Hey Ladies,

Just going to be honest here, I'm posting a day early because there's no way I'll have time for last chapters review replies. But thank you all, they all mean so much to me!

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"The Cullen boy, huh?" Renee asked as she pulled me into the kitchen, so that we could sit and watch the servers work. I'd just walked into the door with Edward and after my announcement we were split up.

"He has a name, Mom." I said, pulling out my phone and spinning it on the counter. She shrugged and snapped at a woman making a pie.

"Do not mess that up, or I'll have your job on the market in no time." She threatened, narrowing her eyes. I sighed and waited for my mother to stop harassing her workers.

"A name? It's like Edwin right?" She asked, not looking interested at all.

"Edward… you were literally around the Cullen's all of the time. How can you still not know his name?" I asked, shaking my head. It really didn't shock me, to be honest. The woman cared nothing for others or their interest.

"Doesn't matter, I know it now, right?" She shrugged. "This is good for all of us, honey. If you two stick it out long enough, your father and Carlisle might finally get on that merger. Do you know what that means?" She asked grabbing my shoulders. "It means that we could transform ourselves into billionaires, Isabella." I guess it was 'we' now that I could help her turn a profit, but when it comes to Christmas it's her and dad.

"Because money is all you care about…" I nodded and bit my lip. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"What? Did you want me to congratulate you?" She asked and I rolled my eyes, moving away from her. "Well congrats, you bagged a good one. You've made us proud." I could literally see green dollar signs popping up in her eyes as she smiled.

"Okay. Thanks." I sighed, standing and leaving the kitchen. I went to find my dad, weaving my way through the maze of halls until I found his den. I heard mom's heels clicking quickly behind me as she ran towards me.

"Isabella! Wait, where are you going?!" I sighed again and stopped, turning to face her as she pranced up to me. She stopped short of me, breathing heavily. After a minute of standing there watching her collect herself in silence I turned on my heel to leave. She grabbed the back of my shirt and I batted her hand away.

"You're going to stretch it out-"

"Who cares? It's cheap anyway." She huffed. "Isabella, look." She looked around the hall and I did too, spotting the door to dad's den. So close but so far at the same time. I tried to slyly inch my way to the door but Mom held me still.

"What?" I snapped and she dropped my arm, standing to her full height.

"What are you so snippy for? You just got here, so you can sit down and speak to your mother for a second."

"I have no interest in talking about how rich you are, or how much money you can gain through my relationship. You are the most self-centered person I've ever met." I huffed, turning toward the door again.

"It wouldn't be so offensive to you if you hadn't decided to cut yourself off."

"I didn't cut myself off. I'm making my own way." She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the parlor that I wasn't allowed in as a child and sat me on a rock hard couch.

"Well you're being ridiculous! You sit here and talk to me. I cancelled a meeting with my banker today for you. So you're going to talk to me." She snapped, I petulantly folded my arms and sat back on the couch with a scowl. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but it needs to stop."

"Oh my bad, next time I have an opinion, I'll keep it to myself. As long as it pleases you, mother." She narrowed her eyes.

"We should have cut you off a long time ago." She spat. "You've turned into nothing but a no-good spoiled brat." I rolled my eyes and clenched my jaw. My stomach twisted angrily, even though I tried to keep my composure.

"Darn, what would I do without your money?" I scoffed and she turned red, despite the dark spray tan.

"I don't know how you got to be this way, Isabella. You're such a disappointment. Your father and I have done nothing but love you and give you what you want…"

"Showering me with money and shit isn't the same as loving me." I laughed, almost hysterically. She flipped her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder and pursed her lips. "I don't have your money now and I'm pretty much eradicated from the family."

"You said you wanted no part of us."

"I said I didn't want your money!" I gasped with wide eyes. "But I guess that means the same thing to you."

"You're ridiculous, you're just as big of a part of the family as you always were."

"Mom, you didn't invite me to spend Christmas with you." I said, swallowing a lump in my throat as she glared at me.

"Well you never mentioned Christmas." She rolled her eyes, obviously caught. I pulled my purse into my lap and pulled out the invitation that Edward showed me.

"You sent out invitations to people we aren't even related to and you didn't even acknowledge me." I held up the happy card that held my parents smiling faces and held the Cullen's address. Of course I wasn't on the card either. It wasn't that I necessarily wanted my face mailed around the neighborhood, but Christmas cards had always been something we did as a family. It was like I was just cut out, and no matter how much it angered me, it hurt me twice as much.

"I didn't think you'd want to come." She rolled her eyes. "We can make room though if you'd like." She shrugged and looked down at her nails.

"You can make room." I scoffed. She looked at me as though I had just turned down her generous offer and I shook my head. She could make room for her only child? It almost made me laugh.

"Well do you want to come or not?" She asked.

"You know, the Cullen's actually invited me before you. It wouldn't be very courteous to ditch the people who actually cared enough to ask." I growled, standing up. She too stood, blocking my exit. The door to the den opened and I could see Edward and my dad laughing as they left and headed down the hall.

Mom looked over her shoulder, seeing the guys before turning back to me with a gasp. "You choose them over your mother?"

"You weren't even going to invite me!" I said, touching my chest. How in the world did she think she had the right to be angry with me, after not inviting me to a family event. This wouldn't be the first one either. I had been removed from the guest list at my aunts wedding earlier in the year, which was all my mother's doing.

She rolled her eyes, "Pish posh-"

"No. Not at all." I moved to the side to walk around her and she moved too. Edward and Dad's voices started to get closer after realizing we weren't in the kitchen.

"Well, we'll see if the Cullen's invitation is still open." She said before raising her voice. I lifted an eyebrow and she crushed me to her in a tight hug.

"You know, if you stay on track and get him to marry you; you could get your trust and half of his." My eyes locked on Edward's as he rounded the corner with a tense jaw. My heart sunk as his eyes hardened almost immediately. My mouth fell open at my mother's words.

"Why…" I whispered, feeling like I'd been hit by a two ton truck. How someone could be so malevolent I'd never know… And to their own child?

Renee let go of me and flipped her hair over her shoulder as she looked at Edward. "Oh… Hi, honey." She sent him a sugary smile and patted my cheek. I shook my head and tugged my hand through my hair, keeping myself from hitting my mother.

I gasped and he sent me a disgusted glare. "Edward-"

"Uh, Charlie was getting worried, so he sent me to find you…" He cut me off his accent stronger than ever a dead give away as to how furious he was at the moment. He furrowed his eyebrows and rubbed the back of his neck. Dad came to stand next to Edward and his smile faded once he undoubtedly noticed the tension. Edward's eyes locked with mine with an angry flash.

I'd never seen Edward this mad at me. Of course this shit happened to him a lot, especially in college, girls just after him for his money. I'd seen him angry with them, but never me. It was terrifying and heartbreaking. How he could believe any of what Renee said hurt me. He knew me better than my parents or anyone else for that matter.

Charlie spoke but I didn't hear any of it. Renee left my side soon after my father spoke and they both exited the room.

"Edward, it's not-" He held up a hand and turned on his heel, leaving my sight. I felt as though I was glued to the floor, but I overcame it and grabbed my purse before hurrying after him. He stormed through the halls, twisting his keys around his finger as he went.

"She said that because she knew you were standing there!" I called out as I followed behind him. "She's angry because I choose to spend Christmas with you instead of her."

"Well of course you'd spend Christmas with me, how else would you get in well enough with my family for me to offer you a ring." He said, his tone deathly quiet.

"Edward, you know me. I would never-"

"You'd think that'd be one I haven't heard before… And yet, I've heard it to many times to count." He said tossing me a dirty look over his shoulder. I picked up the pace a bit and grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"And how many times have you heard it from a person you've been best friends with since first grade?"

"I thought I would never have to hear it from you." He said, his jaw ticking rapidly.

"Because the last thing I want is your money." I told him, tears pricking at my eyes as he avoided meeting my eyes.

"I'm not going to be used by you, Bella." He said, his words so heavily accented that I almost couldn't understand him.

"I'm not using you! Edward, I love you! I'm with you because of that. Not because of any fucking money." I said honestly, cocking my head to the side as I tried to catch his eyes. His eyes flicked up to mine for a second and I could see why he had been trying to hide them. They were swirling with hurt and confusion.

"I need space." He said, pulling my wrist off of his and grabbing his coat. He reached into his pocket and stuck a wad of bills into my hand. "Call a cab for yourself." I looked at the money, almost as insulted as I was when I found out my family didn't want me. My eyes went glassy as I stared at the cash, hurt beyond belief.

"I don't want your fucking money." I said shoving it back at him. "I can't even…" He stuck it back into his pocket and pulled open the front door, slamming it behind him as he left. I tugged at the roots of my hair, hands shaking as I watched him get into the car and speed off.

Renee came out of the kitchen holding an apple. She looked out the window to see the driveway empty. She smirked and turned to me with a lifted eyebrow.

"I guess we will be seeing you this Christmas after all, Isabella."

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Hope you all enjoyed…

Just a warning the sadness hits pretty hard for the next few chapters but don't give up just yet!

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