Chapter 27

Isabella Pov

~ August 17th, 2012 ~

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"Please, have a seat," Carlisle said, nodding towards the chair he was holding out. He smiled at me softly, but there was an undertone of sadness in his voice as he uttered the words. His conversation with Emmett seemed to have affected him on some level.

"I was just about to grab something to drink," I replied, gesturing over my shoulder. "I'm really thirsty."

"Emmett will do that for you. Please, sit."

I sighed and sat down, realizing that there was no way out of this. He wanted to speak with me, and I was going to have to listen to him.

"What would you like to drink?" Emmett asked, and I looked up at him only to see his expression devoid of any emotion. He appeared so calm and serene about my being there; a vast improvement from his previous reactions towards me.

"Some iced tea, please," I said, leaning back into the plastic seat and trying to find a comfortable position.

He nodded, turning to his father. "Dad, can I get you anything else?"

Carlisle shook his head, and Emmett departed, leaving us alone. It was my second time speaking to the man sitting across from me, and yet, I felt like I had known him my entire life. There was just something about him that put me at ease, although I was still pretty apprehensive about what he had to say to me.

"So…" I began, rubbing my hand over my baby bump gently; a habit I'd developed over the past month or so.

Carlisle's eyes followed my movements for a brief second, before snapping back up to meet mine. "I know we're not really acquainted with each other and my presence might make you uncomfortable, but I think you need to hear what I have to say."

"Okay," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

There was a small pause during which he seemed to be thinking about the best way to approach the subject.

"You see, I've come to realize that my wife's condition is more delicate than I initially thought," he went on cryptically. "I've been noticing the signs for quite some time, but I guess I just refused to acknowledge them. I was just so wrapped up in work, my job and my important clients, that I lost focus on what was really important and allowed my personal life to take second place."

He was interrupted by Emmett making his way back to the table. He had my iced tea in one hand, which he placed down in front of me, and a cup of black coffee in the other.

"Thank you," I murmured, immediately reaching for the cold drink and bringing it to my lips.

Emmett retook his vacant seat, giving his father a short nod to carry on.

Carlisle sighed. "It's no secret to anyone that our marriage isn't what it used to be. Don't get me wrong, I love my wife, but we're just not working out anymore, and there is only so much I can take. Anyway, that's not the point, and I don't think you care to hear about our marital issues. What you need to know is that this very afternoon, Esme is being transferred to a private mental health center."

"What?" I gasped, completely taken aback. "But I thought the doctor said he's ready to let her go."

"That's just what he told Edward. I knew he'd react badly to the news, so I asked the good doctor to tell him a little lie. Well, he wasn't exactly lying to him; he deliberately omitted the truth. He is letting her go, but just not to go home. He will only be discharging her to the medical facility I mentioned."

"But why?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around his words. Oh, Edward was going to be furious especially since he wasn't told the whole story. "And why are you telling me all of this in the first place?"

"I'm telling you this because I know you're the only one who can break the news to him. He's not thinking very clearly right now. I know my son well; he feels guilty about the way he treated his mother and he's going to put up a fight when he finds out. He's not going to listen to anyone but you. You need to convince him that this is for the best."

I shook my head, putting my hands up. "Look, I get it, I do, but we just had a huge fight because of Esme, and I don't plan on going through that again anytime soon. I can't have that kind of stress again; it's not good for me and the baby."

"I understand your concerns, Isabella, but you need to tell him. It's the only way," Emmett interfered, his voice low as he stared at me over the rim of his cup. "After he's calmed down and the news has sunk in, I'll deal with him. It's either that or I'm telling him, but I can't guarantee he walks out of that argument with his nose still intact."

One fleeting look at his face, andI could tell he was dead serious. Although there was obviously something different about his demeanor towards me, his behavior towards Edward hadn't changed one bit. He was his older brother and still acting as such.

I debated briefly, weighing the pros and cons of another possible argument with Edward, before deciding that it was indeed for the best if I were the one to tell him. He deserved to know the truth, and I had no desire for him and Emmett to get into an ugly fight. So, I was going to stick my neck out once again and take one for the team. I only hoped I didn't end up being his personal verbal punching bag again.

"Fine," I agreed. "If I'm going to tell him, I want to know what the heck is going on. What's wrong with Esme?"

"That's a question we still have to find the answer to," Carlisle replied bitterly. "I have a theory, but I'd rather keep it to myself for the time being. The fact is she's not well. She's been displaying strange behavior for quite some time now, and things are only getting worse with each passing day. Two nights ago when she tried to commit suicide; regardless of whether she actually intended to or not, we found a broken wine glass next to her on the floor. She had a bloody mouth, so Emmett got suspicious and briefly inspected the glass, only to come to the conclusion that she'd bit it so hard, she broke it. Dr. Smith confirmed it."

My eyes widened in shock. "She bit through glass?"

He sighed heavily. "Something's going on with her. We don't know exactly what it is yet, but we hope it's treatable."

"And here I thought she was always like this," I mumbled to myself.

"She wasn't," Carlisle said wistfully, and I blushed, realizing he'd heard me.

"She used to be so full of life and cheerful. We married young. I was nineteen and she was eighteen. Her father was against our marriage at first, but we loved each other and nothing else mattered. My parents helped us financially, so we could continue our studies. They paid for our wedding; they bought us an expensive apartment as a wedding gift and gave us a generous monthly allowance to live off of.

"We lived happily for a few years, but after Emmett was born, her personality started changing. She became obsessed with the way she looked; she started taking yoga classes; she began shopping for new clothes like a maniac… and so on. The changes continued to manifest over the years, and from the innocent, light-hearted girl I once knew, she suddenly became this gorgeous, sharp-tongued woman with an insatiable appetite for social events.

"I can't lie. I liked it. Not only did she look better than ever, but she was extremely active on her own, which meant I didn't have to feel guilty for putting my career first. I got used to the new her just like she got used to the workaholic version of me."

I nodded, reaching for my drink again. "So… can I ask why she's so hard on Edward? I mean, she seems hard on everyone, but especially on him."

He smiled sadly, but there was a tinge of pride in his voice as he spoke the next words. "I guess it's because he's always been so rebellious. She likes everyone doing things her way, and he doesn't like being told what to do. He never did."

"Yeah, he's stubborn alright." I smiled back encouragingly. "I should know. But um… who decided to transfer her? Was it the doctor or…"

"Me. It was me. To be honest with you, the suicide attempt combined with the glass biting was like a wake up call for all of us. She needs help as soon as possible. Her mental health seems to be deteriorating fast and I'm afraid of what the future has in store for her. I should have been proactive and paid more attention to what was happening with her sooner, but I didn't, and I'm the only one to blame for the state she's in now. We live under the same roof, and yet, we've gotten to the point where we barely see each other anymore. I can't even remember the last time we had a normal conversation."

"That's just… sad," I said, feeling sorry for him because he looked so beaten down, and it was obvious he blamed himself for what was happening to Esme.

"It is. What's happened to us is lamentable, but we have to accept the reality. Some couples simply don't work out as well as others do. That doesn't mean I don't care about my wife anymore. As I said, I still love her and I'm going to do everything in my power to help her. I want her to get better. To be honest with you, I'm ashamed of my emotional neglect towards her. I should have been a better, more caring husband. But I can't turn back time and what's done is done. It's too late for me to fix it now, but I can at least try to do what's best for her."

"You really think transferring her to a mental health institution is the right thing to do? I mean, I never realized she was that deranged. I just thought she was playing a part to get Edward back."

He chuckled bitterly, staring down at his empty coffee cup. "I wish it was just that. Trust me, Isabella. Things started changing before you came into Edward's life. Your late arrival into our family was a mere catalyst for whatever was going on with her."

I remained quiet, taking everything in. I let my gaze roam aimlessly through the spacious cafeteria for a little while before returning my attention back to Carlisle.

"Okay, so let's say that now I kind of get why she's been acting the way she has, but what about Rosalie? What's her story?"

"There's no story," Emmett replied, putting down the Blackberry he had just been checking. "Not really anyway. Rose's mother died about a year after we got married, and in the years that followed, she grew really close to mine. Rose became the daughter my mother never had, and my mother filled the void left by Caroline's death."

I nodded, but avoided his intense stare because I still found him incredibly intimidating.

"My wife's not a bad person and neither am I. She's still apprehensive of you because of my mother, but I'm starting to see things from a different perspective."

"Are you really?" I asked a bit sarcastically, unable to help glancing his way and seeking the truth in his dark eyes.

"Yes, I am, Isabella," he said firmly, his expression remaining impassive. "I see my brother the happiest he's been in a long time, and for that I am grateful."

I bit on my lip to refrain from smiling at him. "Well, that's definitely good to hear. It's felt like this entire family has held such a bad opinion of me."

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it back just as quickly. His gaze fell on his Blackberry and he picked it up again, starting to scroll through it.

"Have you thought of a name for the baby?" he inquired, changing the subject, but not looking at me.

My eyebrows rose in surprise at the fact that he was actually digging for info about his nephew. "No, not yet, but I like Anthony."

"Anthony was my father's name," Carlisle commented, smiling at me warmly.

Emmett took a sip of his coffee, his eyes still trained on his phone's display. "I assume Edward's ecstatic that he's going to have a son."

"He is. I am too."

"Mmm," he murmured, as if assenting. "He deserves to be happy."

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Sometime later, I made my way back to Esme's room. My entire body was wound up tight with nervousness as I knocked on the heavy wooden door before stepping inside tentatively. Edward was sitting on the couch in pretty much the same spot I'd left him, while Esme was still lying in bed, laughing at something he'd just said. The lilies he'd bought her were now resting in a large yellow vase that she'd placed on the bed stand next to the others.

"You're back." He smiled widely, patting the couch beside him. "Come sit down."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could have a word with you in private," I said, throwing Esme an anxious glance. "It'll only take a minute."

She blanched, looking as if I'd just slapped her. She could sense that something had happened, almost as if she could smell the fear oozing off of me.

"Sure." Edward got up, his smile fading at seeing my expression. "Mom, we'll be right back."

"But…" she started saying, her words dying in her throat as Edward led me into the hallway, closing the door behind us.

"So?" he pressed once we were alone, running his palms up and down my arms almost in a soothing manner. "What's wrong? You're scaring me."

I wrung my hands in front of me nervously. "I don't know how to tell you this…"

"Tell me what?"

I took a deep breath, looking up at him pleadingly. "First, promise me you that won't take it out on me. I swear I just found out. Actually, they wanted me to tell you that's why I know before you."

He frowned. "Know what? You're not making any sense."

"Promise me, Edward. I really don't want to be on the receiving end of your anger again without even deserving it."

"Okay, I promise," he said, starting to sound frustrated. "Tell me."

"Well…" I braced myself for what I knew was coming. "They're not letting Esme go; she is not going home today. They're transferring her to a private mental health center."

"What?" His face fell. "What did you just say?"

"Yeah…"

"They can't do that!" he exploded, his face going red with anger. "Who the fuck made such an idiotic decision? Dr. Smith told me he's letting her go. He couldn't have changed his mind in the span of what…" he paused to check his watch, "…twenty minutes?"

I sighed. "Dr. Smith told you that because your father asked him to. He knew you'd react badly to the news."

"Of course I'm reacting badly!" he exclaimed, starting to pace in front of me, his hands now glued to his hair. "My mother's not crazy; she's depressed. There's a big difference. She doesn't deserve to be locked away in a mental clinic. She needs love and affection."

"You're wrong," I said, and his steps stopped abruptly as he turned to me with an expression that could only be described as murderous.

"Look, she needs professional help, Edward. I don't think it's depression but even if it were, she'd still need to be treated. Depression is a mental disorder. She'd need antidepressant medication and counseling."

"Yes, but counseling doesn't require for her to be separated from her home and loved ones," he gritted through his teeth, starting to pace again. "I won't agree to this."

"I'm sorry, but your father already made his decision and the arrangements are made."

He looked at me sharply. "Then why the fuck isn't he telling me this himself?"

I shrugged, wondering the same thing myself. Edward had always looked up on his father, and I didn't think his reaction would have been that bad if Carlisle were the one to approach this delicate subject with him. But for some unknown reason, he wanted me to act as a messenger between the two sides. I closed my eyes, deciding to ignore the oddity of it all and just played along.

"Well, I already told you. He thought you'd be taking the news better if it came from me."

Edward snorted unceremoniously. "How typical of him. How typical of them all. They're all a bunch of cowards, using you as a shield for my anger. Now do you understand why I sometimes act the way I do? They are driving me insane. I wouldn't wish my family on my worst enemy."

"I get it, I really do," I said softly, walking over to him and placing my hands on his chest where I rubbed soothing circles. "But you need to let your father do what's best for Esme."

"Where is he?" he asked after a moment, looking down at my hands with a deep frown.

"He's in the cafeteria with Emmett."

Grumbling something intelligible, he gently pried my hands away before starting to stomp off in the direction of the elevator.

"Edward, wait!" I called, instinctively taking a step towards him.

"Stay here, Isabella," he replied over his shoulder distractedly. "I'll be back."

"No, I won't stay here," I said annoyed, and he stopped in his tracks as I quickly closed the distance between us. "Don't tell me what to do, Edward!"

"Christ, when did you get so stubborn?" he muttered, looking like he was getting annoyed himself.

I rolled my eyes at him petulantly as I curled my left arm around his right. "I was always stubborn; you just don't know me as well as you think you do. I'll come with you. I'm practically part of this crazy family now. Whatever concerns you, concerns me too."

"Fine." He sighed, resuming his fast pace with me in tow. "You're right."

"Hey, slow down," I scolded as we neared the elevator, unable to keep up. "I'm pregnant, remember? I'm not as limber as I was and I tire out easily."

"Sorry," he said, throwing me an abashed look. "I'm just really agitated right now."

Minutes later, as we stepped out of the elevator, we ran into Angela. She was wearing her usual blue scrubs and was holding a paper cup of what looked to be coffee. Her first reaction was to smile, but then, just as quickly, her smile faded as if she suddenly realized we weren't there to visit with her.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here? Is something the matter with the baby?" she inquired, concern written all over her face as she took me in, her eyes lingering on my prominent belly.

"Hey, Ang," I tried to smile at her reassuringly. "No, the baby's fine. We're here to see Edward's mother."

"Oh," she said, relief flooding her features as her tone of voice became dispassionate. "Did she have a stroke or something?"

"No," Edward replied, staring over her shoulder intently before turning to me. "Listen, why don't you stay with Angela while I go deal with my father and brother?"

"No, I want to go with you," I insisted, wrapping my arm around his tighter.

Angela looked between the two of us suspiciously. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," I said hurriedly, sensing Edward's impatience. "How about I give you a call later? We really need to get going."

"Sure." She waved us off dismissively. "Feel free to pay me a visit this evening if you want. Ben's out of town with work, so it'll be just the two of us."

"Okay, sounds good." I let go of Edward's hand to give her a hasty peck on the cheek. "Talk to you later."

"Bye," she said, slowly turning on her heels and walking in the opposite direction.

As we entered the cafeteria, I could feel Edward stiffen beside me as his eyes found the table he was looking for. Carlisle, who was facing the doors, spotted us almost immediately. He opened his mouth and spoke fast to Emmett, all the while his stare trained on his other son.

Edward was fuming as he stopped next to the table abruptly. "You're not sending her to a mental institution. I won't allow it."

"Son…" Carlisle started, but Edward cut him off harshly.

"No, Dad. You can hire a therapist, but I won't let you treat her like she's crazy."

Emmett threw his brother a dark look, which Edward chose to ignore.

"I'm not treating her like she's crazy, Edward. I know she's not. But you have to understand that there are things you don't know about your mother's behavior in the past months."

"Like what?" Edward demanded to know, his voice rising menacingly with each uttered word. "Please enlighten me. Maybe this time you actually have the guts to be honest with me."

Carlisle's expression became somber; his jaw setting. "You want to know? Fine, I'll tell you. Now sit down; you're causing a scene and making a fool out of yourself."

I glanced around and true enough, pretty much everyone in the room was gawking at us. Edward held out a chair for me before occupying the seat right across from me. Leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest, he stared at his father expectantly.

Carlisle stared back at him, his blue eyes betraying his inner turmoil. "It's about her unexpected, strong outbursts of rage in situations that would not trigger such a strong reaction in most people. Her complete lack of empathy. Her cold, uncaring, even cruel behavior towards her own family and even the staff. The emotional abuse she subjects everyone to. Her lies. Her manipulations. Cheating on her husband and not even feeling sorry for it."

The second that last sentence left his lips, my hand flew to my mouth as I let out an audible gasp.

"What? !" Both Edward and Emmett echoed in unison, looking perplexed.

Carlisle shook his head and let out a heavy breath. "I'm sorry. I really didn't want any of you to find out like this. Maybe I should've kept it to myself. But, I just don't think I can anymore. I can't go on with this charade your mother and I call a marriage."

"When did she cheat on you?" Emmett asked, sitting up straighter, a pink tinge coloring his cheeks. "Dad, are you being serious? Please tell me you're joking. Please."

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Carlisle answered bitterly, running his palms over his face. "A few years back, she slept with Bob."

"Bob Richardson?" Emmett blurted out incredulously, his face now getting fully red. "Your friend and business associate? That Bob?"

"Unfortunately, yes. That Bob."

"But he's ten years your junior! He's your friend… he's…"

"Why did she do it?" Edward spoke, his voice so low, he could barely be heard over the general chatter of the room. "And more importantly, why did you forgive her?"

"I don't know why she did it, but I forgave her because I felt guilty for neglecting her. The sad part is that she didn't even want to be forgiven. She didn't feel an ounce of remorse. Bob, on the other hand, begged me for forgiveness. He was desperate. He didn't want to lose our friendship nor the financial comfort our business arrangement provided him with. So I gave both of them another chance. Bob is now happily married as both of you know, and he's been avoiding her ever since, but Esme… she's only gotten worse over the years. I was such a fool."

"How could you not tell us?" Emmett said, looking like he was about to have an aneurysm.

I actually felt sorry for him. He'd always been his mother's biggest supporter, and now, her perfect image was being tinted by his father's confession.

"What would have been the point?" Carlisle replied regretfully. "Why ruin your happiness with my marital issues? I sincerely thought it was just a phase and that we were going to get over it. We didn't."

"So, is this some sort of revenge?" Edward asked, looking at his father through narrowed eyes. "Are you trying to get back at her?

Carlisle was scandalized by his son's accusation. "Of course it's not! Edward, you know I would never do something like that. I love your mother; despite everything, I would never intentionally hurt her."

"I don't know anything anymore!" Edward snapped, slamming his fist against the table. "I don't even recognize my own parents, for Christ's sake! I mean, how did we get here? I swear to God, our life has just turned into a bad soap opera. I'm sick and tired of all this shit. I wish you'd all just fucking disappear from my life once and for all."

"Watch your tongue," Carlisle hissed, starting to get mad himself. "Last time I checked I was still your father, and I think you should speak to me with more respect." He took a deep breath to calm himself down then went on. "Your mother cheating on me isn't even that important right now. She is dealing with severe anger issues, ones that partially caused her to harm herself, and needs to be seen by a professional. I'm only trying to help her. Emmett understands this. Why can't you?"

"Yeah, Emmett has suddenly seen the light at the end of the tunnel," Edward said sarcastically, getting up abruptly and almost knocking down his chair. "Good for him."

Emmett frowned, looking like he hadn't yet recovered from the shock of it all. "Where are you going?"

"I have to speak with her. I don't know about you, big brother, but I need an explanation."

"I'm coming with you," he mumbled, rising to his feet unsteadily. "I have to know what the hell she was thinking."

"Isabella?" Edward turned to me expectantly.

"You want me to come, too?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Yes," he replied firmly, holding his hand out for me to take.

As I stared at his outstretched hand, it suddenly dawned on me that this was a major turning point in our relationship. He was willingly including me in what was about to become a very private family moment that was going to change everyone's perception about Esme. His gesture should've made me happy that he was finally ready to open up to me more, but instead it made me afraid of what I was going to be a witness to.

All I could do was hope that this sudden change of heart of his wasn't going to prove temporary. Knowing Esme, she was going to take advantage of her current situation to pose as a victim, and I had to admit that I was afraid that both Emmett and Edward were going to fall for her theatrics. They were both vulnerable when it came to their mother's well being, and she was going to make use of all of her secret weapons to keep them that way.

Edward's long fingers held mine into a tight grip as we rode the elevator in complete silence. Judging by the cool mask he was displaying, he looked like the perfect picture of calm and collected, but I could tell he was a nervous wreck by the slight tremor of his hand. His entire body seemed to emanate negative energy, and it was all I could do not to wrap my arms around him and try to soothe him.

Emmett was leaning against the metal wall with his hands in his pants' pockets, staring down at his shoes. He was wearing a deep frown and for the second time that day, I felt sorry for him.

Carlisle had stayed at the cafeteria. Thinking about him, I couldn't help but wonder how he had been able to keep Esme's betrayal a secret for such a long time. I felt bad for him too. He was a good man who didn't deserve the horrible wife he'd chosen for himself. She might have been a different person when they first met, but I still couldn't quite comprehend him sticking to her side for so many years.

When Emmett led the way into his mother's hospital room, almost slamming the door into the wall, she startled, dropping the art deco pocket mirror she had been holding to the hardwood floor. The mirror shattered, sending glass flying everywhere, and she gasped, looking down at the empty shell with a terrified expression.

"W-what is going on?" she stammered, her eyes rising to meet us.

She looked from Emmett, to Edward and then to me as I closed the door behind us softly. The moment her fierce stare landed on me, I could swear I felt the icy trail of the venom she was projecting at me permeating my very skin.

And then I just knew. Whatever was going to happen next, she was going to blame it on me. It didn't matter that Carlisle's decision to tell his sons the truth had nothing to do with me. Deep inside, she was going to hate me even more for it.

"The question is; why did you do it, Mom?" Emmett asked, his voice revealing that he still couldn't believe what was coming out of his own mouth. "Why did you cheat on Dad?"

"What?" Her eyes widened, her right hand pressing against her chest. "Who told you this?"

"Dad told us," Edward gritted, pinning her down with the reproach in his eyes. "Now answer the question. And don't you dare deny it. Just… for once in your life treat us like the grown ups we are and be honest with us. Why did you do it?"

For a moment, Esme simply looked at Edward blankly. Then, like the drama queen she was, she burst into tears, her unconvincing sobs cutting through the room's mortuary silence like a chainsaw.

"I'm sorry," she wailed, burying her face into her hands. "I'm so sorry."

She cried like that for a couple of minutes, her shoulders shaking from her throat-catching sobs. Then she looked up, her bloodshot eyes alternating between the two brothers and begging for forgiveness.

"It happened a long time ago. Your father and I were going through a rough patch, and I was just so unhappy. Bob was so kind and attentive and sweet. My desperate need for affection pushed me into his arms. I swear I didn't mean to hurt Carlisle or any of you. Please, you have to believe me."

As I observed her from my emotionally detached perspective, it crossed my mind that she was starting to look more and more convincing with each uttered word. Her unkempt hair and the angry-red cut on her lip worked in her advantage, making her look feeble and pity-worthy. She was playing all her cards and pushing the right buttons in order to bring out her sons' sensitive and empathetic sides.

At some point, her eyes met mine once again and they were practically screaming: I'm going to crush you. There was so much hatred directed at me behind those dark irises that I felt chills running down my spine. For the first time since I had met her, I was actually afraid of her.

A single glance at Edward's face was enough to make me weak in the knees. I could see his resolve. He had already fallen for her sly manipulative ways.

A/N As always, thanks for reading!

~Andreea~