Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight Characters, they and the beautiful Saga are owned by Stephenie Meyer
Thank you so much for the add to favorites and the add to story alerts! Also thank you to those who reviewed you guys are great.
Thanks to my Beta Kathy who is going over each chapter to re-edit them!
A/N: This is my second fanfic, so hey again to readers from the other story, and hello to my new readers. I really hope you all enjoy my story.
The Interview
Bella POV
I arrived outside of the station and the paparazzi were everywhere. I knew it was only to get a glimpse of the sexy Edward Cullen arriving for his interview. I parked in my parking spot in the garage just as my cell phone rung and I saw it was my sister Angela.
"Hey Ang!"
"Hey Bells, I was calling to wish you good luck on your interview, I'll be watching."
"Thanks Ang. I'm actually a little nervous."
"I would be too, if I was interviewing Sex-ward. I mean the man could be a model for GQ magazine, hell even Playgirl." she says and I laugh into the phone. "Sex-ward? Does Ben know you talk like this about another man?" I ask her referring to her husband. Angela laughs into the phone. "He knows but my Benny knows he is the only man I want. Anyway I have to go and open the restaurant, I just wanted to give you a call," she tells me. I tell her bye and hang up. I get out of the car and prepare to have to fight through the paparazzi to get inside.
Ironically enough they hadn't noticed it was me until I walked through the glass doors of the building. I waved at the receptionist and headed for the elevator to go to the show floor. When I arrived on the floor I saw people looking at me and I rolled my eyes. This interview was getting me a lot more attention then I needed. I pulled the glass doors open that led to the dressing rooms and offices.
"Bella where the hell have you been I've been waiting for an hour," Alice said coming out of my dressing room. "It's not my fault you got here earlier then me Ali, where's Rose?" I asked her and she pointed to Rosalie's office. I walked to Rose office and opened the door. Her head snapped up and I knew she was about to yell thinking I was someone else barging into her office. When she saw it was me she smiled.
"Bout time you got your ass here."
"Yeah I know. Did you go over the questions I gave you?" I asked her and she nodded her head. "I did and they're good. Honestly you're going to put him on the spot a few times, but the viewers like that about you so I think Alistair will be happy with them," she tells me and I nod my head then sit down in the chair in front of her desk. I bite on my lip and think about my run in with Edward in the diner.
"Rose, I saw him."
"Saw who?"
"Edward, fucking, Cullen," I said and she smiled at me. "Is he as cute as he is on TV?" she asked me and I blushed. "Oh he is, isn't he?" She said in excitement and I rolled my eyes at her.
"I spilled fucking coffee on his Armani suit," I told her and her eyes damn near bulge out her head. "You didn't?" she asked and I bit down on my bottom lip.
"Oh yes I did."
"How the…? Where the…? Did he know who you were? I mean I see you have on your little disguise," Rosalie said and I smiled. "Oh he knew it was me. I fooled the paparazzi but not Edward Cullen. The ass had the balls to call me incompetent," I tell her and she smirks at me.
"I guess he really is an ass huh?"
"Yeah, well anyway I just thought I should let you know."
"Wait, why? He is still coming isn't he?" Rosalie asked. I knew she would worry seeing that losing this interview would be the end of both of our careers. "Yes, I told him that he had better be ready for the interview because I didn't intend to take it easy on him," I told her. Rosalie tossed her head back and laughed at me.
"And what did he say?"
"That he could take whatever I could dish out," I answered and blushed again thinking of the double meaning that could have had. Rosalie's door opens and I knew it was Alice since she didn't knock.
"Bella, will you come on? I still have to do your hair and make-up, and you have to try on three different outfits because I'm not certain which one I want you to wear," Alice said and I groan. "Ali you are the pixie from hell, I want you to know that," I tell her and she giggles. "I love you too, now come on," she tells me. I look at Rosalie with pleading eyes and she laughs.
"You requested my darling sister in law as your stylist, so don't give that 'save me' look," Rosalie told me. I rolled my eyes at her and got up from the chair. I followed Alice out of Rose's office and back to my dressing room. I saw Mike walking up the hall towards his dressing room and he gave me this creepy smile.
A couple months ago after my divorce was final we all went out to a club so I could celebrate. I got a little too drunk and things went a little too far with my co-host. Thankfully Rose walked in on us in the hallway of the club and quickly put an end to it. Ever since that night, Mike looked at me like he was ready to tear my clothes off.
"Newton stop ogling her, she doesn't want you," Alice said pushing me into my dressing room. I laughed at the way Mike's face fell. Once I entered my dressing room I saw three dresses hanging up. The first one was a black sleek sleeveless shirtdress. I walked over to exam it some more and saw it had wooden buttons and a faux-leather belt at the waist. I looked at the next dress and it was sky blue with one shoulder strap, the collar folded over with a matching blue belt on its waist. I honestly thought it looked like something a first lady would wear, so my face wrinkled up at it.
"I really don't like that one too much either, but Alistair said you must be dressed in a more corporate way today," Alice said from behind me and I nodded my head. This interview was huge so I could understand Alistair actually saying something about what I wore today. I looked at the third dress and it was red, with short sleeves and a V neck. It was slim and I could tell it would be form fitting.
"If I have to do corporate, I think this red one," I tell her. I didn't add that I wanted the red one so that it would show my curves in hope that the sexy Edward Cullen would notice. Alice shrieked, like literally shrieked, and I winced from the noise.
"I was hoping you would pick that one!" she yelled and I laughed. I was really starting to wonder how Jasper lived with her when she is so hyper all the time. "Oh Bella, these are the shoes you're going to wear with the dress," Alice said showing me a pair of black 4 inch stiletto's. They had a series of bows that overlapped each other at the heel of the shoe and the soles of the shoe were red. I looked at Alice like she had lost her mind,
"Alice I can't walk in those."
"Sure you can Bella. They are the same height as the ones you wore yesterday," she told me and I looked at the death traps again. "If I fall I will kick your pixie ass," I tell her. She laughs then pulls me to my chair in front of the mirror, sat me down, pulled the baseball cap off my head and took the pony tail holder out.
"So are you nervous?"
"Yes, there is a lot weighing on this interview. I mean all of Chicago will be watching."
"Not only Chicago will be watching, try the entire country," Alice said. My head snapped around and I looked at her. "What the hell do you mean the entire country?" I snap and Alice's face turned red.
"Oh my god Rose is going to kill me," Alice said. I jump up out of my chair and storm out of my dressing room towards Rosalie's office. I push her door open and see her talking to Chelsea.
"Why am I the last to know that the interview is going National?" I damn near yell. Chelsea looks at Rosalie then quickly leaves the room. "Bella don't be upset, I just knew if you found out you would freak," Rosalie said walking over to me.
"You think? The entire fucking country will be watching me interview Edward fucking Cullen!" I yell, feeling my nerves getting the best of me. There was no way in hell I could do this. All of Chicago was one thing but the entire country? I couldn't breathe, the air suddenly became thin.
"Bella! Shit, relax all right," Rose tells me rushing over to me and holding my hands in hers. "Everyone has been trying to get an interview with Edward Cullen since the day the rumors started about his grandfather, the day he died. Now he has agreed to an interview and he picked our show to do it. You know how much of a big deal this is, so Alistair wanted it to go national and it will be aired on all of our sister stations," she explained to me. I shook my head.
"I can't do this…get someone to cover for me."
"Who Bella? And honestly, you have to do it. I wasn't going to tell you this but Edward requested that you be present for the interview or he wasn't coming," Rosalie told me and I looked at her like she was lying to me. "He didn't. He doesn't even know me," I tell her and she nods her head.
"When his secretary called she said that Mr. Cullen told her he wanted you to do it because you always asked the tough questions on the show."
"He watches the show?"
"I guess so, now please. Just look at me and Ali when you get nervous ok? Try to think of it as any other show, please," Rosalie asked me. I was still stuck on the fact that Edward Cullen requested me.
"God damn it, is everyone that works for this fucking station clumsy idiots?" I heard a booming voice yell. Rosalie and I shared a look and we both jumped up at the same time. When we walked out of her office I see a pissed off Edward Cullen standing in the hall with the large man he called Emmett standing behind him. I also noticed that he had changed his suit to a black Armani. He was looking down at the floor and that was when I noticed he was yelling at Chelsea.
"I'm sorry Mr. Cullen, I didn't see you," Chelsea said picking up what looked to be hundreds of sheets of paper. "Emmett, it's fucking amazing. Somehow I'm one of the richest and most powerful men in the fucking country and yet no one sees me when I'm fucking walking," Edward barked and my nose flared while everyone watched said nothing. I start to walk over to him and Rose holds my arm shaking her head no. I pull my arm from her and walk over to him.
"Maybe if you weren't being an ass you would realize people have better things to do than worry about your ass. Did it ever occur to you that maybe you should move out of the way when you see them coming?" I bark back at him. He looks at me and I see something flash in his eyes. It quickly disappeared and his jaw goes tight.
"Isabella Swan. You know my Armani suit is hurting from your coffee stain this morning."
"Well like you said you're one of the richest men in the country, buy another one!" I snap back and then began to help Chelsea pick the papers up. I saw the looks everyone was giving me and I knew they were worried about him walking out and cancelling the interview, but I wasn't about to stand here and listen to him disrespect Chelsea because she made a mistake. Once we finished getting all the papers up I see everyone is still in the hall.
"What are all of you looking at? We have a show to get ready for, unless Mr. Cullen is too chicken to face my questions." I say now looking at Edward. The man behind him is grinning now. Edward stepped close to me and said, "I look forward to your questions Isabella…". Then he lowered his head so only I could hear and added, "…amongst other things." I growl and storm away toward my dressing room and loudly tell Alice to hurry up so I could get this pretentious ass out of the building. I heard his laugh and I simply slammed my dressing room door.
"Bella what the hell was that?"
"What?" I ask her sitting down in the chair. She walks up behind me and begins to brush my hair. "You were cursing out Edward Cullen. Don't you think that if Alistair heard that you could have just lost your job?" She says and I shrug my shoulders. Alice finishes up my makeup and hair when my dressing room door opens and Rosalie walks in.
"Bella as your supervisor I want to tell you that was the dumbest thing you have ever done and you almost gave me a stroke thinking he was about to walk out of that door." Rosalie said looking highly pissed with me. "…but as your best friend, that was fucking kick ass. Did you see his face when you told him to buy another suit?" Rosalie said now laughing. I shook my head as I got up to put my dress on. Alice helped me into it then zipped me up in the back.
"Rose I was telling her that. Like no one talks to Edward Cullen like that."
"Maybe that's his problem." I say slipping my feet into my shoes. "You think he's cute," Rosalie said and I turned and looked at her. "No I don't, I think he's a jerk," I tell her and Alice smiles. "Oh you so do think he's cute."
Alice added and I rolled my eyes at the both of them, "Don't we have a show to do?" I ask and they both giggle as if they are high school girls instead of thirty year old women. I walk out of my dressing room the same time Mike does and his eyes damn near pop as he looked at me. I smiled because that meant the dress did just what I wanted it to. We all headed for the stage to start the show. I shook off my nerves as the theme music started to play and the announcer introduced Mike and me. I took Mike's arm and smiling we walked out in front of the cameras and audience. A few moments ago Alistair decided that we would air in front of a live audience. Naturally I wasn't happy about that, but I loved my job. We both smiled, waved and then took our seats.
"Good Morning Isabella," Mike says to me with a smile and I smile back at him. "Good Morning Michael, and Good Morning America." I say smiling at the camera.
"Right, we are National today for our highly anticipated interview with the billionaire Edward Cullen," Michael says as if it was an afterthought and I smile. "Yes, Michael you are correct. Edward Cullen is finally speaking out about the rumors that spread about Edmund Masen, as well as Mr. Masen's fight against cancer and his loss due to a heart attack," I read from the teleprompter feeling a slight bit of pain for Edward.
"So I guess there is no point in keeping the people waiting…" Mike says as we both stand up from our seats. I direct my hand to stage left and say, "Ladies and Gentlemen Edward Cullen." Everyone claps and he slowly walks out onto the stage and I swore he looked like sex on legs. His eyes connected with mine and for some reason I couldn't look away from him. I heard the women screaming as if he were a movie star and I actually felt a hint of jealousy. He approached us and shook Mikes hand first. Get your shit together Bella! My conscience shouts at me as he smiles at me and reaches for my hand. I place my hand in his and instantly feel this jolt of electricity between us that made me flinch. I was hoping no one else noticed. Edward smiled a knowing smile, obviously feeling it too. He then brought my hand to his lips and lightly pressed his lips to my knuckles.
"It's nice to meet you, Isabella," he says and I am minutes from swooning. I slowly pull my hand from his and smile. "Nice to meet you Mr. Cullen, please have a seat." I tell him as we all sit down.
"Please just call me Edward," he says with a crooked grin and I suck in a deep breath. "Alright Edward, I'll ask the question on everyone's mind. Why today? Why on our show?" I say trying to stay focused on the questions I had to ask. He smiled at me and sat back in his chair.
"Which question do you want me to answer first?" he asked receiving chuckles from the audience. "Whichever you prefer," I reply back crossing my legs. I noticed him watching my movement and his jaw went tight again. "I picked this show because it was the show my grandfather was watching when he died," he answered. I actually gasped because I knew for a fact that day was my first day on the show. I wasn't expecting that answer so I quickly pulled myself together.
"…So the way I see it, what better show is there to have my first interview then the one he was watching when he took his last breath," he answered. I nodded my head and asked, "So you're saying if he was watching Wheel of Fortune you would have let them interview you?" The audience, Mike and even Edward laughed.
"I can see your point, I guess not. I'll admit, I also picked this show because of…well you Isabella," he said with that damn crooked grin on his face again. Did he just admit on national television that he picked the show because of me? I didn't know what his angle was but I wasn't about to let him get me off my game for the entire country to see.
"So why today?" Michael asked probably noticing my discomfort with Edward's last response. Edward pulled his eyes away from me and looked at Mike. "I wanted to defend my grandfather's legacy on the same day some idiot tried to ruin it," he answered and I shifted in my seat.
"Tried to ruin it? So Masen Enterprise is still the same company it was a year ago?" I asked.
He looks back at me with a smile. "No, of course not. The company suffered because of the rumors, but it didn't ruin the company either. I work hard to maintain the company my grandfather built with his hands, time and blood," he answered looking at me intensely. Rosalie signaled we had to take a commercial break.
"We'll be right back after these messages," Mike said and they let us know when we are off air. Alice comes over and touches up my lip stick and blush. "Is this as tough as the questions will get Isabella? I was hoping for a bigger challenge," Edward said with a smirk and I heard Alice giggle. I sucked in a deep breath and Rosalie shouted we were on in ten seconds. Alice ran back off the set and I crossed my legs again and noticed Edward was watching.
"We are back and we have Edward Cullen here with us today," Mike says once we are back on the air. "Edward, what do you have to say about a source from your very own company accusing your grandfather of embezzling money from the company?" Michael asked leaning in his chair. I picked up my coffee cup which was really filled with water and took a little sip from it. Again Edward was watching me. He cleared his throat then looked at Mike.
"Only what I've been saying, that it is nothing more than a rumor and a lie."
"So you think your grandfather could never do anything like that? People do it all the time," I say placing my cup back down on the table. "My grandfather was not other people and I think everyone knows that. As for if I think he could do it, well I know he didn't and that's all that matters to me," he replied with his jaw tight. I could tell he was getting irritated.
"So you don't deny money was embezzled from your company?"
"No I don't deny that indeed someone stole from Masen Enterprises, but it was not my grandfather."
"Earlier, you said your company suffered. Would you care to explain to the country how your company suffered, while you are still eating and living like a king? The company is still doing well on Wall Street and was featured in Business Illustrated as the number one business in the country. To me it seems that you and your company are doing just fine." I say and he smirks at me.
"What Wall Street and Business Illustrated doesn't show you is the number of contracts and investors we lost. I kept the company afloat on my own dime for six months after my grandfather passed. I flew around this country and the world to rebuild the relationships a rumor practically destroyed. As for eating and living like a king, as you put it. I have other finances that are not tied into Masen Enterprises. It was one of the first things my grandfather taught me, and I'm thankful because those finances are what helped me rebuild my company," he answered. I smiled at that because the question put him on the spot but he had a good answer.
Edward POV
I sat across from this woman that was literally turning me inside out. When I first saw Isabella in the hallway after I yelled at the stupid girl that, if it wasn't for Emmett would have knock me the hell over, I was actually pleased to see her face. Even if she was cursing me the hell out in front of a group of people. Her hair was down around her shoulders and her face was free of the face paint. She was gorgeous. Then, when that thought crept into my mind, it pissed me off. Now as she sat in front of me doing this interview I couldn't help but think those same thoughts again, she was fucking gorgeous. Every movement she made I watched intensely finding it sexy, even when she drank from her cup.
Then there was the fact that I didn't intimidate her like I did everyone else. There were only two other people in the world who aren't blood related and could stand up to me the way Isabella did and that was Emmett and Heidi. In the span of one day she had put me in my place more than once. Her last question proved that she wasn't afraid of my reaction.
"So Edward you grandfather gave back a lot, what have you done to continue that legacy of his?" she asked me. I smiled at her, I couldn't seem to help myself. "I just recently started the Masen College fund, for inner city kids. As many of you know I paid to have the parks opened to children seven days a week, eliminating that expense from the city of Chicago. I have continued the Masen Recreation Centers and cancer center in the hospitals. Also for years I've given my money as well as my time to the Make A Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics," I answered and saw the surprised expression that passed her face.
I knew that to many people I came off as a jerk who didn't give a damn about other people's feelings. And in some way I was, but I learned that there was no making friends in my line of business because at the end of the day everyone wanted something from me. Those who knew me, understood me, and honestly I was different with them.
I saw the woman who introduced herself to me earlier as Rosalie signal to Isabella and Michael for a commercial. The little woman with short dark hair ran over to Isabella again and touched up her makeup. I watched as she put lipstick on Isabella's plump lips and I wanted to kiss her until all the lipstick was gone. That thought pissed me off so I checked the time on my watch to distract me from watching her. Then her beautiful voice asked, "have somewhere important to be?"
"Yes, actually I do, if that's alright with you."
"Why would it matter what's alright with me?"
"It doesn't, I was being sarcastic," I tell her and watch her eyes narrow at me. They signal that the show is about to start again and I watch Michael whisper in her ear and she blushes. I wanted to punch the ass in his face for having that effect on her, and then I became angry again with my reaction towards her. I ran my fingers through my hair trying to get myself straight. Today was the first day I ever met this woman and I already wanted to kick men's asses for calling her Bella and making her blush.
"Hello, we are back and for those of you just checking in, we are here with Edward Cullen," Isabella said with a smile on her face, and she turned to me.
"Now Edward, what is this I hear about you being sued by a reporter for punching him in the face for a remark concerning your grandfather?" Michael asked me. I noticed Isabella blush but it seemed more like embarrassment.
"That was settled outside of court. I was angry because my grandfather had just died and the man said something I felt was inappropriate. I'm sure he and his wife are enjoying the money immensely," I answered and watched Isabella began to chew on her bottom lip as Michael cut his eyes at her.
The two continued with questions but they were more about what I planned to do with Masen Enterprises and what I already had in the works. When the show was over I thanked them both for having me, shaking Michael's hand and kissing the back of Isabella's again. I was surprised I felt that jolt of shock when our hands touched again. I walked off the stage and over to Emmett who I noticed had been eye fucking that woman Rosalie most of the interview.
"You ready to go?" Emmett asked, finally noticing me standing in front of him. "I want to talk to Isabella first," I tell him. Emmett grins at me and I roll my eyes at him.
"Not like that. I want to know if she was serious about paying my dry cleaning bill," I tell him. He slaps his massively large hand down on my shoulder. "You can lie to people who don't know you and even lie to yourself but you can't lie to me Eddie. You just want an excuse to see her again."
I don't tell him that he's right because honestly there was no point. He told me he was going to go have Seth bring the car around and I waited for Isabella and Michael to end the show. When they did I slowly walked over to her and she looked surprised to see me.
"Can I help you Mr. Cullen?" she asked me and I watched a curl fall into her face. I wanted so bad to push it behind her ear but I refrained. Fuck this was ridiculous. I knew nothing about this woman. Maybe it was her putting me in my place. Nope you wanted her before she did that, my inner monologue politely pointed out.
"I wanted to ask you if you were sure about paying my dry cleaning bill?" I ask her and she smiled. "Yeah, sure. What, you can't afford it?" she asked sarcastically, and I have this sudden urge to kiss her. Fuck! I shout in my head. I needed to get away from her.
"No I just wanted you to know that you can mail the payment, I would prefer not seeing you again. To save my other Armani's," I tell her. My inner monologue calls me a coward. Isabella was trouble being both a distraction and the media, and with the private investigation I would have going at the company I didn't need either, I reminded myself. Isabella looked at me and stepped closer. The air around me filled with her beautiful fragrance and I tried not to breathe, for if I did I would have consumed her in this very spot.
"Mr. Cullen believe me when I say, I don't want to see you again either. I tend to hate men who are jerks to the people around them and from what I saw earlier you are most certainly a jerk. Have a nice damn day, and I'll be sure to help you out and pay your dry cleaning bill. Have your people call my people," she says and then turns on her heels and walks away. Did she just say she hate me? And why did that cause pain in my chest? I watched her walk away and her body looked fucking amazing in that red dress. I saw the way Michael watched her ass and I wanted to go over to him and pummel his face in.
"Edward, Seth is outside," I heard Emmett say from behind me. I give Isabella one last look and tell myself I will forget about her. No more watching this god forsaken show in the morning. I had better things to fill my time with. I turned and followed Emmett outside and was ambushed by paparazzi. I quickly jumped into the car and Emmett followed.
"So are we setting an extra plate at the dinner table?" Emmett asked. "Shut the fuck up Em," I tell him and he laughs, not fazed by the anger in my voice. "You said something stupid and fucked it up before it even started didn't you?" Hhe asked and I looked at him.
"There is nothing to fucking start Emmett."
"Yeah tell that to someone else. Heidi called me and said that you were watching Isabella so intensely that women at home were probably fanning themselves."
"You and Heidi need to mind your own damn business," I bark and again he laughs then tosses his large arm over my shoulders. "You are my business boss, or are you so incompetent you forgot?" he asked tossing the words I said to Isabella this morning back in my face. When we arrived at the office I prepared for my meeting with Mr. Shoe which went well thankfully. He informed me he would need me to fly out to China and pitch it to the rest of his company, but he liked my idea. After that meeting I had a few more with some of my employees. There was Benjamin, Paul, Laurent, Victoria and Royce. They were the only ones I worked with on a weekly basis. They all took their seats in my office and Jessica came in to take notes like I asked her to.
"What do you have?" I ask and waited for them to answer. "They have a new Tablet model in tech they want you to look at." Paul speaks first and I nod my head. That was the branch I originally ran when my grandfather was alive. He didn't know much about technology but I let him know it was the way of the twenty-first century. So thanks to me Masen Enterprises tapped into Tech and we were benefiting from it. "Nothing new with the hotels, but the anniversary for the hotel in Seattle, Washington is in two months and the manager there wants to know if you will attend the dinner," Laurent asked me. The hotels are how Masen Enterprises started and then it expanded into almost everything and anything you could think of. I looked at Jessica and she quickly pulled out my planner and flipped to two months from now.
"You'll just be returning from New York the day before."
I nod my head. "Tell them I'll be there. Victoria, your head of press, any news?" I ask her and she smiles at me. I ignore the stupid grin on her face.
"I've received a few calls from magazines and other channels requesting interviews with you specifically. I tried to tell them you were not available and that I could answer any questions about the company but they declined," she answered and I nodded my head. I turned to Royce and saw that he was fidgeting in his seat. "The uh contract we had with the architect for the new building fell through and…" I felt the fucking anger in me build. I had until the end of the year to get the new hotel up and this was not what the hell I needed.
"What the hell do you mean the contract fell through?" I ask between clenched teeth. I see the worried looks on everyone's face but I don't care. "They claimed that we didn't get them all the legal papers they would need and…" I damn near growl causing him to stop mid sentence.
"They claimed not to have the papers? Royce this company has been working with Smith Architects for years and not once have we had a fucking problem out of them. So I recommend you be fucking honest before I call Harold Smith and ask him. Did you get the fucking papers filled out and to the lawyer?" I ask him and now all eyes are on him.
"Well no, because he wasn't there and then his secretary said he would be gone for weeks and then…I-I got busy with the Shoe contract and…" I raised my hand to stop him from talking. I stood up placing both my hands firmly on my desk.
"It sounds to me like you can't do your fucking job. Find another architect and lawyer by five today or you will be feeding your wife and family with the lint in your pocket, because if I lose this land and contract for the new hotel it will come from your very own pocket," I tell him and he swallows hard. I tell all of them they can leave and Benjamin remains. After they left I looked at Benjamin.
"Did you call the investigator?' I asked Benjamin and he nodded his head. "I called an agency called Volutri. They are going to come by later to brief you on how they plan to start the investigation. Do you really think that person trying to frame Edmund is still here?" Benjamin asked me and I sat back down in my chair.
"Yes I do, because they didn't succeed. When the guys from the agency arrive bring them to my office, I don't care who I'm in a meeting with," I tell him and he nods his head and gets up and leaves. I run my fingers through my hair and look at Jessica. "Hire me an assistant," I tell her and she starts to fumble with her pen and pad.
"Mr. Cullen I swear what happened this morning will never happen again I mean it was a mistake and…" I put my hand up to stop her from talking. She obviously thought I was firing her. "Jessica I'm not firing you. I just figure that with all these new contracts and jobs I would be more busy then usual and instead of burning you out I think you could use some help keeping up with me. You'll continue to take care of my schedules, making appointments and flight plans, where as my assistant will take care of preparing for meetings, and running simple errands," I tell her and watch her relax in her seat. I then look at her and say, "unless there is something I need to fire you for…"
"…No Mr. Cullen, like I said earlier, today was a mistake that will never happen again. I'll get right on hiring you an assistant," she says jumping up from her seat and heading for the door. When she touched the door knob I stop her by calling her name. "Yes, Mr. Cullen?" she asks, looking nervous about what I was going to say.
"This assistant better not fuck up or it is your job as well. So I would hire carefully if I was you." I tell her. She nods her head then rushes out of the office. I sit back in my seat and run my fingers through my hair just as my office phone rings. I don't bother to answer knowing that Jessica would. Then her voice came through.
"Mr. Cullen it's your sister." she says. I knew that it's Bree because I told Jessica if Emily called to tell her I was in a meeting. I answer with a smile on my face.
"I tried calling you this morning."
"I know sorry I was busy, I caught your interview today," she said and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Yeah thankful that's over," I tell her and couldn't help thinking about Isabella again.
"Sure, so how long have you been sleeping with the co-host?" she asked me. "What? I'm not." I tell her really not enjoying the idea of talking about my sex life with my younger sister.
"Oh please Eddie, you were undressing her the entire interview," Bree tells me and I'm thankful Emmett isn't here to hear her because I would never hear the end of it. "How is school going?" I say to change the subject. Bree was in her senior year at NYU. She was the reason I would be in New York two months from now, for her graduation.
"It's going alright; I have finals coming up and honestly can't wait for it to be over," she tells me. We talk for a few more minutes until there is a knock on my door. I tell them to come in and see it is Benjamin with three other men.
"Bree I have to call you back…"
"Alright love you big brother."
"You too, be safe," I tell her. "I will, I will," she says back and hangs up the phone. I motion for them to take a seat and then call to Jessica's desk for her to tell Emmett to get up here.
"Hello Mr. Cullen, I'm Marcus, this is Aro, and Caius."
I shake each hand and my office door opens and Emmett enters. I introduce him and tell Jessica to hold all my calls.
"Benjamin briefed us on the issue and we think the easiest way to do the investigation, since you believe it's someone in the company, is to plant a mole." the one named Aro says to me. I nod my head. "Alright who's the mole?" I ask and the one named Caius smiles.
"That will be me. I pretend to hate working for you and eventually the thief will show their head since they'll feel the same way."
"That won't work," Emmett says and they all look at him. "Why not?" Aro ask him. Emmett sits on the edge of my desk. "Because more than half of this damn company hates working for Edward. But each of them knows how huge of an opportunity it is to work for him and his company. You have to find the ones that are not afraid to risk their jobs, because the ones who are would never try to blackmail or frame him," Emmett answers and I actually have to smile because he's right.
"Do you hate working for Mr. Cullen?" Marcus asked Emmett. I knew they were checking him out right in front of me. "Edward doesn't give me shit like he does anyone else. While he is my boss I also think of him as a best friend, so whoever is trying to destroy his company and his family's legacy will have to answer to me," Emmett says and I smile. That was why he was my body guard, because I knew I could trust him with my life no matter what.
We discuss the plan further in detail and then they left saying that Caius will return tomorrow and that I needed to have a list of all my employees for them by tomorrow. I let Jessica know and she told me she was on it. Royce came into my office a quarter to five with the name of a new lawyer and architect. The lawyer was John Jenks and the architect was a Jasper Whitlock Hale. They would both be meeting with me tomorrow.
"Royce you must really want to keep your job," I tell him looking over the credentials of the architect Jasper Hale. "Yes Mr. Cullen I do. I enjoy working for you Sir," he lied and I nodded my head.
"If they fuck up, you're fired," I tell him and he nods his head. I tell him he can go and he rushes out of the office. When Emmett and I were left in the office alone I fell back against the chair and looked at my watch. Somehow it was already six in the damn evening.
"Eddie you know if you weren't an ass to people you probably wouldn't need me to protect your ass."
"Probably, but then I wouldn't have my best friend around and you wouldn't have a job. So I'm an ass for you Em." I tell him and we both laugh knowing that was bull shit.
There was a knock at my door and I knew it was Jessica since everyone else should have left for home already. I tell her to come in and she hands me an envelope.
"This came via carrier, from an Isabella Swan," she says and I look up at Emmett who is smiling. I take the envelope and tell her she can go home now. She tells Emmett and I goodnight then quickly leaves. I open the envelope and twenty and fifty dollar bills fall out onto my desk. I look up at Emmett and he is trying to hold in a laugh. I see a sheet of paper inside and take it out and unfold it.
Mr. Cullen,
Here is two thousand dollars to assist you in your hardship. I hope this covers your dry cleaning bill, or pays for a new Armani. Now you have no damn reason to see or speak to me again. Have a nice life Assward!
-Isabella Swan
I toss my head back in laughter and hand the note to Emmett who laughs as well. "Oh I'm taking this to Heidi and your mom, they'll love this." He says and I'm still laughing unable to actually care.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter please leave reviews, I always love to hear what my readers think!
Will try to post every two days, but reviews will encourage me to post sooner!