Where the Heart lies

Chapter 10: Pulling Strings

Bella

I hate how people are looking at me right now as if I am the reason that Edward is dead in their minds. I had nothing to do with it, although the theory going around is that Edward was so heartbroken that he took his own life because of what I had done to him. I did nothing wrong, but leave to go back to my home. It has been a month since the funeral and I am getting the cold shoulder from most of the Cullen's, and even the majority of Forks.

"Mom, are you okay?" Carlie asks as I bang my head on the door of the bathroom cabinet trying to think.

"Yes, I am fine," I say as she just gives me a quizzical look. I am about to say something more when the doorbell interrupts me. I look in the kitchen at Emmalin as I pass by the room.

"Ms. Swan," a man asks as I open the door.

"Yes," I say as he gives me a small smile. He looks like a office person, but isn't dressed like he was at the office.

"Here," he says as he pushes an envelope into my hands. "You have been summoned," he says as he walks off toward his vehicle. I quickly open the letter to see the one thing I hadn't even thought about. It was a request to be present for the reading of Edward Cullen's will. I don't want to even think about that because in my heart I knew he was still alive.

"Dad, I don't want to attend this," I half snap later that evening as we join him at the diner for dinner. I knew we were the talk of the town still, well more me than anything else. I guess you could say the town was divided on who to stand with Edward's family or his daughters ironically enough also his family.

"Bells, I would say that you didn't have to, but he made sure to request your presence. I'm sorry sweetie, but you are stuck," he mumbles when I notice out of the corner of my eye Emmett and Rosalie entering the diner with his children.

"Chief," he mutters when he passes us by. Rosalie looks anywhere but in my direction. The twins wave to their cousins only to get Emmett to push them ahead.

"This is stupid," I mutter angrily as I see Emmalin on the verge of tears. I know they have an issue with me, but why hurt two innocent little girls. I get up and move toward Emmett and Rosalie, much to my dad's protest.

"Leave," Emmett mutters before even looking up to me.

"I will once I say this. I understand you have an issue with me, but what the hell is wrong with you. Do you not even care one little ounce about Edward's daughters? You just passed by them like they were dirt," I snap pissed off.

"Don't you even say his name?" Rosalie stands and snaps back at me.

"I will say his name all I want. I may not have been the best person to him, but he was more of a human being than you or your families are being right now. How do you think he would feel with the way you have turned this town against us? More importantly against two innocent girls, his daughters," I yell as I turn heel and walk back to my dad and girls. Emmalin was holding her hands out for me and Carlie had a sad look. I reached for my purse and took several bills out tossing them on the table.

"Bella you don't have to leave," my dad says softly as he reaches for my arm.

"Don't," I say as I turn around taking my daughters with me.

****XOXOXO****

Edward

"Help me!" I yell trying to wiggle my arms loose from the ropes, but to no use. "Help," I scream again as I hear the lock of a door.

"Oh, good you're awake," Jessica says as she enters into the small dingy room. "I was worried I had given you too much," she laughs as I kick my feet toward her.

"Rosalie and Alice were right about you. They tried to warn me about how evil you were, but I never listened," I mutter trying to keep my tone even.

"Yes, they were always on the over alert when I was around, but the joke is on them. I have you now and they don't," she cackles as she sits down across from me on the bed.

"Jess it's not too late," I say trying to talk reason into her head, but she shakes her head.

"That bitch is back," she sneers at me. I look up from where I had my eyes on the black spot over the window.

"Who is back?" I ask hoping it wasn't her. Why would she come back after all? I mean she was very clear on how she felt about me, I mean even with the twins she never really talked with me unless she had to.

"Oh Edward don't act naïve. Isabella Swan the whore who tried to tear us apart," she yells as she climbs onto the bed where she had me tied. I try to knock her off, but she just laughs.

"She isn't even talking with me," I snap not understanding why she had done all of this if Bella and I weren't even social.

"No, you may not have been dating, but the once a whore always one. It would have been a matter of time before she tried to get back into your pants. She is nothing but a skank. If she only stayed dead?" she muses as things seem to be clicking in my head.

"It was you," I yell in anger as I try to knock her off of my lap once again.

"Oh, baby don't think I didn't see the longing in your eyes the moment you saw her. I would have been blind not to see how she still affected you. I mean you dropped me like a fly the second she runs. Yet, ironically Edward she didn't even want you. She left you once again with her children," she sneers at me laughing.

"They are our children. The twins are mine and Bella's," I mechanically laugh as she gives me a dark look.

"Edward you thin Bella is going to love you like I do. No, she doesn't even think of anyone but herself. I even know she has turned the town against your family. I mean what kind of a person would do something like this to her children's family," she snaps back to me. I try to think of what Bella might need or what she was really doing.

"I don't believe you one bit," I say as she rolls over slightly and pulls some duck tape tearing a portion off and shoving it over my mouth.

"I like it better when you are quiet," she laughs as she begins to rub herself against me seductively. I try to think of anything and everything but what she was doing to me. I think of Bella and my daughters. I needed to get home to them. My home could only be with them. I hope that Bella would surely see this as a lone tear slips through my closed lids as I yell inside of my head while Jess grins herself on me over my clothes.