Synopsis:
After a forced marriage filled with violence, Bella escapes from Edward with their unborn child. Almost four years later, Edward has found her and their daughter and he refuses to let them go.
"You will find that it is necessary to let things go;
simply for the reason that they are heavy.
So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles."
― C. JoyBell
Chapter 32
In Circles
"We've had no sign of Ethan or Michael as of yet," Dean said. "They seem to have disappeared along with Jacob."
"Of course," Edward replied. "I didn't expect them to stick around."
Contrary to what others had expected of him, Edward was calm and as functional as he could be. He tried to keep himself focused on the tasks at hand so he wouldn't have time to think about the mess he was in. His first task was to figure out how to rid himself of Jacob once and for all. Jenks was working hard on that. The second task was to find Ethan and Michael. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.
It was Dean who first realised something was wrong. Ethan and Michael had been assigned to keep an eye on Alexis and Bella, and when he tried calling them that night, he didn't get an answer. He'd called and called, but no one replied. He'd called Edward and told him something was wrong, and the two of them had gone to the house. By then it had already gone up in flames. All that was left was Bella frozen in horror and Alexis absolutely terrified. Never had Edward foreseen that Ethan and Michael would be working with Jacob. Not once had they let on that they were double crossing him. When they'd told him that Jacob had escaped from them, back at the hotel, with the help of hotel staff, he hadn't questioned them. There were very few people in this world Edward trusted, and they were two of them, but it seemed all his life those he trusted would always find a way to disappoint him. He knew it was what he deserved.
Even if he did find Ethan and Michael, Edward wasn't sure what he could do. It might be better to just let that issue go for now and turn his attention to more important matters at hand.
"Have you heard anything from Jenks?" Edward asked. He'd been waiting for him for almost forty-five minutes.
"Yes. He said he was running a few minutes late and would be here soon."
Edward glanced at his watch for a moment. He'd promised Alexis that he would take her out for lunch today at midday which left him only fifteen minutes to speak with Jenks. He'd rented a room on the same floor as Bella and Alexis, so as to be near them if they needed him, so it was there he waited for Jenks to arrive.
Bella had barely spoken a word to him since that first night. She only responded to his questions with one worded answers. She was mostly on the phone when Edward stopped by to take Alexis for a few hours or her mind always seemed far away, and that worried him. It usually meant she was planning something. Edward had asked Alexis if she knew what Bella was doing or to whom she was speaking to all the time, but Alexis said she didn't.
Edward knew he shouldn't be surprised by the drastic turn their relationship had taken. Really, it was a common occurrence by now. One minute everything was going fine, and the next, it went up in flames. One minute he was blissfully and euphorically flying towards the sun; the next moment he was falling to his demise. This must be how Icarus felt as he plunged towards the sea. That falling sensation was all too common for Edward.
Just as Edward was about to tell Dean to call Jenks again, there was a knock on the door. After Dean had opened it, Jenks walked in flushed and sweaty.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he said as he took a seat opposite to Edward. "The roads are a mess, what with the snow and all. I was stuck in traffic for almost an hour. I almost ran out of gas." Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, Jenks dabbed his face with it.
"Doesn't matter. Do you have any good news to tell me?" Edward asked. He was eager to get this over with.
"As a matter of fact I do," Jenks said, resting his briefcase on the table. "There may be a way to get Jacob off your back."
"How?"
"Give him what he wants," Jenks replied simply.
Edward just watched him. Surely there had to be more to it. "Explain," he said.
"Did you know Carlisle had a very large tax debt? That he paid people to shake up his books, and just before he died, the government started to realise that the numbers didn't add up?"
No, Edward did not know that, but it didn't surprise him.
"It seems debt collectors have been sniffing around Carlisle's estate, and they have been discovering just how unsavoury his business is. They were planning on filing for back taxes just before he died, and a little birdie told me that the feds have gotten involved. They just need time to close in."
"Really? All that illegal activity, and the one thing they have him on his taxes? He's Al Capone minus the charity work."
Jenks shrugged. "Carlisle was really good at covering up his dirty secrets, and once they figured out what he was up to, they just needed a way to take him out. Taxes were their best bet."
"Does anyone know that Carlisle passed the business on to me?"
"You never signed for it, so no. It's still sitting there stagnant."
"How close are they to uncovering what Carlisle did?" Edward asked. He was beginning to see Jenks' plan.
"Pretty close."
Edward thought about it for a moment. If he gave Jacob the business that he so desperately wanted, it would put him right in the middle of the heat when all the dirt was exposed. It would be best to let the federal government deal with him.
"How soon can you set up the transfer?" Edward asked.
"I had to do some editing in Carlisle's will as well as some arm twisting because he specifically said to give it you, but the documents are ready to be signed. I just need Jacob there."
Edward did not like the idea of having to come face to face with his half brother again, but if it meant getting him out of his life for good, he was willing to take the risk.
"You'll have to find Jacob then," Edward said.
"That shouldn't be too hard. Once he knows what he'd be getting, he will be foaming at the mouth."
That was true. If he could keep Jacob ignorant long enough to accept the trap, this whole thing would be settled really soon.
Glancing quickly at his watch again, Edward saw that he only had a few minutes until he was to get Alexis. It wasn't difficult to spot that what had happened at the house had affected Alexis greatly. She was seemingly more afraid now and would often thrown tantrums when Edward had to leave her, or she would cry suddenly for Bella, and nothing Edward could do would calm her down. He knew if he was even a minute late, she would be upset.
"I have somewhere to be now," he told Jenks.
"Already? I think I spent more time getting down here than I actually did here."
"You're the one who was late, so that isn't my fault." Edward was already standing to leave.
"True," Jenks replied as he slowly stood and grabbed his briefcase. Jenks was moving too slow.
"Really, I have to go now. Dean will see you out," Edward said, and then without another glance, Edward walked out of the room.
When he knocked on Bella and Alexis's hotel door moments later, it was precisely twelve. It was Alexis who answered the door.
"You're late," she said with a pout.
Edward smiled a little as he showed her his watch. The minute hand and hour hand were still on twelve. The second hand was almost at seven. "It's twelve now."
Alexis studied his watch for a second before she said, "The fast moving hand is after twelve. So you're still late."
She had him there.
"When did you get so smart?"
Alexis just shrugged.
"Where's your mom?" he asked.
"She's on the phone again."
Edward pushed open the door a little and walked in. Bella was indeed on the phone, and whoever it was that she was talking to seemed to be stressing her out. She was rubbing the side of her head as though she had a headache. She looked up when she realised someone was watching her.
"Hold on," she said briefly into the receiver. "Yes?"
"I'm taking her out now," Edward said.
Bella just nodded at him before going back to whomever she was speaking to. Edward wanted to ask what was wrong, but he knew that was a stupid question. Everything was wrong. He just nodded back to her before he and Alexis headed out the door.
Not wanting to take Alexis far, they went to a restaurant just down the street. It was a plain restaurant and not overly crowded, but it served chicken nuggets so Alexis was fine with it. Conversation was random with Alexis. She spoke of what she'd done with Bella since the last time he'd seen her, what she'd seen on the television and of the bird that was on the railing outside their room. Spending time with Alexis had always been a chance to step away from all of the difficulties that had been plaguing his life. Unfortunately, sometimes those difficulties had a habit of slipping into his oasis of calm.
"How come you and Mommy don't like each other?" she asked suddenly, catching Edward completely off guard.
"What makes you think that?" he asked, wanting to stall for a few moments so he could think of an answer.
"I don't know," she replied, but Edward could tell that wasn't true. Alexis was very much aware of the tension between him and Bella, and she had made her own conclusions.
"Your mom and I don't dislike each other," Edward said, though he wasn't a hundred percent sure that was true. He knew his feelings, but Bella's were still a bit of a mystery. "It's just a really complicated time right now."
"Complicated?" Alexis asked. Edward knew she wouldn't understand what he meant, but he didn't know how else to phrase it. He didn't want to scare her, but he wanted to state it in such a way that she'd understand. "Is that why Mommy and I are leaving? Because of the complicated?"
"Leaving?"
"Yeah. Mommy said to someone on the phone that we would be leaving the hotel soon, and she wanted us to be out of there as soon as possible."
Edward hadn't known anything about that. He'd had Dean and Hunter assigned to Bella and Alexis after Ethan and Michael had left. Bella knew they were there, so he wondered if she was planning to give them the same slip she did in Chicago and run again. His first thought was to prevent that from happening. So long as Jacob was out there, neither she nor Alexis were safe. It made him think that if Jenks' plan worked out, the Jacob barrier would be gone. What reason did that leave him then for preventing her from leaving? Nothing. He was slowly losing his hold on her.
"If we leave, does that mean I won't see you again?" Alexis asked suddenly.
"Of course not. No matter what happens, if ever you need me, I will always be there for you."
"Not if Mommy and I go far away," she pointed out.
"Not even then," Edward promised. He was willing to let Bella call the shots on a lot of things, but one thing he refused to let her do was keep him from seeing his daughter. If it had to come to it, he was willing to let his and Bella's relationship go, but he wouldn't do that with Alexis.
"Lexi," Edward said after a moment. "The truth is things between your mom and I aren't good right now. There was a time when we were great friends, but a lot has changed since then."
"Is it because of me?" she asked in a soft voice. The tears in her voice broke him.
"No, it isn't because of you," he said quickly. "This is just between your mom and me. I promise you it isn't your fault."
Alexis had been sitting opposite to him at the table, but Edward quickly got up and went around the table to sit beside her. He and Bella had gotten so caught up in their own problems they'd neglected to remember how deeply this affected Alexis as well. It reminded Edward of his own childhood. His parents had been so caught up in their own strife they neglected to see it was affecting their sons.
Edward really didn't know what else to say to reassure Alexis, so he tried instead to distract her by buying her whatever salty and sugary thing she wanted. By the time they arrived back at the hotel room, Alexis had crashed completely from her sugar rush. Edward carried her into the bedroom and laid her down while Bella waited out in the living room.
Unlike the other times, Edward didn't leave right away. Instead, he sat opposite to her. Bella looked tired and worn out. She didn't say anything as her eyes lifted to his.
"Alexis has been asking about what's happening," he said. "She asked me today if it was her fault."
Bella didn't seem surprised. "I know. She's been asking me as well."
"Why didn't you tell me so we could handle this together?"
"You've been busy." Even Bella's voice sounded tired.
Edward shook his head. "I'm never too busy when it comes to something to do with her. I know you and I have our issues, but regardless, she's still our daughter. Mine as much as yours. Even if things between us are strained now, we do still have a responsibility to co-parent."
Bella didn't respond this time, so Edward didn't know if that meant she agreed with him or not.
"She also told me that you were leaving the hotel soon."
Bella's eyes widened ever so slightly. It seemed that was something she didn't want him to know.
He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to keep her and Alexis safe. "I know you're itching to get out of this hotel and away from me, but please, all I ask is that you give me time to get rid of this problem with Jacob. Just let me do that and then I'll take you and Alexis wherever you want. I'm afraid that if you run now, you and Alexis may end up getting hurt in the process. I know I can't really stop you if you are determined to go— you've proven that in Chicago and in Forks— so I'm trying to compromise with you now. Just give me until the end of the week."
It was silent for a few minutes as Bella seemed to think over his proposal. "I wasn't planning on running," she finally said. "Alexis and I can't live in a hotel forever, so I was looking for something I could rent in the mean time while I search for a job."
"Search for a job?" Edward asked, confusion written all over his face.
Bella just looked at him. Then realisation dawned.
"You found out," he stated. "How?"
"It doesn't matter how. All that matters is I didn't hear it from you."
"You don't have to look for a new job just because I own the company."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't," Edward insisted.
Bella let out an exasperated breath. "You don't get it, do you? The majority of our relationship has been one mess up after another. It's been a long time since we were ever in some comfortable place where we could actually trust each other. Things will go fine and then suddenly something will come along and mess everything up. Like now with your problems with Jacob. When that happens, I need to be able to stand on my own two feet while supporting Alexis and myself. I don't want to rely on you for anything, because when the shit hits the fan, I don't want to end up in the same position I was in when I left Chicago. I need to do this on my own and not have to rely on anyone. I need to find a job that is separate from you. One that won't be affected by all the messed up things between us."
Edward had to admit that she had a point. Though he would always support her and Alexis regardless of whether or not he and Bella were together, time had proven that no matter how hard he tried, things always seemed to spin out of control. If it gave her comfort to stand on her own, then he had to respect that.
"Okay. I'll leave you to it then, but if you ever need help, I'll be there." Edward stood and started towards the door. Then he remembered something else he'd told Alexis. He waited until Bella looked at him before he said what he had to say. "I know things between us are bad, and you probably want me out of your life, but I promised Alexis that regardless of how messed up things get between us, that I will always be there, and I intend to keep that promise. Even if it means I have to follow you two to the ends of the earth. I lost you. I can't lose her too." Then, without waiting for a reply, Edward left her alone.
A few days later, Jenks informed him that Jacob had responded to his offer and had agreed to meet with Edward and Jenks to discuss the transfer. It was the day before Christmas Eve, and Edward just wanted this whole thing to be over. He'd left Dean and the rest of his security posted outside Bella and Alexis's door. If Jacob was pulling some stunt, he needed for them to be protected at all times.
He asked Jenks to set up the meeting with Jacob in one of the hotel's conferences rooms. They arrived a few minutes early to go over the plan, though there wasn't much to go over. It was a bread and circuses deal, and Jacob was desperate and vindictive enough to fall for it.
They were supposed to meet at three, but Jacob didn't walk in until thirty minutes after the scheduled time. On either side of him, he was flanked by Michael and Ethan. From the smug look on Jacob's face, he believed he'd won. Before sitting opposite to Edward, Jacob stuck out his hand as if to shake Edward's. Edward just stared at it, knowing full well that if he reached out to shake Jacob's hand, he'd probably end up twisting it until it broke. After several seconds passed, and Edward hadn't accepted his gesture, Jacob just shrugged, unaffected, and took his seat.
"Great seeing you, brother. How's it been? How are my niece and sister-in-law?"
Jacob was baiting him, wanting to get a reaction. Edward just took a deep breath to stop himself from retaliating. Odds were Jacob wanted Edward to lash out at him. Edward and Jenks were outnumbered, and nothing would please Jacob more than to see Michael and Ethan beat Edward to a pulp.
Jenks coughed slightly to gain everyone's attention. He could feel the tension in the room.
"So, Jacob, from my email you will know that— "
"Edward finally realised that he's not the prodigal son and I deserve Carlisle's business," Jacob said, cutting across Jenks.
"That Edward has decided to reject ownership of Carlisle's business and all its assets and give it to you," Jenks said, ignoring Jacob's earlier remarks.
"What made you change your mind?" Jacob asked, directing his question to Edward.
"I need you to leave me alone, and what better way to do that than to give you want you want," Edward said simply.
Jacob bought it. "So where do I sign?"
"Here," Jenks said, pointing to the bottom of the page. "I'd emailed your lawyer a copy of the document, and he was supposed to go over it with you. Did he?"
"Yes, yes," Jacob replied, brushing off Jenks' question as he signed his name quickly on the dotted line. After signing in a few more places, Jacob gave Edward a smile which Edward did not return.
"That's it," Jenks said, taking the papers. I'll just make a copy for you and fax a copy as well to Peter. If you'll excuse me, I'll just head over to the hotel's office and get that done." He stood up and quickly left the room. He seemed just as eager as Edward to have this done with.
When the door closed behind him, Jacob turned to Ethan and Michael and said, "Can you leave us for a minute? I would like to talk to my brother alone."
They gave him a brief nod before following Jenks out the door. When the door closed behind them, Edward just watched Jacob as he waited for him to speak first.
"What? No anger or resentment that I took Carlisle's business from you?" Jacob asked.
"I couldn't care less about Carlisle's business, or you for that matter."
"He's probably turning in his grave right now. His bastard son taking control instead of his favourite son."
Edward snorted. "I was not Carlisle's favourite son," Edward said with disgust.
"That's what you think, but you were." He looked at Edward silently for a minute. "You and I are a lot alike, you know."
"I doubt that."
"You can deny it all you want, but we are. I don't mean in our callousness and disregard for other people." Edward's eyes narrowed at him. "I mean in our upbringing."
Edward was not aware of much of Jacob's childhood, and it wasn't something he was interested in either way, but Jacob didn't seem to know or care about that.
"You think you and your brothers are the only Cullens who had a fucked up childhood, or did you forget that Carlisle was the bane of my existence as well?"
"Carlisle was abusive to your mother?" Now Edward was interested. He didn't know much of what went on between Jacob's mother and Carlisle besides the obvious fact that it resulted in Jacob.
"Not physically. He destroyed her mentally," Jacob sneered, disgust in his voice. "My mother was so damn love struck for Carlisle that she'd go into depression for days when he was away. She actually blamed me for why he was always gone. She blamed me for why he didn't want to be with her. It was why he moved us closer to your house. She snapped one day and threatened to kill herself if he didn't move in with us. Apparently, I wasn't enough for her to want to stick around. He just moved us closer to shut her up." There was violence and anger in Jacob's eyes now. Who exactly they were directed to, Edward didn't know.
"It still wasn't enough for her," he went on. "She had to have him, but he refused to leave that bitch Esme. I don't even know why she wanted him. He was worthless, and all he ever talked about was you." His eyes narrowed at Edward now. It made Edward realise that they'd gotten to the root of the problem.
"Every damn night he came over, all he ever talked about was you. How he was going to give you everything. How you were going to continue his legacy. Bullshit. Even when my mother finally offed herself, and Carlisle brought me to live with you all, he still ignored me. Your mother hated me, and your brothers terrorized me. I already knew I was the bastard son without your family needing to rub salt into the wound."
"So you're blaming me because of what they did? How they treated you?" Edward finally asked. "You kidnapped my daughter, caused an explosion in my building and burned down my wife and child's house because of how my father, mother and brothers treated you? That's bullshit, Jacob."
"Sins of the father shall be thrust onto the son," Jacob said with a shrug, undeterred by Edward's words. "Or in this case, sins of the father, mother and brothers are on the son. Well, that's all water under the bridge now. What's done is done."
Jenks walked in then, slightly out of breath, with several papers in hand. "I'm sorry this took so long. The printer was jammed. Well, here you go." He handed Jacob a copy of the contract already in a folder. "I'll just hold on to the original."
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, brother," Jacob said as he took the folder from Jenks. "Maybe next time we won't have to go to such drastic measures to get you to give me what I want."
"Maybe next time you die in a car crash on your way here," Edward replied.
Jacob shot him a dirty look before he walked out of the room, slamming the door as he went.
"Well, I'm glad that's over," Jenks said with a sigh of relief.
"So am I."
"Well, Mr. Cullen, if that is all, I think I'll head home now. I'm in need of a drink, and I want to get out of here before this weather gets any worse," Jenks said.
Edward's thoughts drifted away from Jacob to Bella and Alexis. It reminded him of something else he'd wanted to accomplish while he had Jenks here.
"Actually, Jenks, there's something else I need you to do."
Several chapters ago, I'd addressed the question regarding whether or not this story will have a HEA. I'd said then that I wasn't sure. I wish I could say all these chapters later a definite yes or no, but unfortunately, I can't.
To me, HEA is such an odd thing. My definition of a HEA is a story in which the main character doesn't die. To me, it doesn't mean that the couple end up together but more that they reach a state in which they are content with where they are. That can be either together or separate from each other.
Does that make sense? I'm confusing myself now.
Thank you to kitchmill, StoryPainter and wime09.