My Hero

Chapter Fifteen

Bella's POV

I watched as this beautiful woman stood beside me, greeting Carlisle in a strangely icey manner. She was absolutely stunning; her hair lay in golden curls around her perfect, round face. It all seemed very obvious, then.

This must be his ex-wife.

I suddenly felt very small and insignificant. Why on earth did I ever think he'd even be interested in me, when even his ex was so glorious? I had been such an idiot.

I looked sadly towards him. "I think I'd better go," I said quietly, gesturing to the door.

He shook his head. "No, you don't have to leave Bella, I..."

"No," I cut in. "It looks like you two need some time together."

Esme looked towards me with what I thought was gratitude. Her voice was rich. "Thank you."

I stumbled backwards, staring at the floor as I left. As I stepped in my truck, I glanced down at my watch; it was just past midday. I was going home earlier than I had first expected – great. Just great. God knows what kind of mood Mark would be in.

I travelled along the road, trying my hardest to forget about his wife. I was failing, though.

Why on earth would he have split with somebody as lovely as her? Perhaps he was a bit messed up in the head.

Even if he was crazy, that wouldn't stop me loving him.

I pulled up into the driveway and sluggishly walked towards the house; I suddenly felt incredibly tired, overwhelmed by all that had happened today, and I just wanted my bed.

I placed my keys on the kitchen counter and closed the door quietly behind me. After quickly scanning the living room, I realised that Mark wasn't there. I sighed heavily. Thinking about it, I didn't really care where he was at that moment. It was best that we didn't come across one another.

After pouring myself a quick glass of water to take with me, I slowly headed upstairs and into the bedroom. My eyes were practically slipping shut.

Despite this, nothing could have ever prepared me for what I saw when I opened the door.

Lying there in the bed, next to Mark, was Meg.

Meg.

Her eyes turned frantic as she saw me, and my cup crashed to the floor, shattering and spraying water everywhere. She pulled the covers up over her chest.

"Bella..." she gasped. "Bella, we... I'm... I can explain everything..."

Carlisle's POV

Esme was a wonderful person, but she had never been very talented at picking her times.

As Bella disappeared out of my vision, I felt a wave of anxiety pass through me. She surely wouldn't be very happy about all this. I groaned internally.

"Carlisle," Alice said, and I turned to face her. "Perhaps we should go home to discuss this."

I nodded. "I'll just dismiss myself." I turned to Esme. "It is a family emergency, after all."

I followed Esme and Alice into the house, solemnly thinking to myself. This was going to be a disaster, I could feel it. My thoughts also kept turning to Bella; had she returned home safely? How was she feeling?

"Esme!"

Rosalie's excited voice interrupted my concerns and I watched as she ran and hugged her mother tightly. The joy on her face was evident and I felt a pang of guilt at what I'd put everyone through over these past few months.

"Rose," Esme smiled. "I've missed you so much!"

Emmett followed behind his wife. "Esme, it's really great to see you. We were starting to get worried..." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "And, Rosalie and myself's bedroom needs some redecorating..."

Rosalie nudged him with gritted teeth. "Not now, babe."

Emmett laughed, a booming sound. "That would all depend on how long you're planning on staying anyway..."

Everyone's eyes turned to me and I coughed awkwardly under their stares. "We'd have to... discuss that."

As Edward and Jasper greeted Esme also, I felt a sudden wave of calm pass through me. I smiled at Jasper in appreciation; he was always useful in situations like these.

"So..." Esme said, turning to face me. "Can we speak privately?"

I nodded, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Lead the way."

She did so and I closed the door behind us, taking a deep breath for courage.

"Carlisle," she murmured. "I'm so sorry for the manner in which I left."

This surprised me; I'd expected an onslaught. She had seemed completely distraught and angry before, not her usual characteristics.

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I was just a little shocked by your... revelation. Deep down, I didn't want to accept it and the only thing I could do was react the way I did. It wasn't acceptable, I know."

I remained quiet as she continued.

"I suppose I did notice that you weren't yourself over the previous months," she pondered. "But I put that down to your work. Obviously I was wrong."

I looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Esme. I never meant for all of this to happen. But... I couldn't keep living a lie, like I said. I'm sorry for causing you pain."

She shook her head. "Don't apologise, Carlisle. It happens all the time; people fall out of love."

I smiled fractionally. "Yes. That's true."

I watched as she retrieved something from her pocket; some papers in a brown envelope.

"I took the time to organise a divorce." She handed me the documents while I looked on with surprise. "I thought you wouldn't want much fuss, so I took the opportunity to get it all sorted."

I sighed. "Esme, this must have caused you some hassle... I didn't really think about it... I..."

"Don't worry," she smiled. "It's time to move on, I think. A fresh start."

She was so understanding; just one of her many positive qualities. I placed the paper on the table and quickly signed it with a pen from my pocket.

"We just need to send these off and I will no longer be a Cullen," she sighed.

"Esme," I protested, turning towards her. "You will always be a member of this family."

She avoided my gaze, taking the document from my hand. "I'll be out of your way now."

I took her shoulders in my hands. "Esme, please listen to me. You belong here; you're a part of the family." I paused. "The children need you, too. You don't need to leave. Really."

She smiled slightly. "I thought you were going to kick me out of the door as soon as possible."

I raised an eyebrow. "Esme, you've been with me long enough to know that I'm not like that."

She laughed. "Yes. I suppose so."

"So, what do you say?" I asked. "Will you stay?" I waited for her response in suspense; it would be the right thing to do. The children would be happy and I could probably cope. She was being surprisingly convenient at the moment.

"If you insist," she smiled, holding my hand. "Thank you Carlisle, I truly appreciate it."

I rubbed her wrist. "Any time."

She remained silent for a moment, then looked at me with a strange look in her eye. It scared me.

"I can tell that you like that Bella from the hospital." She smiled happily.

My eyes bulged. "I'm... I'm sorry?"

She laughed, nudging my arm. "Don't act like you don't know. I saw the way you looked at her. A bit like when you first saw me." She paused. "She was in the pregnancy ward, though, wasn't she? Does she have a partner?"

I nodded, ignoring the familiar feeling. "Yes. She does."

She looked at me sadly. "Well, I'm sure it will all turn out the way it should in the end."

Her words mirrored Alice's when I had first confided in her about Bella. It seemed the mother and daughter link was stronger than I thought, even though they were adopted and really no blood relation to eachother.

"Thank you, Esme," I sighed. "Let's tell them the good news." I opened the door. "Although, I'm sure they all eavesdropped on half of it."

"You're wrong," Emmett grinned. "More like all of it."

I sighed heavily then smiled; the light had returned to everyone's eyes. The family seemed to be back together now, and this warmed my still heart.

Bella's POV

I couldn't move. This wasn't happening. It couldn't.

Then again, why should I be surprised? This explained a lot of things; why Mark was lying to me all the time, not coming to the scan, spending lots of time away... Why Meg seemed to feel the need to avoid me at the hospital... she was feeling guilty. And so she should be; she was my so-called friend. I believed I could trust her. I was clearly wrong.

I slowly moved my body out of its shocked position and headed down the stairs, taking care not to tumble.

"Wait, Bella! Wait!" Meg called, but her voice seemed false and I couldn't stand the sound of it.

I could hear some shuffling upstairs as they changed into their clothes and I felt a wave of repulsion hit me. How could someone who was supposed to care about me do this?

Meg stormed down the stairs and popped in front of me out of nowhere. I tried to turn away from her face, but she gripped my shoulders with some force.

"Bella, I'm so sorry, honestly, please listen to me! It was all a mistake! Please!" she pleaded, and I just closed my eyes.

"Please, Meg," I managed with my dry throat. "Please just... get out."

"But Bella..."

"Get out," I snapped and, after taking one last look at me, she turned to leave.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and the door slammed behind her. I heard Mark's heavy footsteps as he trudged down the stairs.

As soon as he reached the bottom, I raced past him and up into the bedroom to pack my clothes. I wasn't staying here – I couldn't. Not anymore.

I felt an odd relief.

As I ran into the room, though, I squealed at a sudden pain and dampness in my feet; I glanced down at my socks and realised, with sickness, that I had walked straight through the broken glass and water on the floor. I winced as the blood started seeping through, but still continued heading towards the cupboard. I'd just have to cope with the persistent stinging.

I reached for my suitcase and started shoving any clothes I could find into it. I didn't care at the moment, I just needed to escape. They could get creased, it didn't matter.

When I was doing this, something suddenly dawned on me.

I was free now. I could leave him.

Before the smile could spread across my face, though, I felt something grab a fistful of my hair and I jerked backwards as Mark grabbed me and threw me effortlessly back onto the bed. I screeched and fumbled, trying to sit up, but he held my legs down with his arms.

"Let me go," I shouted, writhing under his grip. His eyes turned full of hatred as he shook me and I felt myself shiver.

"Don't tell me what to do," he snapped, now sitting on top of my legs. I yelled under his heavy weight, but suddenly felt his warm hand clamp over my mouth. My screams were muffled against his rough skin and it was suddenly hard to breathe.

"Now you listen to me," he ordered. "What you saw didn't mean anything at all. I couldn't stop it; Meg seduced me. You know I only love you."

The panic filled me; this was all complete lies. How could he really love me with the ways in which he treated me?

"That little bitch means nothing to me at all," he continued, and I shivered. "She is nothing."

My breathing quickened as he leaned down to shove his face inches away from mine. "If you pack anything into that suitcase or even think about leaving here, do you know what I will do?"

I didn't respond and he shouted.

"Do you?"

I shook my head violently and a leering smile spread across his face.

"If you leave, I will make sure that you regret it for the rest of your life, and that wouldn't be a very long time. Do you understand?"

I was shuddering hysterically, full of blinding fear. He slapped me across my face and I felt the stinging spread across my skin. I looked at him in shock, then nodded. He removed his hand from my mouth and I spluttered, taking in panicked breaths. He stood up casually, as though nothing had happened.

"Good, I'm glad you understand me." He kicked my suitcase underneath the bed and stood by the door. "Clean up this mess, would you?"

I sat there, shaking uncontrollably. The tears flowed down my cheeks and I pulled my sore knees up to my chest.

I was now even more trapped than ever before.