To reviewer(s) named Guest: Yeah, I want to smack Edward, too. This story is definitely not going to be Edward-friendly (if you couldn't tell that already). And yes, both Paul and Bella have some good friends, who will really be there for them. Yes, I imagine Bella will tell Edward off. And I don't try to throw curveballs with announced story pairings.

Lenniem: I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far and thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll do my best to live up to it.

babycakes12: I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far. I'm sorry this took so long, but here's a new onr finally.

To all my readers: I am incredibly sorry that it has been… (gulp) 6 months since I updated this story. I never meant to leave you hanging so long. I can only blame it on writer's block on this story and getting unblocked on my Embry story, plus life being super crazy. But…I owe you for your patience, so here's a new chapter—finally.

Narrator POV

Charlie's fists clenched tightly once his daughter was out of sight. Cop or no cop, part of him wanted nothing more than to go raging through Forks to hunt down Edward Cullen. Bella wasn't the only one feeling like a gullible fool right now. Charlie was supposed to be this hyper-observant cop, so how hadn't he seen any of this coming?

But even more worrisome to this father was Edward's conduct in the day since his cheating had been discovered. Using the GPS unit in her car to track Bella down made all the alarm bells in his head go off, and he made a note to look up the legality of that move. He was pretty sure that doing something like that at least skirted the line of criminal behavior, and probably—hopefully—crossed it. If it did, Charlie planned to make sure Bella knew all her legal options. He made a mental note to look up the Washington State statutes the next time he was at the station, just to make sure. And then there was the other stuff that Edward had done. Coming here to report to Charlie where Bella was, and making allegations of cheating by her? None of it sounded like a guy who was just going to say goodbye to his old relationship. As a cop, Charlie had seen the aftermath of relationships gone bad, and he vowed that Bella would not become another statistic.

But hopefully it was just a case of Cullen reacting impulsively and not maliciously; Charlie was enough of an idealist still that he didn't want to believe that someone he'd known for the better part of a decade . Charlie knew as well as his daughter that the young man would be over here trying to grovel his way out of this mess. He had to fight a grin here—if Edward thought Bella was just going to meekly forgive him…well, clearly, the jerk didn't know Bella anywhere near as well as he thought. Charlie, though, did know Bella. She was the dictionary picture for words like 'determined' and 'loyal'. Bella tended to make up her mind quickly about things and then stick to her decision no matter what—unless something drastic happened; being cheated on qualified as something drastic, and so he believed without question that Bella wasn't going to back off from her vow to cut ties to Edward Cullen.

Edward's behavior last night wasn't the only thing that had Charlie concerned. She might not have directly admitted anything, but Charlie was no fool—his paternal instincts told him that Bella hadn't spent last night alone, not with where she'd stayed. Charlie knew he ought to warn Bella against getting involved with anyone—much less Paul Lahote—until this Edward situation had been resolved. But he doubted she'd listen. His daughter had gotten her headstrong nature from her mom and her stubbornness from him. And even if she would listen, Cullen was sure to have the idea of her with a lover too firmly lodged in his brain now anyway. Charlie's blood boiled again at the mere thought that this…jerk might try to blacken Bella's name around town.

He heard the water start to run in the bathroom.

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Bella POV

I enjoyed nice long showers. Standing under the spray of water was normally where I did some of my best thinking—and clear thinking was essential just now. Today, though, I thought I might break the record for a speed-shower. I absolutely had to get cleaned up and clear my head, but there was no way that I was going to take the chance on Edward arriving while I was naked. That he would come over, I had no doubt of; and as he had a key for my parents' house just like I had one for his...he easily could just walk right in the way I had yesterday. That thought made me resolve to return his key and get my own back immediately.

I dried off and dressed in the bathroom and was pulling my wet hair back into a braid when I heard the phone ring. My first thought was that it was Edward calling a neutral number rather than the cell phone he had to know I wouldn't answer. But why he reasoned that a different number would bring a different outcome escaped me. I hurried downstairs and Charlie met me at the foot of the stairs.

"Bad accident on the highway south of town," he told me. "I gotta go in."

"Okay. I'll be fine."

Dad gave me a long look. "I want you to be careful, Bells. The stuff Cullen has pulled in the last day…you gotta be careful. If he calls you, go meet him somewhere public. If he just shows up, then he doesn't set one foot inside this house," Charlie warned. "Keep him on the front porch. And have this with you," he pushed a small can of pepper spray into my hand.

"Dad, I don't—"

"Just have it handy, okay? Give your old man some peace of mind."

"Okay, I promise."

Dad pulled me into a quick hug, kissed my forehead, and bolted upstairs to change into his uniform. A couple minutes later, he was pounding down the stairs and outside. After the cruiser disappeared in a spray of driveway gravel, I took a deep breath, scrubbing my face with my hands. Hands made me think of the ring, and I dashed back up to my bedroom to retrieve it from my bag. Then I got the last cup of coffee from the pot and took it out to the front porch along with the can of pepper spray. I didn't normally enjoy my coffee outside, but it was probably the best way to head Edward off and keep him out of the house.

I was only halfway done with my drink when I heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. As expected, it was Edward. He pulled into the driveway behind my car and got out. I stayed in my seat and watched him in silence as he walked toward the house and up the steps. When he came to a stop in front of me, I still stayed where I was and still said nothing.

"Bella…I—"

"This is yours," I finally spoke, and held the ring out to Edward for the second time in two days.

He shook his head. "No, Bella, that's yours."

"Not anymore," I disagreed. "I told you last night that cheating on me was a deal-breaker."

"Bella, it was—"

I cut him off, "If the rest of that sentence is anything like 'just a single lapse, or a one-time mistake, then spare us both, Edward, please. I heard you with Tanya—" I spat the name out, "and you made it perfectly clear that yesterday wasn't the first time. Do you understand how that made me feel? How it still makes me feel?"

"I was a fool, Bella. I understand that. I've…" Edward trailed off.

"You've made me doubt everything. Every word, message, everything. I thought we had a good relationship even with being separated for school—"

"We did—do," Edward was the one to interrupt this time. I kept going as if he hadn't said anything.

"But obviously that wasn't true if you started something with Tanya. Can you understand how upsetting it is to wonder why I wasn't enough for you, why you had to start something with her? How it hurts to think that you didn't tell me? And it's not just the last couple years that you're making me question. It's this whole summer. Was this the first time she came here when I was out of town? Were you visiting her when you left town?"

"Bella, I—It's not—I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? For cheating on me? Or for getting caught?" I inquired waspishly.

"For everything. I never meant for any of this to happen or for you to be hurt. I do understand that you're hurt, and I'll do anything I can to make it up to you, to prove that you can trust me."

I shook my head. "I don't think that's possible, Edward. Did you listen to me a minute ago? What I saw and heard yesterday has made me question everything about our relationship over the past few years. And I don't see how I can pretend to not know these things now, or that none of it happened. I would never be able to stop doubting and questioning everything word or action. I can't and won't live my life that way, and that's not how you should live yours, either."

"You can't seriously be telling me that you're breaking everything off just because of one misjudgment?" Edward's face was flushed and his voice got louder.

"But it wasn't just one misjudgment, Edward," my voice rose in response. "You said that yourself yesterday when you were fucking her!" I hissed. "You said that you missed her and sex with her."

"Bella—"

"Don't patronize me. It was exactly what it sounded and looked like. And yes, I absolutely am breaking things off because of this. And if you knew anything about me, you'd have understood that from the start. Which you may well have done—you did keep this a secret from me for who-knows how many months or years."

"I'm being patronizing? Well, you're being sanctimonious. You throw this in my face, but what about yourself? You act all offended by what I did, but I practically walked in on you having sex with that native last night. Don't you think I'm wonderinghow long that's been going on?"

"I barely knew Paul before yesterday. But he was there for me when I really needed someone to listen and to remind me that I'm not responsible for what you've chosen to do."

"What's gotten into you, Bella? Why are you acting like this? And in public?"

I looked around, but didn't see any of the neighbors outside or watching us. "No one's around. And I'll tell you again, Edward, not to lay the blame for this on me. You're the one who cheated."

"Can we take this inside?"

"You're not getting into my house again. And on that subject, I want the house key back. Here's yours," I handed it over.

"Bella, don't, please."

"I've made up my mind, Edward. I think we can keep this civil—if it helps, I can promise not to take out an ad in the paper, or anything like that. I won't lie, if a close friend asks; but for most people…just saying that we had a change of heart should be enough. Plenty of engagements end without a wedding."

Edward opened his mouth.

"The key, Edward," I cut in. I held my hand out expectantly.

"Bella…"

"Edward, you might think you're showing your commitment, but really, all you're doing is proving that you can't listen to what I'm saying or what I want. I don't want this to end up where we hate each other, and won't walk on the same side of the street, but you've got to respect how I feel and what I say. This is over."

Edward stared at me for a long time in silence. Finally he reached into his pocket for his keys, and twisted the ring to pull off a silver key. This he placed into my hand.

"Goodbye, Edward." I didn't do anything sappy, like stand there and watch him drive away. Rather, I turned away and walked back into the house, shutting to door firmly and flipping the lock. Then, I went upstairs, curled up in my bed, and cried.

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AN: I had this ready to post, but held off thinking I needed to add a few things. But I think the chapter is good as-is, and whatever I might have added will fit just as well (and maybe even better) as part of the next chapter.