Disclaimer: Twilight character names belong to Stephanie 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.
Irritable Grizzzly- Thanks for keeping my ass in line. I adore you and your bluntness.
2008 (At Prologue)
"Hmmmph," Alice huffed out as she slammed her head on the table.
The two of us were sitting at the Cullen dining room table mulling over the details for the upcoming charity gala for the Denver Children's Hospital. Alice had planned the event down to the last detail, but still was not happy about the layout.
"Seriously, Alice, it will be ok. I'm sure this is good enough," I soothed.
Alice lifted her head and glared at me, "Really, Bella? I have over four hundred guests coming and if the layout isn't right, the event won't flow correctly."
I held up my hands and backed away from the table slowly. "Sorry, Alice," I said cautiously, "I'll let you rearrange some things. Maybe Esme will be able to help."
Alice sighed, "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm just really stressed lately. Felix and I aren't doing so well and I think he's going to leave me."
I would never tell Alice, but I was hoping that she would break up with Felix. They were two of my closest friends, but they didn't work well as a couple. Alice kept hoping that Felix would propose. Felix, on the other hand, didn't think marrying Alice would be a wise decision. They were at a crossroads and I hoped the two would realize that they wanted different things out of life before they wasted too much time.
"I'm sure it will work out the way it's supposed to, Alice," I said. I debated about continuing on my line of thinking, but I knew now was not the time. She was stressed-out enough as it was.
Alice waved away my response and continued to work on the gala details.
After a few hours, the two of us were happy with the event layout and were discussing what dresses we were intending to wear to the gala. Alice was insistent that I needed to go shopping for a new one; however, I just planned to wear a black dress that I bought last year.
In the middle of our argument, Carlisle walked through the door. He raked his hands through his hair and gave me an apologetic glance.
"Hi, Bella. If you have a minute, could I talk to you in my office?"
"Sure," I answered.
I followed Carlisle to his office and took a seat on the leather couch. Carlisle sat down next to me.
"Bella, today I was in a meeting with the other Service Chiefs at the hospital, when the Chief of Pediatric Oncology started talking about a new hire."
As soon as I heard the phrase, 'Pediatric Oncology', I knew who the new hire was. My palms began to sweat as I listened to Carlisle.
No, no, no. This can't be happening.
"Bella, he hired a Dr. Edward Masen. It appears that Dr. Masen just finished his fellowship at the University of Chicago Hospital," Carlisle explained.
"Edward is in Denver," I stated slowly.
Carlisle placed a hand on my shoulder and continued, "Yes. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't be surprised if you saw him at the charity gala."
I thanked Carlisle and left his office in a daze. I couldn't believe that Edward was here in Denver. I wanted to be angry, but it made sense. The Denver Children's Hospital had some of the best programs in the nation. Of course Edward would want to be here. It would be a step-up from the University of Chicago Hospital.
Son. Of. A. Bitch.
As I walked back into the dining room, the final piece of Carlisle's information radiated in my thoughts. I would be seeing Edward at the charity gala. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. There would be over four hundred people at the event. Maybe I wouldn't see him.
Who was I kidding? Of course I would see him.
I looked over at Alice and said, "You're right. I need a new dress. I'll pick you up on Saturday at ten a.m."
I have to look amazingly sexy...
-o-o-o-
The night of the charity gala arrived. Alec agreed to be my date after some serious negotiations. He would dote on me and help me appear sexy and confident in exchange for accompanying him to three future work events.
As we walked into the gala, Alec tightened his arm around my waist and kissed my neck.
I giggled, "You're going to capitalize on my request to act like my date tonight, aren't you?"
"Hell, yes," Alec exclaimed, "It will give me a chance to brush up on my game."
I scoffed at Alec's answer.
"What?" he replied, "If you treat me right, I may just put-out tonight."
I snorted and Alec gave me his signature wink.
"Hey," Alec said defensively, "I'm known for my panty-dropping charm. It's not my fault that your panties are defective."
I laughed, "You know I love you, ya big manwhore."
"Be nice now. As far as everyone else knows, you adore me. They all think I'm definitely getting laid tonight. So try to act like you enjoy my touch and charm," Alec teased.
"You are my favorite person right now. Only you could make me laugh at this ridiculous situation," I stated.
I leaned into Alec and linked my arm through his. We waltzed into the event as a cohesive and loving couple.
-o-o-o-
Walking into the gala, I could feel the underlying current. My body buzzed at the awareness that Edward was near me. When Alec left my side to get us some champagne, I moved to the edge of the balcony. The view allowed me to see most of the people at the event.
I tried not to be obvious in my search for Edward, but I was desperate to see him. The man had been my best friend and lover for almost a decade. He knew me on a level that no one else did. I missed having that deep emotional connection with someone.
The concept of a loving husband is what I missed. Not Edward.
Sure. Keep telling yourself that.
I needed to stop courting disaster. Edward was here at the gala; however, there was no reason for me to pursue a sighting of him. It would only end in disappointment and heartache. I should enjoy my evening as if he weren't here.
Just as I decided to stop looking for Edward, it happened.
It was almost as if I were watching a movie. Time slowed down and the crowd parted to reveal the most gorgeous man I had ever known. My mind was demanding that I hate him; however, my heart leapt with joy at the mere sight of him.
From my perch above the ballroom, I openly appraised him without fear of detection. I stared at the profile of the man who used to lie next to me in bed every night and wished I could trace my fingers along his jaw one last time. It had been three years since I had last seen him in person and time had been good to him. Gone were the circles under his eyes and the hollow expressions on his face. He appeared to be well-rested and his face displayed animated expressions. I watched as he tossed his head back and laughed at a joke one of his companions told. Although I was on a balcony across the room, I could hear the velvety undertones of the laugh that used to melt my soul.
I watched him and remembered a time when his laughter, smiles, and kisses belonged to me. I could almost feel his arms around me and hear his velvety voice whisper sweet nothings in my ear. I longed to run my fingers through his gorgeous bronze hair while I assaulted his mouth with my tongue. I would kill to be the object of his admiration once again. It may have been three years, but the man still owned me. My body longed to be near him and underneath him once again. The mere memories of our prior sexcapades had me salivating at the sight of him.
My reminiscing was cut short when he looked up and noticed me appraising him. His body stiffened and his bright greens eyes widened in surprise as he recognized me. I could see the battle raging inside him as he tried to determine how to acknowledge my presence. The guilt, longing, and, dare I say, lust, radiated off of him as he drank in the sight of me. I looked damn sexy tonight, and I knew it. In a moment of courage, I lifted and tilted my champagne glass towards him. I threw a brilliant smile and a wink in his direction before I turned around and walked away from the balcony and him.
Let him wonder what the gesture meant. Let him stew over my amusement at his presence. As far as he knew, he was my ex-husband, the man who destroyed my life and shattered my heart. My prior gesture would be a contradiction to the role he supposedly played in my life. Little did he know that he was the inspiration behind my best-selling novel, 'A Woman Scorned.' The things that fictional me did to fictional him had made me millions. He should thank his lucky stars that I only wrote about my plans for revenge and that the real "me" had too much class to send sex toys to his workplace.
I smiled to myself as I thought of 'A Woman Scorned'.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Flashback to 2007 (1 Year Ago)
After six months of editing and tough decisions, 'A Woman Scorned' was finally on the shelves of every bookstore. My editor, Victoria, was upset about my choice to use a pen name because it diminished my desire to promote the book; however, she was doing an excellent job of getting my name out there. She focused on different internet selling techniques and even arranged for a book tour that would not stop in either Denver or Chicago. To avoid unnecessary attention, a photo was not taken for the book.
While Victoria took her job seriously, Alice determined that she would help me market my work as well. She shamelessly promoted 'A Woman Scorned' with different divorce support groups and recommended the book to everyone she knew. Through sheer dumb luck, Ellen Degeneres' makeup artist belonged to an online divorce support group that Alice contacted.
The makeup artist, Dianne, was reading 'A Woman Scorned' at work one day when she busted out laughing in front of Ellen. When Ellen asked what was so funny, Dianne read a revenge plot from the book out loud.
In that particular plot, Anna and Lily were trying to show Tanya's what she was good for. They took an old photo from the last family vacation to Hawaii of Tanya in a bikini. Anna used the photo to promote Tanya's sexual services on AdultFriendFinder, Craig's List, and different personal ads throughout the city. The ad read: "Horny woman looking to get laid. I'm not picky about body types or ages, I just want your hard cock in me. I'm into anal and oral sex. Use me for your pleasure. Call me anytime (day or night) to schedule a rendezvous." At the end of the ad, were three telephone numbers. Tanya's cellphone, Tanya's work phone, and Masen's home phone.
Apparently, Ellen found the plot funny, because four weeks later, she was recommending 'A Woman Scorned' to the audience of The Ellen Degeneres Show. I will never forget her saying, "I may not have a fancy book club or anything, but I can recommend this hilarious book, 'A Woman Scorned' by Marie Brandon. It's the must-have book for every woman who has ever been cheated on."
Ellen wanted to have me on the show, but settled for interviewing me via phone. She joked about Anna's revenge plots to ruin Masen and Tanya's lives. After the show aired, book sales skyrocketed and 'A Woman Scorned' debuted on the New York Times Best-Seller List.
Shortly after the book became a best-seller, it was a topic of interest on some of the late night shows. Jimmy Kimmel referred to Marie Brandon and said that all men should fear for their testicles because women were turning ruthless. His jokes further catapulted sales.
End of Flashback
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
I was brought back to the present when Alec came up behind me and started humming the theme song to 'Al Diablo con los Guapos' in my ear. 'Al Diablo con los Guapos' is a Mexican soap-opera that plays on the Spanish channel, Univision. The boys had started watching Univision because they were learning Spanish for work. There had been an increase in the Hispanic population in Denver and their advertising firm was paying its employees to learn more about the culture and language so that they could increase their market share.
There were many evenings when Alec and I would watch Univision together so that he could get a better feel for the language. One of our favorite games was to watch a Tivo'd episode of 'Al Diablo con los Guapos' and create our own English dialogue. Afterwards, we would watch the episode again and determine what really happened. The person with the closest scenario to the truth would get to chose what other Tivo'd show we would watch that night.
Alec and I had seen the show so many times, that we knew the theme song by heart. Whenever we were in public and one of us identified a potentially scandalous situation, we would hum the theme song to the other in warning. So when Alec started humming in my ear at the gala, I knew that we were getting ready to head into a drama-filled situation.
I quickly looked around and was unable to find the source of Alec's tension. I cocked an eyebrow at him and said, "I'm not seeing it."
Alec laughed and replied, "One o'clock."
"My clock or yours?" I asked.
"Mine," Alec responded.
I timidly looked over my left shoulder and gasped at what I saw. Fifteen feet away from me, Edward was talking to someone I never wanted him to meet.
What the fuck?
My mind was reeling as I observed their body language. The two men appeared to be familiar with each other, but nothing more than casual acquaintances.
I gave Alec a panicked look. "This can't be good."
Before Alec could respond, Alice and Felix joined us. Felix noticed my tense body language and inquired, "What's going on?"
Alec pointed towards Edward and said, "We're watching the first official meeting of the 'I've Screwed Bella Club'."
I smacked Alec's arm and snarked, "You're just sad that you're not a member of the club."
"That could be it. What are the perks of membership again?" Alec quipped.
"The complimentary t-shirts are pretty awesome. Not to mention, the orgasms are rumored to be mind-blowing," I deadpanned.
Alice waved her hand in front of my face to catch my attention. When I looked at her, she asked, "How do they know each other?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I have no idea. It looks like they could be acquaintances or strangers who just met."
Felix gave me a huge smile and teased, "Out of the all the people here, your ex-husband talks to the only other man in the room that you've fucked. That's hilarious."
I smacked Felix on the arm and replied sarcastically, "It's so funny. Laugh it up, Felix."
My reaction caused Felix to laugh harder. He looked at Alec and said, "Fifty bucks says Tyler loses his shit when he realizes he's talking to Bella's Ex."
Alec laughed. After he caught his breath, he responded, "This is Crowley we're talking about. Of course he's going to lose his shit. To be a good bet, it will have to be specific. I bet $100 that if he figures out that Edward is Bella's ex, he'll drag her out of the room and demand an explanation."
As the boys continued to haggle over the terms of the bet, I started to wonder what Tyler's reaction would be. He would not be thrilled that Edward was in Denver. I began to reminisce about the evolution and downfall of Tyler's and my relationship.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Flashback to 2006 (1 1/2 Years Ago)
After my heated kiss with Tyler at the Ronald McDonald House, I was in turmoil. That kiss was passionate and I wanted more. However, I was infuriated with myself for wanting to spend time with such an asshole.
I phoned Rose and told her about the situation. She was not thrilled.
"What the hell are you thinking, Bella?!" Rose yelled at me.
"He's just so sexy and the whole angry kiss thing was incredibly hot," I said.
I heard Rose take a deep breath before she continued, "No. I don't see anything sexy about a man who judges you and belittles you moments before he kisses you. Do I really need to explain to you why this guy is all kinds of wrong?"
"No, Rose," I answered.
"I'm serious, B," she warned, "I am so close to flying out to Denver and giving you an intervention. Either that, or beating you with a Louisville Slugger."
"Rose!" I admonished.
"Bella!" she mocked, "Start looking for the nice guys and stay away from assholes and sluts. They can do more damage than a Louisville Slugger."
Rose and I continued to chat about men and how I needed to focus on improving my life, instead of looking for future ex-husbands. Before I hung up the phone, I agreed that I would stay away from Tyler Crowley.
-o-o-o-
Even though I resolved to stay away from Tyler, I was still interested to know why he so adamantly hated my family. I called Alice and asked her to meet me at our favorite cafe for lunch.
When I explained the situation to Alice, she stared at me with a guilty expression. She dropped her eyes and said, "Bella, there's a reason why Tyler Crowley hates us. Mostly, it's my fault."
"What do you mean Alice?" I asked.
Alice took a deep breath and explained, "When I was building my new office, I hired Tyler's Construction Management Company to oversee the project. At the time, Tyler was one of the up-and-coming Project Managers and he was assigned to oversee the construction.
A friend of the family, Marcus Volturi, also worked for Tyler's company. The two were competing for a promotion to become Project Director. As a favor to Marcus, I called Tyler's boss and had him pulled off the project. I threw around my last name and told Tyler's boss that I was unhappy and requested Marcus finish the job.
It wasn't until later that Marcus told me that Tyler was almost fired. He was placed on probation and did not receive the promotion because he almost lost a big account. Tyler was a hard worker and I set back his career by years. This whole incident happened three years ago, but Tyler just now received the promotion that he should have been awarded back then," Alice said.
"Alice..." I admonished.
"I know, Bella," Alice whispered. "It gets worse. I guess Emmett pulled a similar stunt with a building for the Make-A-Wish Foundation."
I cringed at the thought that my family could be so cruel. "Were there reasons for doing this to Tyler? " I asked.
"No. We were trying to help Marcus, and Tyler always seemed to be the one to get hurt," Alice explained. "I promise it's all over. We haven't interfered in years. Esme tore Emmett and me new assholes when she found out. We apologized, but there wasn't much we could do to fix the situation."
"That was a shitty thing to do, Alice. No wonder the man hates our family," I sighed.
The conversation with Alice confirmed what I already knew. Tyler was judging me based on who my family was. While I wished he would give me a chance to prove him wrong, I knew the best thing I could do was stay away from him.
-o-o-o-
Each week, I would see Tyler at the Ronald McDonald House or at Habitat for Humanity sites when I volunteered with Alec. I was polite when necessary, but I generally left him alone.
Things changed a month later when I ran into Tyler at the Lucky Strike Bowling Alley in the Denver Pavilions. I was out enjoying the evening with the gang, when I went up to the bar to order a round of drinks.
As I waited for my order, I realized that Tyler and some of his coworkers were siting near me. I waved in greeting and smiled when they waved back.
"Hey, Bella. I hear you're working on the new Ronald McDonald House. Any chance you might want me on the project?" Marcus drunkenly asked me.
I was infuriated that Marcus would ask me such a question in public. It was obvious that his co-workers overheard the question, because they stopped talking to hear my answer. When I looked towards Tyler, I saw that his posture had stiffened.
I politely smiled at Marcus and answered, "I really don't have anything to do with those decisions, Marcus. I'm sure that your company would have included you in the project if they thought you were the most qualified."
After I was sure that Tyler and his co-workers overheard my answer, I leaned in closer to Marcus and whispered, "If you ever ask me for a favor like that again, I will make you regret it."
As I was leaving the bar area, I heard Marcus sneer, "She's such a bitch." The laughter of his coworkers followed me out.
-o-o-o-
After the incident at Lucky Strike, Tyler made a concentrated effort to get to know me. When he came to the Ronald McDonald House, he would bring me coffee and start conversations about random things. I continued to maintain my distance because he hadn't apologized to me for his previous behavior.
One Saturday, after volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, Tyler asked me if I would like to go get a smoothie. I was about to decline the offer, but when he clarified that he just wanted to talk, I agreed.
After we ordered our drinks, Tyler said, "Bella, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I assumed that I knew who you were and I treated you horribly. I have a history with your family and I thought you would act like a spoiled socialite."
Tyler's face was flushed in embarrassment as he explained the situation. I could tell that he truly regretted his prior actions.
"Alice told me what happened with your job. To be honest with you, I was upset with both her and Emmett. I can understand why you are weary of my family, but it didn't give you license to judge me. Thank you for apologizing though," I added.
"So what do you say? Can we start over?" Tyler asked.
"Sure," I answered with a smile.
We spent the next few hours talking and laughing about anything and everything. I had a feeling that Tyler and I would become great friends. Maybe even more...
-o-o-o-
Over the next few months, Tyler and I established a routine. If we both were assigned as volunteers for the same construction site, then we would meet at the Jamba Juice after the job was completed. We would spend a few hours catching up before Tyler walked me home.
As our friendship progressed, the sexual tension between the two of us grew. Soon, Tyler was kissing my cheek each time he dropped me off at home.
Eventually, we took our friendship to the next level. One afternoon, Tyler leaned down and tentatively placed his lips on mine after he walked me to my door. Unlike our first kiss, this one was soft and sweet. I felt the fire building beneath my skin and I snaked my hands up into his hair. He tasted like peppermint candies.
Tyler's fingers dug into my lower back as he pulled my body closer to his. His hands left a blazing trail of heat as they grazed down my sides to my hips. He gripped my ass as he roughly pulled my hips to his. I felt an involuntary gush of desire between my legs.
Fucking Panty Terrorist.
I pulled away when I needed to breathe and panted out, "Would you like to come in?"
As soon as my door closed behind us, all the pent-up sexual tension between us was unleashed. Tyler grabbed me behind my neck and forcefully brought my mouth to his.
My scalp deliciously tingled from where Tyler was pulling my hair. I desperately clawed at his shirt, dying to feel his skin under my fingers.
Our kiss was broken when I tugged Tyler's shirt above his head. I roughly dug my fingernails into his shoulders as I pulled him towards me. I needed to feel his mouth on mine. The peppermint taste of his tongue was quickly becoming an addiction. My hands splayed across his muscular chest as he continued to plunder my mouth.
Tyler's large hands gripped my hips as I shamelessly rubbed my body against his.
Bella, stop acting like a freaking cat...
With an aggressive growl, Tyler picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He continued to grope my ass as he walked me further into my apartment. When I ground my hips into his massive erection, Tyler's control broke. He pushed me up against the wall and forcefully pressed his cock against my damp pants.
Hello there….
All I could feel was Tyler's hot, open-mouthed kisses against my neck as he wrestled with my blouse. He nipped at my earlobe and said, "Unless you want me to take you right here, tell me where your room is."
I stuttered out directions to my room as my fingers rushed to pull my bra off. The feeling of my breasts pressed against Tyler's bare chest was overwhelming. My nipples hardened and saluted the sexy man carrying me. I was so caught up in the feel of Tyler's chest that I barely noticed when he laid me on the bed.
I tore at Tyler's belt buckle as he latched himself onto my breast. His tongue rolled over my nipple before he lightly bit down.
The wet, tugging sensation caused me to grow impatient. I began to furiously tug at Tyler's pants, but they refused to cooperate.
He let out a throaty laugh. "Someone's impatient."
I was too turned on to be amused by his teasing. I growled out, "Shut-up and get naked."
Tyler's eyes flashed with raw lust as he quickly removed his pants.
"Fuck. I can't wait until I'm in you," he moaned.
I handed him a condom and slowly removed my panties. Tyler drew in a ragged breath when he saw me laid out for him.
"God, you're beautiful," Tyler reverently whispered.
"So are you," I said as I ran my hands up his chiseled chest.
Tyler crawled up between my legs until his covered cock brushed against my sex. My hips bucked in needy anticipation.
"Please," I pleaded.
I really want this…
I was overwhelmed by the pleasurable stretching sensation. It had been way too long since a real dick had been in me. I wrapped my legs around Tyler's waist as he began to thrust into me.
The coil in my stomach tightened as we increased our pace. My fingernails dug into Tyler's pert ass as I tried to get him to delve in deeper.
"Fuck," I ground out.
Tyler withdrew from me and pushed my legs up to my chest. He told me to cross my ankles as he hoisted my calves up to his left shoulder.
Tyler used my legs for leverage and forcefully entered me again.
Holy fuck.
The new angle and position allowed me to squeeze him tightly. I could feel every inch and groove of him as he slid in and out of me.
"Shit, Bella," he grunted.
I clawed at Tyler's abs and begged him, "I'm so fucking close."
We moved erratically with each other as our pace quickened. The sound of skin slapping against skin drove me crazy. Each time he bottomed-out in me, I shivered in ecstasy.
Shit, I needed this.
Suddenly I could feel each muscle in me tightening around Tyler as he pulsed within me. My thighs shook as I came long and hard.
The only thing I could hear was the rush of my body. The only things I could see were stars.
But I could feel every nerve ending in my body tingling in satisfaction....
-o-o-o-
For the next few months, Tyler and I continued to have mad, crazy sex. We would laugh and then enjoy playful, fun sex. We would fight and then engage in rough, animalistic fucking. No matter what happened, it always ended in at least one orgasm each.
Tyler took the time to learn the secrets of my body. He would caress, lick, stroke, and bite every inch of me in search of a hot-trigger button. He rejoiced in making my body sing in ecstasy.
The two of us were a force to be reckoned with. We spent quality time together pursuing volunteer opportunities, sharing common interests, and learning each other's quirks. We lived in our own little world and communicated in our own secret language. The fantasy life we created together was amazing, overwhelming, and life-altering.
Until it all came crashing down...
End of Flashback
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
I was brought back to the present by the clattering sound of my purse hitting the marble floor. The memories of the end of my relationship with Tyler had frazzled me to the point that I dropped my clutch. My belongings rolled out of my purse and onto the floor.
Apparently in my reverie, I hadn't noticed everyone had left except Alec.
He noticed my predicament and squatted down to help retrieve my belongings. We had gathered up most of my things when I realized that I was still missing my lip gloss.
"Alec, do you see my lip gloss anywhere?" I asked.
When Alec told me he hadn't, the two of us scoured around the floor hoping to find the tube before someone slipped on it. With our heads down, we did not notice the approaching man.
A familiar, velvety voice said, "I believe you dropped this..."
A/N: As always, I appreciate everyone's constructive criticism and support. This week's bribe is an EPOV of this chapter. Please be sure to read the EPOV of the Prologue before reading this week's bribe. All past bribes are located in the separate story, "A Woman Scorned Outtakes."
I finally cracked and joined the twitter nation. If you would like to follow me, my name is Bella_Baby24.