Hey guys! I just wanted to warn you that there is a bit more language in this chapter. It's only like one word, but I'm just letting you guys know...anyways, on with the story!

Chapter Fourteen: Betrayal

"Mom?" I said quietly, my voice shaking. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I heard what happened to Charlie. I thought I would come home and help."

I scoffed. "First off, Renee, this is not your home. Second, you never helped before. Why would you care now? And third of all, how the heck did you even get in here?"

I felt Edward come up behind me and put his hand on my side, comforting and giving me strength.

She had the nerve to look hurt by my words. "I knew where the spare key was." She began. "And I didn't know that there was a problem until a few days ago. If I would have known…" She trailed off.

"What?" I demanded. "You would have come back? News flash, mom." I sneered the word. "The problem started the day you walked out on us."

Renee took a deep breath and stared at me. She did look exactly the same. She may have lost a little weight but that was it. I examined her carefully, looking at every inch of her. My eyes froze when they got to her hands. Her left hand specifically.

"You're married?" I choked out. "So the 'someone else' from your letter turned out to be the one?"

She looked astonished. "Charlie showed you the letter?" She sounded appalled.

I don't know if Charlie ever intended for me to see the note, but I saw it. The words still felt like someone was jabbing a knife into my heart. As a 5th grade girl, I could figure when I read the note was that I had done something wrong. I had made mommy so mad that she decided to leave. As I got older though, I realized the harsh reality of it all. I hadn't done anything wrong. I just wasn't worth it to her.

"He never actually showed it to me, but that doesn't mean I didn't find it." I said. "What a wonderful mother you were." I said as I glared at her. "How did you phrase it? 'Keep the kid. I don't want to be a mother.' Yes, that's right."

She glared now, looking mad. "For your information Isabella, I did not marry the man I cheated on your father with." She said this as if it justified everything.

"Like that justifies anything." I said bitterly. I looked over at Edward who was looking at me with concern. I found the strength and courage that I needed to keep going in his eyes.

"Who is this?" My mom asked. I looked over at her to see her staring at Edward.

I sighed. "This is my boyfriend Edward."

She smiled like she was happy for me. I wanted to vomit. "Does Charlie know about him? He's gonna have a heart attack when he finds out."

I put my arm around Edward's waist for a moment, squeezing him. "He already knows. In fact, Edward comes with me sometimes when I visit Charlie at rehab. They get along quite well."

Renee ignored my comment. "It's nice to meet you Edward." She said. Edward simply nodded once in return.

I sighed and walked a bit farther into the living room with Edward trailing behind me, holding my hand.

"So, mommy dearest. I answered some of your questions about my love life." I said, referring to her questions about Edward. "Now it's my turn. Who are you married to now?" I asked trying not to seem all that interested when in reality, I very much was. I wanted to know what her made her life so livable now when the life she had with us was apparently unbearable.

She sighed. "His name is Phil Dwyer. He's a minor league baseball player." She said simply.

"Great. A jock." I said with sarcasm. She gave me a disapproving look which I ignored.

"Does he know about me?" I asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

Renee sighed. "He knows everything about you that I know." She said.

I snorted. "So not much." I took a deep breath. "Okay. Tell me who you cheated on dad with? Do I know him? Was he from around here?" I rattled off.

Renee bit her lip and my stomach turned. A habit that I never really minded before was now something I despised about myself. Because it came from her.

"I don't know why you need to know this, Bella. It's not relevant anymore."

"It's relevant to me. You ruined my entire childhood when you walked out that fucking door." I snapped. I was shocked at my own language. I had never said the f word before. Sure I had heard it spouted off a few times from my dad and his friends when they came here, drunk. And, of course, the common use of it around Fork's high school. But I had never actually used it. But that's how much Renee pissed me off.

"I think I deserve to know who was so worth it that you left me and my father. Who was more worth it then me? Your own daughter!"

Here eyes widened as I finished my little rant. "Fine. He was a close friend of the family. He must still be around quite a bit. I've kept in touch with him. And I always ask if he's heard anything about you or seen you. And he always has something new to report." She said with a smile. I scanned through the people I saw every day, trying to figure out who could be so low to have an affair with my mom when they were apparently a good family friend. Who would betray my father like that?

"Who?" I demanded.

She sighed. "His name was David Monroe. I think he used to be an elementary teacher. Do you remember him? I actually stayed with him for a while after I…you know."

My stomach dropped and I lost my balance, having to lean on Edward. Mr. Monroe? The Mr. Monroe that had been my very favorite teacher until recently? Until now…

Everything started to slowly click together and make sense. I barely registered Edward leading me over to the couch. That's why Mr. Monroe always let me get away with everything in his class. He wasn't nice to me because my mom had left me…he was nice to me because he was one of the reasons why. That's why he stopped talking to my dad after she left. Because he was with my mom. Did my dad know?

The conversation I had had with Mr. Monroe suddenly made sense. He had kept in touch with Renee this whole time. He's the reason that she is here. He told he what had happened with my father. That's why he seemed so confused and surprised when I told him that I hadn't heard from Renee.

Mr. Monroe had betrayed my father. Mr. Monroe had betrayed me.

"Take me home, Edward." I rasped out. "I want to go home."

"Bella," My mom began. "You are home. Is she okay?" Renee asked Edward.

Edward helped me up while I glared at my mother. "I'm going to the house where I have been living since Charlie went to rehab. Plus this isn't home. I haven't felt at home here since before 5th grade." I said sourly.

Edward kept his arm around me as he led me towards the door.

"At least tell me where you're staying." Renee begged.

I sighed and turned around to face her. "I'll call the house when I get there, but I don't want you to ruin the only family that I have left." I said bitterly.

And then Edward and I walked quickly to his car. I jumped into the passenger's seat and while he hopped into the driver's side, quickly starting the car and peeling out of the driveway.

I sobbed the entire way home.

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