn't doing this entirely for my father, though it seemed that way in the beginning. Now, I'm also doing it for me. This experience will help me grow as a businesswoman, an entrepreneur, and also a meticulously responsible person. It may sound relatively uninteresting to some people, but I believe in my heart that this is meant for me.
I didn't understand, though, why he doesn't want me to leave.
"Here's to tonight – may it change our lives forever!" I raised my glass to his toast and took a sip of my champagne.
"Rose, may I speak with you for a moment?"
"I have to go find Jasper. I'll see you later." Alice said, winking at the both of us. I had told her of my plans earlier this month, and after crying with her for a good hour, she started getting excited. But Rose just had a look of confusion on her face.
"What's up, Bella?" she asked, turning to me.
"Rose, I love you," I started, "You're an amazing sister to me; smart, beautiful, strong-willed, caring, passionate and you've got a good head on your shoulders. You're perfect for this and I know you won't disappoint me – "
"Bella, sweetie, slow down! I'm not understanding anything… What are you talking about?" she asked with a completely and even more confused expression on her face than before.
I laughed and shook my head. I guess I shouldn't have started it this way. I smiled at her before I began again,
"Bottom line?"
"Bottom line." She said, smirking.
"I've decided to go to Italy."
She just stood there with her mouth formed into a small "O" and her eyes wide.
"What?? You're leaving?? What about Edward??"
Yes, what about Edward?
"That doesn't matter right now. What matters now is… I'm leaving you in charge of New York for a couple of years."
It took a while before her reaction finally turned into the one I was looking for – eyes still wide, mouth formed into a smile that showed off all her white teeth and reached up so far her eyes that it looked like she could break her face at any moment.
"Really?" she squeaked.
I laughed at this and nodded my head. Suddenly she jumped on me and hugged me so tight while smothering me with little kisses.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much, Bella! You have no idea! THANK YOU!!!"
"You deserve it, Rose," I said, laughing.
"I won't disappoint you!"
"I know you won't."
She pulled back and looked at me for a moment before opening her mouth to ask,
"What about Edward?"
I looked at her, trying not to show any emotion on my face so that she wouldn't convince me to stay. So, instead, I changed the topic.
"Do you mind if I announced it tonight?"
That worked because she started smiling again and nodding her head so fast, jumping up and down a little, then ran off to the sound people we hired to tell them I'd be using the microphone later.
Edward POV
"May I have this dance?"
She spun around, and smiled when she saw me. I will truly never get tired of her doing that. It seems so simple, but it makes me feel good knowing that I make her smile.
"I thought you'd never ask."
I took her hand and led her to the dance floor, passing through the sea of people. We stopped right in the middle and I placed her right hand above where my heart was and looked her intently in the eyes.
"It's yours, if you want it."
She blushed scarlet and I smiled, showing her I was only half joking.
We swayed a few seconds into the music before she spoke,
"So, what do you think? Are you enjoying yourself?"
I nodded my head and smiled at her.
"It's amazing, Bella. You did a wonderful job."
She blushed again and said a small thank you. I sighed and leaned into her hair, taking in her scent.
Strawberries, I thought.
I suddenly wanted her to know. Everything. I knew that the odds were probably stacked against me, but I had to try.
"Bella, I…"
She looked up at me, wonder filling her eyes.
"Yes, Edward?"
I turned away, ignoring her and looked to my right; Alice and Jasper were dancing, just holding each other close and staring into each other's eyes, but then Alice suddenly snapped her head in my direction and was glaring at me. I turned away quickly, hoping that she hadn't seen me staring. I saw on the other side, Rosalie and Emmett swaying along to the music as well, but they looked more like they were having a quiet conversation. They were both really smiling, happy at whatever they were talking about.
I swallowed air, trying to soothe the sudden erratic beating of my heart and my lungs' lacking in capacity to work properly. As I breathed in deeply, all the times I'd spent with Bella came flooding into my mind. I thought about her birthday party and how she had asked me to be her date. I thought about the interest we share in cars. Cars. I thought about the business trip to Seattle and what she had done for the company. I thought about how she had trusted me enough to confide in me about her past. I thought about the many times I'd wait for her and "accidentally" run into her at the diner. I thought about her – with much sadness – possibly leaving for Italy for years, knowing that I could never be without her for even a day.
As these images were going through my head, my breathing slowed down and I almost became still. I looked at Bella, then up to the chandelier that was dimly lit, hanging above us, creating a romantic ambiance, and around the room, trying my best to keep my composure, then back to Bella again.
She smiled at me and I smiled back at her, and all I could do at that moment was wonder how I had ever let myself fall in love with Bella Swan.
Bella POV
I don't want this moment to ever end.
Everything about this moment is perfect, almost like a dream. And I never wanted to wake up.
The song was about to end, and I wasn't sure if I should take the opportunity presenting itself.
I love him. I wanted to say it. But that would only hurt us both because I was leaving for Italy in less than two weeks. Should I even tell him I'd decided to leave…?
What am I thinking? Of course I should!
"Bella?" his voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"Hmm?" His body shook with laughter and his face had that smile that reached up to his eyes. I was going to miss that… Then he stopped and looked at me seriously.
"Bella, love, there's… Something that I need to tell you… And, hopefully, you will let me explain first before you decide—"
"Bella!" Rosalie's voice interrupted. "It's almost time!" I knew I couldn't take this away from her. She's worked so hard and Charlie would have wanted this. Days before this ball, I was deciding whether or not tonight would be the night I announce my departure. But I decided against it, thinking that the only people that needed to know, I should tell in private. The papers can find out about it after I've left.
"I'm sorry, Edward. Hold that thought?"
He smiled, but the disappointment was evident in his eyes.
"Of course. I'll be right here."
I turned to follow Rosalie and leave Edward behind. After walking a few feet away from him, I realized that he had to know. This could be my last chance and I didn't want to let it pass.
I turned around and started to walk back to him.
As I was approaching him, I noticed that he was talking to someone – more like arguing, really. He had his back to me and I could see some of the fabric from the person he was arguing with.
Alice?
"Alice, please, don't."
"Are you kidding me? I am not just going to stand by and watch you do this, Edward!"
I was almost to where they were now and I could hear their conversation more clearly.
"But, Alice, you don't understand! It's not what you think!"
"Oh, really, Edward? It's not what I think it is?"
"Yes!"
"Really?! So you're not just using Bella to finally get your hands on the company??"
"N-No! It's not like that anymore, Alice!"
"'Anymore'? Please, Edward, spare me. And stay away from Bella! I mean it!"
"Alice, please, listen to me!"
"Why should I, Edward? You're only out to hurt me best friend! You are really selfish, brother. You get into a relationship with Bella just to prove to dad that you can have a life outside the office, so he'd be comfortable with you running the place! Isn't that right??"
He didn't say anything.
"Answer me, Edward!"
His fists were shaking now.
"Yes," he said, through gritted teeth.
My mind was…
Empty.
I heard Alice gasp, "Bella!"
Edward turned, eyes wide, speechless.
I looked around, willing the tears not to come, and hoping to find an escape. This would be the time I wish for the ground to open up and swallow me.
"Good evening, once again, ladies and gentlemen!" I heard Carlisle's voice through the speakers. He took a glass of champagne from a waiter passing by and raised it up.
"I have an announcement to make…"
I walked towards Edward, but didn't look at him.
"Is this true?" I whispered.
He didn't answer me. He couldn't answer.
"Bella? Bella Swan? Where are you?" came Carlisle's voice again.
The bright spotlight landed on me, making me squint my eyes.
"Ah! There you are! Come up here!"
Everyone started applauding as I slowly made my way to the stage, looking at the ground.
"I've been told that you have some very important news to share as well. But you should go first." He said as I walked up the stage.
"I…"
I looked around the room, avoiding those green eyes, and cleared my throat.
"Thank you all again for coming tonight. We really appreciate you being here and I'm sure the cancer patients will appreciate it as much too."
Everyone applauded for a short while, and then it died down.
I looked down at my dress – my beautiful dress. Alice had made it especially for me to wear tonight. I promised myself that I would do this dress justice. That I would try to be as beautiful as this dress made me feel. But I couldn't.
I looked at the audience again and smiled.
"There are a few specific people that I would like to acknowledge tonight. First, thank you so much to my best friend, Alice Cullen, for designing and making this wonderful gown for me," I could see her smile weakly at me.
"Second, I would like to thank Carlisle, for co-hosting, but more than that, for being my father's greatest friend. And…"
This is it. No turning back.
I took a deep breath and just let it out.
"Tonight, I formally announce my resignation from Swan Corp., New York branch. And my sister," I looked to the side, telling her to join me in the spotlight, "Rosalie Hale, will be taking my place from now on.
"You see, we received great news a few weeks ago. After so many years of trying to break into the European market, we've finally gotten through. And while Rose will be here, doing a wonderful job… I will be residing in Italy, starting up our first European branch."
As I was explaining to them, I studied their faces: they all started off confused, then some were surprised and some weren't, and then they were smiling. The next thing I knew, everyone burst out into applause.
Carlisle made his way back onto the stage and I handed him the mic I was holding.
"Wonderful, Bella! Congratulations!" he said, hugging me.
"Thank you, Carlisle," my voice was cracking.
I stood off to the side with Rosalie, our arms around each other, while Carlisle spoke.
"Are you okay, Bella?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied.
"…and I have an announcement of my own," Carlisle said, getting everyone's attention, "Edward, son? Will you please join me on stage?"
Oh no. Please, don't let it be true…
I stood very still next to Rose and focused my attention on everything else but the man walking towards the stage.
"Tonight, I formally announce my retirement," everyone gasped, "However, I am proud to announce that my son, Edward Anthony Cullen, this man right here, will be taking my place in the company. It's yours, son." And then he embraced Edward.
Edward reluctantly embraced him back and said 'thank you', but I could feel his eyes on me.
As much as I am depressed and angered by what just happened – from the argument he had with Alice, to finding out that he was only using me to get ahead in his work, to hoping that it wasn't all true, to finding out that it actually was…
Some part of me still wished that I had told him what I wanted to tell him earlier, hoping that it would've changed his mind.
Yes, I know I got an idea from AWTR. I love the book :D
Did you like it? :D
R&R, please! :)
-MW-