Disclaimer: Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. All characterizations, plot lines, backgrounds and details belong to Bella Baby24. Plagiarism is bad. Just say no.
Disclaimer 2: I am not responsible for anyone trying these crazy ideas in real life. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not try this stuff at home. It's fun to read about Bella's book and the fantasies she has for revenge, but it's not funny in real life. It may lead to a criminal record and it makes you look sad. Don't be THAT girl. Take a note from Bella and write down all of your revenge ideas.
A/N: Thank you for being so patient in waiting for this chapter.
To my lovely, new beta, Irritable Grizzzly- thank you for putting-up with me and my overuse of the word softly ;)
Previously:
Rose softly said, "Speaking of womanizers, there is something I should probably tell you."
After a few moments of silence, I was getting anxious. "Just spit it out, Rose. You're making me worry."
Rose nervously cleared her throat and said, "I spoke to Edward the other night...."
2006 (2 Years Before Prologue)
"You spoke to Edward? What do you mean you spoke to Edward?" I asked in a pitchy voice.
Rose took a deep breath and began cautiously, "You know how Momma Liz bribed Lauren with exclusive rights to Gold-Masen events if she wouldn't publish information on your divorce?"
"Yes," I answered.
"Well, Momma Liz was hosting a silent auction for the Battered Women's Shelter and she sent Lauren an invite for the event. Liz had specifically requested that I cover all events because I used to attend with you and therefore my presence wouldn't scream 'Press!'. She also requested that I arrive at the venue a half-an-hour early so that she could go over some information about the event with me. We both know that's Momma-Liz-code for 'stating the rules'."
"So I arrived early and Liz threatened to end my career if I portrayed her family, or the Women's Shelter, in a negative light. Towards the end of her rambling, she specifically warned me to stay away from Edward and his date," Rose explained.
"Edward brought a date?" I asked with what I hoped was a neutral tone. My heart-rate increased and I felt like I would have a heart attack at any moment.
When I heard the sharp intake of breath over the phone, I could tell that Rose hadn't meant to reveal that piece of information. In a calm voice, Rose answered, "Yes, Bella. Edward brought a date."
"Who was it, Rose?" I questioned.
"Are you sure you want to know about all of this, Bella?" Rose pressed.
No. I definitely don't want to know about Edward with anyone else.
When I answered in the affirmative, Rose continued, "Her name is Felicity. Apparently, he's been dating her for a couple of months now. The entire night everyone was speculating if she would become the next Mrs. Masen."
A couple of months?!?!?
"A couple of months?" I pressed.
"Yes," Rose answered, "He's been seeing her exclusively for the last four months. They are a 'private couple' and are only seen together at events."
Rose was still talking, but I didn't hear the words she was saying. I was panicking as I tried to determine if I knew a Felicity. I know the divorce had been finalized for six months now, but I didn't think he would have a serious relationship so soon. I tried to regulate my breathing. I needed to stay calm. Then I had an epiphany. Was it Felicity King…because if it was, I'd have nothing to worry about.
Felicity King is gay.
In an excited voice I said, "Is it Felicity King?"
Rose snapped at me, "Were you even listening to me, Bella? I told you that about five minutes ago!"
Had I really spaced out for that long?
"What?" I asked in a confused voice.
"My mother used to tell me that if you masturbated excessively, it made you stupid. I think you have fucked yourself stupid with the Rabbit, Bella," Rose said.
"Rose..." I said, completely embarrassed.
Rose quickly replied, "Bella, what I said was that I talked to Edward. He said they had an arrangement to be each other's dates at events. He was quick to tell me that he hasn't seen anyone since you left him a year ago."
"I'm sorry, Rose. I just panicked. I knew he'd start seeing someone eventually, but I didn't want to think about it," I apologized.
"Bella," she sighed. "I know it's been difficult for you since the divorce. I just wanted you to know that it looks like it's been difficult for him too."
I'm sure it's been real hard for the cheating bastard....
"Really?" I said sarcastically.
"Really, Bella. The only reason I'm telling you that I spoke to him is because I thought it would help you to know that he seems to be having a hard time letting go of you. Sometimes it helps to know that you aren't the only one mourning the loss of a relationship."
"It does help. I DO like knowing that he's finding the situation difficult too. At least I know that I'm not the only one feeling the loss. Although, in some ways it hurts to know that he still cares," I sighed. "How is he?"
Rose informed me that Edward was tired and drunk by the time she talked to him. The only thing he wanted to talk about was me and how I was doing. Rose did not tell him where I was or how I was doing. The only information she gave Edward was that I was no longer in Chicago and that I was happy.
I was thrilled that Rose led Edward to believe that I had moved on. It was difficult to hear news about Edward because I was no longer a part of his life.
I was glad that Rose ran into him; however, a small part of me was jealous that she got to see and talk to him.
-o-o-o-
After I learned that Edward was struggling with our divorce, I had a hard time thinking of revenge plots. I got angry at myself because he didn't deserve my sympathy. I needed someone to remind me of the situation and to help me focus on my book. In my time of need, I called Emmett. As soon as I told him I was feeling sorry for Edward, he lost it.
"Bella, that bastard deserves everything that Annabelle is doing to Masen and more!" Emmett shouted. "He fucked Tanya on your anniversary, for fuck's sake!"
Every time I think about it, I still get insanely angry. Fueled by the memory of seeing Tanya's high-heels digging into Edward's ass, I began to plot. The newest revenge scheme involved flowers. I explained the situation to Emmett to make sure it was appropriate.
"Annabelle makes a list comprised of Masen's mother's female friends, daughters of his father's friends, female co-workers, select male co-workers, and select male acquaintances. Annabelle then orders expensive bouquets of flowers for everyone on her list using Masen's credit card. In total, there are fifty bouquets of flowers that cost approximately $3,000. On the card, attached to each bouquet, is the following message: 'I find sex outside of marriage to be insanely satisfying. I'm fucking my wife's sister and I'd love to get into your pants too! Love, Masen'," I said. "What do you think?"
Emmett chuckled and answered, "I think that the wrath of his parents would be excruciating. I can't even imagine what my parents would say if I sent their friends, or their friends' children, a message like that."
"I wish I didn't accept that hush-money from Momma Liz. I can only imagine what she would say if her acquaintances received propositions from Edward," I said dreamily.
She would have an epic shit-fit...
I thanked Emmett for his help. He was proving to be my anchor while I was writing my book. Emmett kept me focused and motivated. I knew I wouldn't be able to write without his help and support.
-o-o-o-
Three weeks later, I was back in Chicago. I had hired a moving company to move my possessions to Denver. After watching my things being loaded onto the truck, I was ready for my last dinner as a Chicago resident.
Rosalie, Jasper, and I headed down to a pizzeria that we had been going to since college. As we drank our beers and ate our Chicago-style pizza, we reminisced about our times together. The three of us, along with Edward and Tanya, had created some wonderful memories there.
We were laughing over the time that I fell into someone else's pizza when Jasper blurted, "I can't believe you're leaving us, Bella! Who is going to entertain me with random bouts of klutziness now?"
"Ha Ha," I snarked. "You know you're going to miss me. I'm just sad that you won't be driving to Denver with us."
I gave Jasper my best pouty face and hoped that he might change his mind.
"I know," Jasper sighed. "I really wish that I could be a part of this road trip, but I have a case that I can't leave behind."
I reached over and put my arm around his shoulder. "It's okay, J. You'll just have to come visit me soon," I soothed.
The three of us continued to drink and recollect countless memories until the pizzeria closed. My face hurt from smiling and my body ached from laughing too hard, yet I was not ready for the night to end. I would miss the Hales greatly.
The next morning started early, and with a cranky Rosalie. Our late night drinking left her with a mean hangover. She climbed into the passenger seat of my Lexus SUV, pulled down her large Gucci sunglasses, and groggily stated, "I need some serious coffee. We're talking a Venti triple-shot latte. If I don't get my Starbucks soon, I can't be held accountable for my attitude."
As I drove out of Chicago, I said goodbye to Chicago and my life there. This was my chance to start fresh and be whoever I wanted to be. Rose must have known what I was thinking, because she determined that it was time to have a heart-to-heart with me.
"Bella, you know I love you, but I'm a little concerned," she said.
I asked, "Concerned about what?"
Rose played with the sleeve on her coffee cup and replied, "You have this great chance to start over in Denver and get to know your family. However, you've been mentioning this Alec guy a lot. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but you know he's a player. I'm all for teasing him and having fun, but I'm concerned that you may fall into old patterns. I would just hate to see you end up with another Edward."
Deep breaths.... She's only mentioning this because she loves you....
"Rose, I can see how you would be concerned. Alec is intriguing, but I know that he isn't the right type of guy for me," I sighed. "I'm trying to convince myself to be with someone safer this time around."
Rose smiled and said, "I'm not telling you to be with a boring man, B. I just want you to be with someone who will treat you how you deserve to be treated. Just be careful. I don't want to knock-out any more whores because they slept with your man."
-o-o-o-
The drive to Denver was sixteen hours long. Rose and I had planned to stop and spend the night in Lincoln, Nebraska; however, we just decided to take shifts and drive right through. We arrived in Denver at four a.m. and quickly passed out on the blow-up mattress I left there. The next morning I woke early and decided to run down the street to Starbucks to get coffee for Rose and myself. After ordering some coffees and a couple of scones, I made my way back to the condo.
As I opened the door, I could hear the hysterical tone of Emmett's voice, "I swear I know Bella! I was just coming to see if I could get her new bed delivered before she got back from Chicago!"
Huh? Emmett was going to have my bed delivered?
"Stay away from me, you pervert! If you really know Bella, then why didn't you call or give some notice before you came barging in?!?!" Rose's yelled.
"Please, Please," Emmett yelled out, sounding desperate, "Don't hurt me. Just put the knife down or let me leave. This is all just a misunderstanding. Don't do anything that you might regret later!"
What the hell?
As soon as I heard the word knife, I started running toward the voices. When I turned the corner, I couldn't believe the sight before me. Rosalie was in a towel, standing over Emmett and wielding a large cleaver. Emmett was huddled in the corner with wide scared eyes. He was desperately searching for a way out, but Rose had him cornered.
Emmett caught sight of me and exhaled a large breath of relief. "Bella! Thank God you're here," he yelled. "Please tell your friend here that you know me and that I'm not going to hurt her. Tell her to put down that huge fucking knife!!!"
I carefully turned to Rose and gently informed her, "Rose, this is my cousin Emmett. It's okay. You can put the knife down."
Rose's eyes flashed with anger as she quickly retorted, "Well, tell your cousin to learn some fucking manners. Barging into someone's condo and then propositioning a stranger is a great way to get cut."
When Emmett saw Rose put down the cleaver, he straightened his spine and got out of the corner. His eyes were brimming with amusement and lust when he replied, "I can't help it if you're fucking sexy in a towel. Hell, even the knife did something for me. I never knew that a fucking crazy girl could be so ridiculously sexy."
How did women think his lines were suave? It's amazing he's not a virgin...
"You're a fucking idiot," Rose said. Her nostrils flared in annoyance. After taking a deep breath, she huffed out, "I'm Rosalie Hale. If you promise not to break in again, I will promise not to stab you with a cleaver."
Emmett smirked as he raked his eyes over Rosalie's semi-clad form. With an amused tone he replied, "Next time I'll wait until you take off the towel. I'm Emmett Cullen. Just thought you should know whose name you'll be screaming later."
Did he really just say that?
"In your wildest wet dreams, asshole. I should have chopped your dick off and saved humanity the burden of your future offspring!" Rose spit before she stormed out of the kitchen.
Emmett turned to me and cocked an eyebrow, "She's a feisty one, isn't she?"
While we were waiting for Rose to change, Emmett caught me up-to-date on the potential murder scene I witnessed. Apparently, he called the furniture store and they agreed to deliver my bed earlier. Emmett came over this morning to greet the delivery truck and to make sure that my bed would be ready when I arrived. It was incredibly sweet for him to consider my needs.
After I thanked Emmett, I began to laugh. I don't think I will ever get the image of Rose corralling Emmett with a knife out of my head. I snorted out, "Emmett, she scared the shit out of you. I don't think you will ever live this down!!"
"You try having a half-naked psycho wave a knife at you and see how scared you get," Emmett said defensively.
I was still shaking with laughter when Rosalie came back into the kitchen. Once I caught my breath, the two of them explained what happened.
Emmett used the emergency key to let himself into the condo to wait for the delivery men. He walked into the bedroom to make sure that the way was clear for them to set up the bed. As he was leaving the bedroom, Emmett ran into Rosalie in the hall. She had just finished taking her morning shower, which explained why she was wrapped in a towel. When Rose noticed Emmett, she screamed and ran down the hall towards the kitchen, since Emmett had the way to the front door blocked. Rosalie grabbed the cleaver and was waving it around trying to keep the intruder away. I walked in during the standoff.
I wheezed because I was laughing so hard. Both Rose and Emmett looked at me as if I were a traitor. Finally, Rosalie broke down and laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
"Well, that was definitely an interesting way to meet one of Bella's cousins," Rose giggled.
Emmett met Rosalie's eyes as he laughed with her. By the look he gave her, I knew he would be pursuing her. The way she returned his gaze led me to believe that she would be happy to entertain his advances.
-o-o-o-
The talk with Rosalie on the drive out to Denver was weighing on my mind. She was correct that I needed to deal with the Alec situation. I was here in Denver to improve my life, not follow the same old patterns. Tonight Rose and I would be meeting Emmett, Alice, Felix, and Alec for dinner at a nearby sushi restaurant. I planned on using Rose's presence for the strength to deal with the situation.
Rose and I walked into the restaurant and were led to the table that Alice had reserved. I quickly introduced Rose to everyone. They all laughed at Rose and asked her if they should hide the knives. Rose cursed Emmett under her breath before letting it go and laughing with the rest of the group.
At the beginning of dinner, we had ordered sake bombs. We used chopsticks to set our shots of Sake above the glasses of beer. Throughout the rest of the meal, we would all hit the table in an effort to get other people's shots to fall into their glasses of beer. The liquor flowed freely and everyone was having fun.
After a few drinks, it was interesting to see how Rose interacted with Emmett. Throughout dinner, I observed how the two of them would constantly lean into each other. Not to mention, they purposely tried to annoy one another. Poor Emmett kept trying to knock Rose's shot into her glass, but he ended up making his own shot fall more often than not. The whole thing was like watching the mating rituals of kindergartners. Weird, but fascinating.
With Rose distracted, and Alice in her own world with Felix, I turned my attention to Alec. "So, I just wanted to let you know that I was just messing with you before. I truly won't be sleeping with you," I said.
Alec raised an eyebrow at me and said, "Okay."
"Well, I just think that it could get really messy. You seem like a fun guy, but we have the same friends. That could make life after our one-night-stand a little awkward," I continued.
"Yeah, I would hate for you to pine away for me after I told you we were through," Alec joked as he winked at me.
I joked back, "Sure. I still stand by my observation that you must be lame in bed!"
Alec chuckled as he smoothly stated, "Bella, Bella, Bella. Now you've extended a challenge. I will be forced to sex you up at least once."
Then he winked at me to let me know he wasn't serious. I was relieved that I had told Alec I wasn't interested and that he took it well. I wasn't expecting that he would really care, but at the same time, it was nice that there wasn't any drama.
We kept up our banter as we talked with the rest of the group. It felt like Rosalie belonged with us as the night progressed. I was positive that I would not be the only one to miss her when she boarded her plane to go home to Chicago.
-o-o-o-
The next morning, I dropped Rose off at DIA to catch her plane back to Chicago. Rose had on her large sunglasses and she was groaning as I helped her retrieve her suitcase from the trunk.
"I hate you," she moaned. "Every time you and travel are involved, I'm always hung over!"
I pulled Rose in for a hug as I laughed, "You love me! At least this time you won't have to be stuck in my SUV while driving across Nebraska."
Rose chuckled again as we said goodbye. I wiped the tears from under my eyes and blew her a kiss as I pulled away from the curb. As I was driving back into the city, my phone chirped with a text message from Rose. It read, "I fucking miss you already. Love you!"
I quickly replied that I loved her too. It was officially time to start living my new life here in Denver.
-o-o-o-
Once I got settled in, I got into a routine. During the afternoons, I would meet Esme for coffee. We'd talk about the Cullen family and Renee. It was during these times that I realized I felt like I belonged with the Cullens. Esme was the motherly presence that I missed in my life, and Carlisle offered the fatherly advice Charlie never had time for.
After I moved to Denver, I determined to change my last name to Cullen. It is common for divorcees to change their last names back to their maiden names, but I was no longer the Isabella Swan from years past. Not to mention, I no longer felt like a Swan at all since Charlie and I hardly spoke. Some women choose to create a new last name for themselves, but I felt that the new-found connection I had with the Cullens and their connection to my mom, made her last name the best choice.
During our first few coffee dates, Esme would tell me more about my mom. I learned about how Renee met Charlie when he was attending law school at the University of Denver. I also heard childhood stories about how Carlisle, Esme, and Renee would get into trouble. It was wonderful to spend time with my mother's best friend. Esme allowed me to see a side of Renee I would never have had the chance to know otherwise.
While I enjoyed my coffee dates alone with Esme, I loved the days that Alice met up with us. She had such a loving and open nature. Often, she would tell me stories others thought were scandalous. Sometimes Alice would divulge too much information, but most days, she would just make me laugh. Today's coffee date with Alice and Esme was definitely an interesting one.
Esme and I were enjoying a cup of coffee at Dazbog, when Alice came waltzing in the door. She smiled brightly and chirped, "Hi!"
After exchanging hugs with Esme and me, Alice jumped right into our conversation. Esme and I had been discussing my book and how I had settled on the title, 'A Woman Scorned.'
"You know, Bella," Alice laughed prematurely, "You are definitely not the first woman scorned in our family. Hell, you aren't even the first woman to get revenge on a cheating husband!"
As Alice continued to laugh, I looked at Esme for clarification. Esme cleared her throat and explained, "Your grandfather once strayed from your grandmother. She never said a word to him about the affair, but she did make his life miserable until he stopped seeing his mistress. It wasn't until years later that she admitted what she did to him."
"What did she do?" I asked.
Alice laughed again as she explained, "She dusted all of his condoms with itching powder!"
"Huh?" I said, wondering what the hell they were talking about. That didn't make any sense.
"Condoms used to come in paper envelopes back when Grandpa had his affair. Grandma took all of his condoms out of the envelopes and dusted them with itching powder before placing them back in the envelopes. When Grandpa tried to have sex with his mistress, he had a few 'problems'. The incident spread through society gossip like wildfire after he showed-up at the hospital screaming, 'My Cock is on fire!'," Alice cackled loudly.
"Alice," Esme whisper yelled, "Keep your voice down! People are staring!"
I looked around and people were staring at us. I'm sure it had to do with Alice yelling out that her cock was on fire. As I thought about what people heard and about Grandma and the condoms, I giggled. Soon, the three of us were clutching our sides and gasping for air.
I composed myself and had an idea. "I know Grandma's first name was Marie, and that I was given my middle name after her, but what was her maiden name?" I inquired.
"Brandon," Esme answered. "Her name was Marie Brandon."
-o-o-o-
I spent the next four months working on my book. Emmett was a tremendous help coming up with revenge plans. He was quick to tell me which plans were lame and which were evil genius. Between the two of us, my book was coming along quickly.
I was invigorated by the lovely Colorado weather and one of my favorite pastimes was typing on my laptop out on the balcony of the condo. It seemed like I had an unending supply of motivation. For the first time since I'd left Edward, I was able to breathe. I felt a sense of relief after I wrote a chapter about torturing him or Tanya. I had hoped when I began writing this book it would give me a healthy outlet for my overwhelming anger, and that's just what it was doing.
As Annabelle's journey progressed and she became a stronger woman, I felt myself getting stronger. There was still a long way to go, but I finally felt like I would be able to move past this and be a better person. I was no longer afraid of becoming a bitter shell of my former self.
While Anna's progression was helping me heal, I was having trouble writing a suitable ending for the book. After many heart-to-hearts with Esme, Alice, and Rose, I decided to write an ending that I would want for myself. After I typed the last word, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and a twinge of hope.
I spent the next few weeks editing my manuscript and putting together a publishing packet. I was thankful for my prior experience as an editor. Victoria Hunter, my old classmate from the University of Chicago, was now an editor at Crown Publishing House. My manuscript fit into their genre of works, so I would submit it to them.
I called Victoria. She was intrigued by the plot and promised to give it a read. While she couldn't guarantee that they would publish it, Victoria was allowing me to submit my publishing packet without having to go through an agent. I had never been more thankful that I had kept in touch with people through the University of Chicago Alumni Association.
Even though Victoria was looking it over, I continued to submit it to other potential publishing houses. Hopefully, one would be interested.
-o-o-o-
When I wasn't working on my book, I was spending time with Alec. While we may not be involved, I was finding that he was quickly turning into one of my favorite people.
Our friendship developed slowly over the last few months. My apartment and Alec's condo were in the same complex. The Glass House community was located downtown and was comprised of two skyscrapers, but they did share communal spaces, so that's why I ran into him one night at the gym. I was in the middle of a weight circuit when Alec began his lifting routine.
For the first week, I would sometimes see Alec at the gym and I would also run into him in the mailroom. After the third random meeting, Alec asked me if I wanted to run into him on purpose the next evening. When he clarified that we would be meeting as friends, I agreed. Thus started our new routine.
On most nights out, we would laugh and joke with each other. After much probing, Alec admitted that one day he would like to have a wife and children; however, he wasn't sure how to go about meeting the right girl. At the age of 32, Alec was still enjoying being a bachelor, but thought the caliber of girl he met was lacking.
"Alec, did you ever stop to think that you're meeting the wrong girls because you aren't looking for the right ones?" I asked one evening.
"Maybe I'm just waiting for you to realize that I'm perfect for you," he quipped.
After I shot him a dirty look, Alec continued, "Just kidding. I know I need to try and meet girls at places other than clubs. Any suggestions?"
"How do you feel about volunteering?" I asked.
"I guess I could do that," Alec answered. "It would be nice to meet some women who aren't so self-involved."
"I volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I know that Emmett volunteers with the Make-A-Wish foundation. You could always join one of us sometime, unless you'd like to find your own charity," I informed him.
Over the next few weeks, Alec would join me when I volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House. We would help clean rooms, prepare meals, or help with other tasks for the director. I truly came to enjoy Alec's presence. Once I looked past his man-whore exterior, he appeared to be a genuinely nice person. He made me laugh almost everyday.
While Alec liked working there, he soon found that he was passionate about Habitat for Humanity. A few of his friends were trying to put together a group to volunteer at one of the local construction sites, but they still needed a few people to help build a home for a local family. Once Alec informed us of the situation, Alice, Emmett, Felix, and I agreed to join him next Saturday at the construction site.
Saturday morning I grabbed a cup of coffee and met the group down at the local construction site. Along with our small group, there were three other volunteers. I looked over to see a tall, thin woman with long dark hair and almond eyes. Next to her stood a slightly smaller man with black hair and grey eyes. They both appeared to be friendly and waved at me as I approached them. However, I was instantly distracted as I caught sight of the last person on our team.
Holy mother of fuck....
There, across the lot, was a beautiful man. He was at least six feet tall with a masculine build. He was muscular, but not overly defined. There was nothing pretty or delicate about his strong facial features. His bright blues eyes were a sharp contrast to his black hair. This man was nothing like my pretty and lithe ex-husband. He was handsome and rugged in a manly, dangerous way.
I just want to rub my body all over him...
In that moment I believed every evolutionary claim about mating. I didn't know his name, but my ovaries were screaming out that they wanted to bear his children.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I was brought out of my shameless staring when Alice snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Earth to Bella," she chanted. When I met her amused gaze, she continued, "You alright? Need me to get you anything?"
A new pair of panties...
I just shook my head and turned to Alec as he made the introductions. The couple I noticed earlier was Ben and Angela Cheney and they were looking forward to helping the community. Angela was a lovely woman and I could tell we'd become fast friends. The two of us continued to talk as Mr. Fuck-me-hard joined our group.
Angela smiled at me knowingly and said, "Bella Cullen, meet Tyler Crowley. Tyler is a Project Director for one of the local construction management firms."
I held out my hand to Tyler and said, "Hello, Tyler."
Tyler shook my hand and gave me an unimpressed look. He barely looked at me as he said, "Hello," sounded more like a dismissal than a greeting, and then hurriedly walked away.
What the hell?
I asked Angela, "Is he normally like that?"
Her eyes were wide and she shook her head as she answered, "No. Tyler is one of the nicest and most genuine people you will ever meet. I don't know what his problem is."
I didn't know what Tyler Crowley's problem was either, but he was a jerk to me for the rest of the day. I continually tried to engage him in conversation, but he either ignored me or called me Princess. Towards the end of the day, I hit my thumb with a hammer.
"Shit!" I yelled out as I jumped up and down.
Tyler looked over at me and sneered, "What's wrong Princess? Break a nail?"
Motherfucker...
That was it. I had taken enough shit from him for the day. Eyes blazing, I turned on him, "What the hell is your problem? I have been nothing but nice to you all day, yet you insist on treating me like I'm the Antichrist. You don't even know me!"
Tyler's eyes hardened as he answered me, "I don't need to know you, Princess. You're a Cullen. Your whole family thinks its God's gift to Denver. I don't feel the need to socialize with a bitchy socialite."
That asshole...
"Wow. To think I believed you might be a decent guy. You don't know anything about me or my family. The only one who is acting like a bitch here today, is you," I growled.
At that moment, I realized that I had been moving closer to Tyler during my rant. I was right up in his face and pushing into his chest with my index finger. The close proximity was making my head spin.
The fucker actually smelled good. Focus Bella...
Tyler grabbed my finger and snorted back, "Don't poke, me little girl. I don't find you, your money, or your flirting, amusing."
I snorted back, "I may have thought you were gorgeous earlier, but then you opened your mouth. Trust me, I have no interest in flirting with you or your charming personality."
Lies. All lies.
"Well it's good to know that I won't have to let you down gently then. Some men might like the bitchy, entitled, rich-girl attitude, but I don't. It's nice to know you think I'm gorgeous though," he said condescendingly.
"You're a dick," I blurted out.
Tyler reached up and pushed a stray hair behind my ear. "I know," he said huskily. "See you around, Princess."
I just stood there in confused wonder as I watched him turn around and leave the construction site.
What the fuck just happened?!?
-o-o-o-
Tyler Crowley did see me around. He saw me around the next Thursday at the Ronald McDonald House. I was manning the check-in desk because we were anticipating a new family. When the door opened, I looked up and was met with the piercing blue eyes of Tyler Crowley.
I assume I had a shocked look on my face because he laughed and said, "Surprised to see me, Princess?"
"I'm surprised that you have time to grace anyone with your presence. You're so important," I retorted.
What is it about this man that turned me into a raging bitch?
Tyler didn't answer me. Instead, he just raised an eyebrow in my direction.
God, the man infuriated me. "What are you doing here?" I asked.
Tyler quickly explained that his company was donating the time and manpower to build a second Ronald McDonald House in the Denver-Metro area. As the Project Director, he wanted to come down to the current house and have a look around and get some feedback from the House Director about the project.
I quickly informed Tyler that the Director would not be in for another half-hour; however, I would be happy to give him a tour of the facilities until she arrived.
He agreed and we went on our way.
It was obvious that Tyler was not happy to be spending time with me. He would politely ask questions and tried to remain indifferent, but his face revealed his blatant hatred. His questions were elementary in nature, and delivered in such a condescending way, that I was taking it personally.
After five minutes, I finally cracked. "Tyler, I know you don't like me, but this is ridiculous. I'm trying to give you the information that you'll need to build a new house. Don't shirk your questions because you don't want to interact with me. I would hate for the project to be affected by your hostility. If you'd prefer, I can get someone else to help you."
"Someone thinks highly of herself," Tyler replied in a snide tone. "You don't have any affect on me at all. I would never jeopardize this charity because of a spoiled socialite."
Before I could stop myself, I shouted, "You don't even know me!" like the spoiled little brat he just accused me of being. Perfect.
"I agree. My opinion of you could be unfounded, but I doubt it," he stated succinctly.
I had finally had my fill of Tyler Crowley. He may be sexy, but he was just cruel and a real asshole. This situation was no longer funny or any sort of banter or flirtation. In fact, I'm not sure it ever was banter for him. My feelings were hurt and I was through trying to help him. I tried to control my emotions, but I'm sure the hurt and anger was radiating from my body. I turned away from Tyler and told him that the tour was over.
Tyler must have realized that he pushed me too far, because he growled out in frustration, "Look, I'm sorry. You just rub me the wrong way."
The ways I would rub you.... I guarantee none of them would be wrong.
My sassy internal-voice was back on in full-force and apparently broken. By the look on Tyler's face, I could tell that I had said that last thought out loud. I was desperately trying to think of something to say when Tyler angrily stalked towards me.
I opened and closed my mouth silently, begging my subconscious to come up with a witty remark. Just as I was about to speak, Tyler forcefully pressed his lips against mine. Once my mind registered what was happening, I tried to push him away. I stopped pushing as Tyler crushed my body against his. Then the kiss turned aggressive, possessive, and hot-as-hell. I met Tyler's kiss with the same force and desperation as I clawed at his shoulders.
We broke apart when the need for air became too great. Tyler smirked at me and panted out, "You still rub me the wrong way, Princess. Obviously, you overrate your own skills."
Just as I was about to rip Tyler a new asshole, the House Director came around the corner. "Are you ready for our meeting, Mr. Crowley?" she asked.
Tyler gave her an affirmative answer and smirked at me as he walked away.
What the fuck just happened?
-o-o-o-
The next morning I was still reeling from my run-in with Tyler Crowley.
Who the hell did that asshole think he was?
I was so angry and turned-on by the whole situation. He drove me crazy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to strangle him or fuck the bastard senseless. I barely knew this man, but I hadn't been this passionate about anyone or anything since Edward. That thought alone scared the hell out of me.
In an effort to distract myself, I went downstairs to retrieve my mail. I opened my mailbox to see that I had received a large-manila envelope. Inside the envelope was a letter from Crown Publishing House. They were interested in publishing the novel, 'A Woman Scorned' by Marie Brandon…
A/N: As always, I appreciate everyone's constructive criticism and support. This week's bribe is a RPOV of her conversation with Edward. Get excited because next week we will be at the Prologue! Also, I will be posting last week's bribe in the separate story, "A Woman Scorned Outtakes."
I would love to take credit for all the ideas in this chapter, but I can't. One reader actually dusted her husband's condoms with Bengay. I accidentally erased your message so I don't know your name, but thank you for the wonderful idea and laughs.
I finally cracked and joined the twitter nation. If you would like to follow me, my name is Bella_Baby24.
Thank you to everyone who has recommended this story! I'm so incredibly flattered.
If you haven't read them before, be sure to check out the following stories:
-Vickitori- Waiting for Dr. Right
-D Pattinson- The Hot Corner
Lastly, A Woman Scorned has been nominated for two Shimmer Awards! One for Most Memorable Quote and one for Best New Author. Thank you to whoever nominated this story! It really made my day!
If you read through this entire A/N, you deserve a gold star! Or maybe, I should just give you a hint about the next chapter. There will be a lemon =)