Note from the translator: all things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, and Collisions is a story written by the lovely Drinou, a very popular and very talented French author.

I know it's been a while since my last update. However, the chapter you're about to read was finished at the end of June. I'm telling you this because I received many reviews asking me to update soon. Just keep in mind that I'm not the only person involved in this translation; I also rely on my dear beta reader, and it so happens that she's been very busy this summer, and could not come back to me with the edits before mid-July. Then I sent the chapter to the author for her to read and give her approval, but she was on vacation and couldn't read it until she was back home. Now, I know that some of you suggested that I translate the next chapter as soon as I'm done with the current one, but you see, this summer I moved to a new city (Atlanta) and I've been very busy with all the moving process and settling in my new house, so I haven't had the extra time to continue the translation of this story, but now everything is coming together and I will be able to return to my old routine.

With that said, I thank you all for your reviews and your patience, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Good reading.

Chapter 20: Alcoholic showdown

"Good night, Bella."

I froze in my tracks, my heart speeding up suddenly in my chest. Bella... Not Isabella, but just Bella. He'd never called me that before. I turned in surprise, but I only had the time to see a slight smile before his face tensed and he tore away, disappearing down the street.

~ X ~

The next morning, I was severely sleep deprived when I arrived at my work. Unfortunately it wasn't because of a too exuberant nocturnal activity, as my colleagues had suggested. I had just spent the evening, and a good part of the night, trying to understand, or to understand him, to be more accurate. Between the first class bounder and sad little boy, I was totally baffled.

That "Bella" had haunted me all night long. What did it mean exactly? Besides, did it really mean something? Why had he called me so? Why had he fled just after uttering it?

Why? ... Why? ... Why? ...

Ahhh!

My head was full of "Why?" Great! The guy was going to drive me completely crazy!

Uh, is it not already the case?

Nose in my cash drawer, I even found myself looking up, heart pounding, at the sound of the front door, hoping that the new customer was him. If any doubt still remained, this time I was sure, I was totally unredeemable.

Ah this... I've been telling you all along...

"You can go, I'll take care of closing," Sophie, my boss, said. "Go enjoy your Friday night as you should."

"Are you sure? There's still a good twenty minutes before the end of my shift."

"The accounting is done, the supplies are stored; I'll manage the rest. The afternoon was quiet, there's no reason for it to change, so off you go before I change my mind."

"Thanks, Sophie!"

"You're welcome. Go now, shoo!"

I grabbed my coat and my bag from the back room.

"Good night, see you tomorrow," I said as I left the place.

Once outside I pulled out my cell phone. There was no way I was going to spend my Friday night alone moping around.

After a small, unfruitful chat with Jake, who, for that matter, was surprised not to have heard from Cullen's lawyer, I selected Alice's number on my directory.

"Bella, you're right on cue!" she exclaimed.

"Hi Alice, I'm glad to hear from you too. How are you?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"No time for blustering, I need your help. This is a code blue, Bella."

"Code blue?"

"Yes, an emergency; a case of absolute necessity, if you prefer. Emmett lost it, he's gone downright crazy!"

"Emmett?" I repeated, completely clueless.

"Emmett. The one and only guy capable of proclaiming overnight that he wanted a grand birthday party. Mister woke up this morning and decided it would be nice that tomorrow all his friends be gathered to celebrate his 29th birthday with him. He's really nice, yes he is, but it is me, I mean I, who must organize everything," she concluded in a shrill voice, on the verge of hysteria.

"Whoa, calm down, Alice, or you'll end up in apoplexy."

"I don't have time to calm down, Bella. This is a disaster. I have to organize the caterer, the decorations, the... I don't even know anymore because I have too many things in my head. Mister is only going to make the invitations himself. When I left him he was not even up to the letter 'D' of his repertoire and he had already more than thirty positive responses."

"I didn't even know it was his birthday," I realized aloud.

"Neither did I. He didn't say anything to anyone, and suddenly "poof" he wants a super mega party!"

"Listen, I just got out of work and I have no plans for tonight, so if you..."

"Oh Bella, you saved my life," she cut me off. "Meet me at Jasper's place, it will be our headquarters tonight. Be there in twenty minutes and make a detour by East Houston Street, at Katz's, to validate the order that I just placed. Oh and add fifty pieces of each appetizer, it will be safer."

Then she hung up without waiting for my answer.

Damn devilish pixie!

~ X ~

A glass of champagne in hand, I leaned against one of the pillars of the room while beating out the rhythm of The Time by the Black Eyed Peas, slightly nodding my head. I looked all around; the crowd was dense. Emmett was very popular, and the hundred people present tonight proved it.

I observed with satisfaction the decorations that we had accomplished with Alice. It was a mix of glamor, nightclub trend with a masculine touch to suit our host. In a hurry, Emmett had negotiated with his friend and boss of the Cullen Corp. to organize his little party on the 8th floor, which was the one occupied by his gym.

After an evening of preparation at Alice's famous "HQ" and a day of work, I had spent the end of this cloudy afternoon right here, turning the gym into an ultra trendy reception hall with a profusion of decorations 'Made by Alice' who had transformed into an utter despot for the occasion.

And still, you're being nice. Tyrannical dictator demon like would be more appropriate.

The day had been exhausting. The room was emptied of its torture devices, which were placed behind the DJ's mixing desk for the time being, and we had added tables that were draped with white tablecloths crossed by a silver table runner and covered by a multitude of trays of appetizers and drinks ordered the day before at the caterer.

And let's talk about the caterer... and the number of speedy trips I had to do because Madame Your Highness wanted to taste everything before making the final decision... Pfff!

Alice had insisted that the ambiance of the place has the atmosphere of a nightclub. In order to do so, she had rented a disco ball that wasn't far from measuring three feet in diameter, and which reflected against the windows of the building and the mirrors of the room. In keeping with the theme, she had me make various ornamentations, from the garland of turquoise feathers to the small embellishments for the tables, in feather as well, and she also had me blowing up balloons and then scattering them all skillfully around the room.

Hey, isn't the mad imp a little obsessed with feathers?

Hum ... Yes indeed.

Spots of light were placed here and there to soften the room, which made it intriguing but warm. To complete her work, Alice – aka Despot Girl – had added huge silver club chairs, so as to enhance the masculine side of the decorations.

And all this in one day and one night... That chick is crazy!

It was strange to be here. So many things had happened in that building. I had spent so many hours venting on these machines from hell. So many things... until that fateful Sunday night... – hmm, I'd eat one or two sushi, me! – The awakening had been so brutal...

"Hey, Bells, you didn't have to load that much feathers. I'm going to pass for a sissy with all those frills and flounces!" Emmett exclaimed, joining me near the post, holding a plate full of appetizers.

Ah, you see. What did I tell you...

"Sorry Em, Alice's order, and you know we can't negotiate with her in this kind of situation."

He grumbled and I giggled before taking a sip of champagne. The timing had been tight to get everything ready. Besides, I would never have thought that we would get to wrap everything in time. It had been total panic a few hours earlier when the DJ, the deliverymen, the caterer, the florist and the servers had all arrived at the same time while we were still hanging the balloons.

"You could have planed a little more in advance about this evening instead of freaking out our dear Alice with such a delay. And besides, what's got into you wanting to throw a birthday party at the last minute?"

Emmett's pouty face suddenly lit up with a broad smile.

"The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing!" he trumpeted theatrically, covering the music with his big loud voice.

Huh?

"What? You're in love? With whom?" I strafed as I straightened up, thrilled by curiosity and the lure of a scoop.

"Jealous?" he said, looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Pfff! Of course not. Just curious. Someone I know?"

Is he really looking down? No ... impossible, not Emmett!

"I know her, isn't that right?" I shouted victoriously.

"No ... you ... well ... "

He paused and growled before continuing.

"Yes, you know her... Satisfied?" he said in a sulky tone.

"But that's great! Come on, tell me who it is."

I then launched myself in the enumeration of possible 'victims.'

"Katy from accounting? Elisa from the legal department?... Hmm, no, I know... Tara, the one who gazed at you with enticing looks every lunchtime from the top of her elliptical bike."

Emmett shook his head, laughing.

"No? Shit... Come on, tell me," I begged him. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"You'll spill everything to Alice and then I'll be screwed."

I stood in front of him and stared into his eyes to prove my good faith.

"I swear I won't say a word to Alice, even under torture. She won't know unless you decide to tell her; I'll be as silent as a grave, count on me."

"All right, all right... It's... It's Rosalie."

I frowned, searching my memory for said Rosalie... But as much as I racked my brain, I only saw one.

And what a bane!

"Rosalie... Rosalie Hale?" I asked to be sure.

"Herself!" Emmett exclaimed proudly.

My eyes widened, my jaw dropped like a Tex Avery cartoon, and no sound came from my throat. Gosh... Emmett and Rosalie – bitch – Hale... Why did I suddenly feel nauseous?

Well, must say it is quite scary...

Emmett gave me a flick on the forehead to get me back down to earth and at that instant I saw the statuesque blonde approach us like a cat.

"Hello Emmett, this party is grandiose, you did wonders," she said in a sensual voice.

Yuck... I'm going to throw up.

"Well, actually I did nothing except the invites. It's Bella and Alice you need to thank for the organization and the decorations."

With a disdainful look, my ex-boss' assistant sized me up from head to toe, and then she went back to Emmett.

"Ah! That one finally managed to do something with her hands!" she said with contempt and pretentiousness.

My blood ran cold. Okay, Emmett had a crush on her but it was no reason to let her walk all over me! Seriously.

"She is right in front of you, so you can talk to her, address her directly. And she was able to do way more than you think with her hands," I hissed to her before turning on my heels, furious.

Emmett was a great guy. How could he want to be with a girl as nice as a prison door? I couldn't understand what he could find to such a bitch.

Aside from a gorgeous body, right?

I accosted one of the servers and grabbed a mojito from his tray. With the straw between my lips, I inhaled a huge gulp of the soothing liquid. I looked up to see Emmett flirt with my former colleague – colleague is a mighty big word. Vital space polluter would be more accurate – which instantly caused a rise of bile in my throat.

Vision of horror...

I removed the straw of my glass and brought the cocktail directly to my lips to drink a long swig.

Oh yes, alcohol and fast!

In the rush and with my legendary clumsiness, a mint leaf slipped between my teeth and slid viciously in my mouth. Feeling it down my throat, I spat the liquid, stifling me. The young woman who was passing before me right then saw her dress covered with my sip of mojito and I caught sight of the mint leaf responsible for my strangling triumphantly clinging to my victim's shoulder.

When you're clumsy, you're clumsy... You don't even know how to drink a mojito without causing a catastrophe!

"I... I'm sorry, sincerely," I apologized as I approached to remove the mint leaf from the young woman.

"Keep your paws off, don't touch me. You've done enough damage as it is," she hissed, slapping my hand away.

She turned on her heels grumbling and I dove back to my drink, shameful, not forgetting to slip my straw in it again. The evening might be long, very long even.

After my third drink, I still hadn't moved from my place, slightly hidden by a column. Alice pulled me out of my loneliness, along with Jasper. She was smiling as much as I was downcast.

"Come on, Bella, don't make such a long face, the party is a success. Look, everyone is having fun."

"A success... yeah, right!"

"Why are you being so sarcastic?"

"Well, first of all, I was bullied for two days to organize this birthday party, then I found out that Emmett... Pfff! And finally I almost choked with my mojito before spitting out some of my cocktail on a complete stranger. How could it be worse? You can tell me?"

Note for later; do not drink as many glasses when you're angry, alcohol gives you an air of Sue Ellen, depressed and depressing! You just need the lovers and you can be hired on the set of Dallas!

"I see that you're in an Olympic shape. How many drinks did you have to get you in this state? Frankly Bella, you're at a great party, there's a fantastic atmosphere, a dance floor, and you're moping in your corner. Believe me, I won't stand for it."

Before I could react, she grabbed my hand and crept among the bodies moving to the beat of the music. In less time than it takes to say it, we found ourselves in the middle of the dance floor and my body started moving, swaying and wriggling on the Latino sounds booming from the speakers.

Did you see what you look like when you've been drinking? Deplorable!

For over an hour, I didn't leave the dance floor, probably still carried by the alcohol vapors remaining in my body. I scanned the room for a moment, wishing to get back to one of the servers and steal a drink from him to quench my thirst. I managed to reach my goal with difficulty, the bodies of the numerous dancers creating a human barrier, but I waved my glass victoriously when I finally succeeded in catching one.

Mojito!

I saw Emmett greet a few people, and noting that Barbie Hale wasn't next to him, I approached him, trying my best to walk straight. He offered me a stunning smile while staring at me strangely.

"Didn't you have a bit too much to drink tonight?"

Me? Noooooooo...

"Uh... no, no. I manage perfectly," I assured him.

Liar!

"And it's not every day that you turn 29, so it's something to celebrate," I flattered him to change the subject. "Besides, I haven't had the chance to toast with you yet, so..."

"If you'll excuse me for a minute," he cut me in my tracks.

Emmett walked around me all smiles. I turned, my glass hanging in front of me, ready to launch my aborted "clink," and that's when I saw my best fantasy coupled with my worst nightmare coming towards him.

Oh oh... Damn mojito... We are in big shit!

"Hello, Emmett."

Is it alcohol or his voice is sexier than usual?

"Edward! I didn't expect to see you tonight."

Emmett greeted him with a manly handshake before quickly hugging him with his free arm.

I suspected that I would come across him here; it was his friend's birthday after all. And I had to admit, part of me really longed for it... But to see him there, a few steps from me, his bright smile, his hair carefully disheveled, his perfectly fitting suit, his tie slightly loosen...

Hmmm ... Mamamia!

Completely unredeemable.

I was watching the scene in silence when Alice joined me by surprise.

"Hey, you ran away from the dance floor."

"I was thirsty."

I showed her my glass before drinking a long sip while staring at the two friends.

"And you get an eyeful at the same time, right?" she whispered in my ear, laughing.

The sight was suddenly marred by the appearance of Rosalie Hale in my field of vision. She clung to Emmett's arm while greeting her boss very politely.

"Uh... what's that?" Alice asked me softly.

"What?"

"That."

She pointed at Rose and Emmett in front of her.

"A long story..."

It's that moment that Jasper chose to join us, two glasses of champagne in hands. He gave one to Alice and subtly drew her a little further away, in the lee of a pillar.

"This is a very successful evening, Emmett, truly," Edward complimented him. "Nothing better to celebrate your birthday worthily."

If I may... You ... Me ... A conference room ... Isn't it tempting?

And a mental slap, one. Oh please no, no totally outrageous subliminal pictures now... Not with an abundance of alcohol in the blood and my fantasy on legs less than a yard from me. Who, incidentally, is totally ignoring me.

"Thanks, but actually I did next to nothing. Alice and Bella did everything."

Emmett pulled away and turned to me with pride, smiling broadly. I couldn't say the same of his friend. His eyes rested on me, and soft warmth invaded my cheeks. I thought for a moment that he would greet me, but instead of that, I simply had the impression of being transparent. His gaze brushed over me a split second before he frowned and immediately turned his attention back to Emmett.

I swallowed another gulp of my favorite cocktail, hoping to alleviate the malaise that had encroached me. Decidedly I would never understand this man.

"I just came to wish you a happy birthday, I can't stay. Have a good evening, Em."

"Thanks Edward, I'm glad you could come, even if it's just to breeze through."

"Rosalie, have you recovered the file from the Bradford Inc.?"

"Of course, it's on your desk, Mr. Cullen."

"Perfect. Good evening."

With these words, he went to the elevators while Rose went in search of a new glass of champagne from a server passing a little further away.

"Yes... Good evening..." I grumbled.

"A problem, Bells?" Emmett wondered seeing my scowl.

"A problem? Nooo. Besides, why would there be a problem? It's true, I love to be considered like a... a ... – an idiot? – a less than nothing," I blurted.

"Whoa! First, immediately put down the mojito; you've had enough for tonight. Then..."

Emmett tried to grab my glass. I dodged quickly, baring my teeth.

"Don't touch my cocktail!" I barked before snapping up my straw to suck the entire contents of my glass until an unsightly slurping sound had resulted.

I got rid of the glass on one of the tables next to us without elegance and continued my hateful spiel intended for Emmett.

"And you know what?" I flared up. "I'm fed up! I'm done! I've had enough of all that shit!"

I went around a dazed Emmett, who was staring at me without understanding what was going on, and I headed toward the elevators in turn. I literally banged the call button while raging against the slow lifts. When the doors finally opened, I dove in and hammered angrily the button for the 60th floor.

"What's your problem," I hissed, barely containing my anger, entering the open office of my ex-boss like a bomb.

Cullen, bent over his famous file, started at the sound of my voice, surprised by my sudden burst into the room. But the surprise lasted only a fraction of a second. It was immediately cleared to make way for the impassive and scornful face that I hated so much.

Hate... Hate... Right away the big words!

"My problem? I would say: failing to close the door to my office," he replied defiantly.

I couldn't help but let out a mean laugh. I ended up striding across the room and put my fists on the ebony of his desk, leaning to his level, locking my angry stare to his impassive one.

Thank you, gods of mojito and champagne, without whom this moment would have never come! It's more fun anyway when there's a little action, right?

"A simple hello would have flayed your mouth, perhaps? Were you afraid it would get stuck in your throat, is that it?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side as if assessing my reaction.

"The drinks were good?" he retorted.

"Excellent. Especially the champagne."

His eyes narrowed.

"Because you like champagne now?"

Huh?

Where did he get that?

Stay focused on your goal, you idiot! Don't you see that he's trying to destabilize you?

"You refuse Dom Pérignon but you drink that Pommery?"

Oh... Now I see.

Dom Pérignon... 'Wild Savannah' night at the Zanzibar... Cullen... garter... wall pinning... mojito... shirt... I'm hot!

And one more mental slap. It really was not the time to bring such memories in my mind. Currently, I craved to jab his smirk.

"Oh, but I like champagne, except when it's a dirty arrogant asshole who offers it to me."

Ouch! In the teeth. Swan: 1 Cullen: 0.

He arched an eyebrow and then his smirk came back with a vengeance.

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you but it's the dirty arrogant asshole who offered the champagne tonight."

Oops... We're even once again.

"Oh, what goodness. Who would have thought that the great Edward Cullen could have a heart?" I said with irony, straightening up.

"I have work, so if you've said all you had to say..."

"Oh no, I'm not finished, I'm just started, actually."

I took a few steps into the office before turning to him. He was silently following my every move in the room, his arms crossed against his chest.

"You see, try as I might, I just don't understand. Yet I'm trying, but no, still nothing. I don't see why you're acting like such an asshole."

"That's it, you're done?" he snarled as his apparent composure began to crack and show an expression that was a little angrier.

I waved my pointer finger from right to left in front of him.

"No, no, no. I'm not finished at all. Don't try to shorten this great moment, please."

"You're drunk."

"Certainly. But you know what? Who cares? Leave my alcohol level alone, it's something that is at least out of your control, Cullen."

I resumed my stroll, walking along his 'wine cellar' while scanning with a curious eye the few pictures stored there. Nothing personal, just a few lucrative contracts signatures with other major CEOs.

"Let me thus take stock of the situation," I went on, turning around to face him.

I raised my left thumb while pointing at him with my right index finger.

"First you meet me at a function and you... fuck me in the restrooms before leaving me like a piece of dirt."

Well, Bella, how rude!

I had spat out the word 'fuck' more than anything else, combining a disgusted pout to the loathing in my voice.

"For what I recall I didn't hear you complain," he retorted.

What a jerk!

I ignored him, preferring to continue his list of misdeeds.

"Secondly," I evaded, raising a second finger in the air, "I magically find myself here one month later – would the magic not be named Edward Cullen by any chance? – and you make me live a hell, on the edge of sexual harassment, to end up once again fucking me, right here."

"Again, I don't remember having heard you protest."

Ahhhh!

"And thirdly, when I finally quit," I still ignored him, "you come to my place for whatever reason, then you blackmail me to spend an evening with me. And all this to despise me a little more tonight?"

"So what?" he challenged me with a shrug.

I saw red. In a few steps, I found myself in front of him. Then I put each of my hands on one side of the big black leather armrests of his chair and leaned towards him. He remained stoic and impassive.

"That's what you like? Belittle people? Humiliate them to better satisfy your lust for power?"

"Where is the problem?"

I remained totally flabbergasted by so much nerve and contempt.

"Where is the problem?" I exploded.

I banged my fists on the armrests before straightening up swiftly and taking a few steps back, under the shock of his words.

"I'm dreaming. That's it, tell me I'm dreaming! Don't you have any respect for anyone?"

"I've never hidden my modus operandi from you, if I recall correctly."

I was completely hallucinating. Even the vapors of alcohol soaking my brain could not dispel the impact of his words.

"Before or after you left me naked in the men restrooms of a five star hotel as my boss was about to burst inside?"

He winced slightly before recovering, still comfortably settled in his minister armchair.

"I don't know what you expect of this 'discussion,' but anyway it's over now. When I want something, I take it. If you didn't agree, you just had to say NO, which you did not. Now I would ask you to get out of here. I'll call you a cab."

"You can stick your cab where the sun never shines. Oh, and while I'm at it, take that as well."

I grabbed three twenty-dollar bills in my little evening bag and tossed them at his face.

"What..."

He seized them one by one as they were stranded on his chest.

"Now we're even," I said as I was about to leave.

"Why $60? I don't want your money."

"You just had to think about it before. Mister probably wanted to mark his territory a little bit more by giving me the damn bill. Well don't worry; it ended up torn to shreds on the same day. But here is something to reset the counters to zero. Now I don't owe you anything anymore, and mostly I don't want to see you ever again."

"What bill?"

Fucking dirty arrogant asshole, and amnesiac to top it off!

"Does the great Edward Cullen have some memory problems? Didn't you get any payment reminder from the dry cleaner, perhaps?"

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. This is exactly what your attitude inspired me that day. 'Oh, what a jerk!' to be more accurate."

"What did you expect exactly, Isabella?" he called out to me as I was passing the door of his office, my body trembling in anger.

In one single movement I both clenched my fists to the point of hurting myself and turned swiftly toward him.

"Isabella?" I laughed nervously, walking back to him. "It's strange how old habits return at a gallop. I think I have already answered this question the very day I left this place slamming the door. But stay at the top of your ivory tower, Edward, stay at the summit of your empire and keep on not caring about anyone as you do. Manipulate, demean and humiliate as you wish. Enjoy the power that you love so much. Enjoy it a lot because if one day your magnificent glass tower collapses, you won't have anything left."

He glared at me with his piercing gaze, yet I continued in my momentum, resolute to spill everything.

"I don't know why you hide like this behind that mask of cruelty and contempt, but I sincerely hope it's worth it."

"Who told you I was hiding, Isabella," he spat in turn. "I'm like that whether you like it or not."

"You can say what you want, I know it's not true. I've seen the real you twice. Two very short and fleeting moments where you've shown yourself as you really are. So go on, hide your face, play the perfect bastard that fits you like a glove if you feel like it, but I know there's something else behind it," I emphasized, pointing a finger at him.

"Don't take your desires for the reality, Isabella. What you have before you, it's me as I am. I love the power that is mine and if you don't like it, nothing is keeping you here."

"You're not keeping me here? Well in that case don't stop by my place ever again, and even less so at the Starbucks on Pine Street. Get out of my life once and for all, Cullen."

"I think it was you who came to me tonight."

Hello, my name is Edward Cullen and I'm the center of the world!

"Unlike you, I have friends, Edward. Real friends. Not some money sniffing leeches," I piqued him, pointing a finger toward one of the frames hanging on the walls next to me, portraying Edward in a perfectly fitted suit shaking the hand of a man with graying hair, a freshly signed contract proudly displayed on the table before them.

It was all so bland... He'd succeeded in life, really well even, but what else did he have at the end of the day?

"And when these friends celebrate their birthday," I went on, "I do my best to spend this moment with them even at the risk of crossing your path. Your company, it's all you have, I hope at least that your family is proud of you."

In a split second his deceptively impassive face twisted in anger. In two quick strides he was glued to me while his fist sent a stack of files that rested on his desk waltzing with an angry movement, before crashing against the wall behind me with a thud. I startled briskly, stepping back, suddenly stuck against the cold surface of polish concrete.

Uh... Help?

"How dare you?" he growled. "You don't know anything of my life... Anything at all! So do not judge it."

Tell me, can we go very far, very quickly?

Those words, virulent and hateful, sounded almost like insults, vibrating to the sound of the anger filling his voice.

"So tell me," I tried, all trace of alcohol now gone.

"What do you want me to say? That with you I lose control and it's driving me crazy? That's what you want to hear? You know nothing, nothing at all!"

Wh-what?

I swallowed hard, torn between the desire to flee the office at full speed to hide far away, or push him a little more into a corner. He didn't give me time to decide anything. He grunted his anger, pressing his fist a little harder against the wall.

"You know why I love my power so much? Why this control means everything to me?" he went on defensively. "Because it allowed me to survive, and without it I'm nothing. How do you think I achieved that?" he argued, motioning to his desk with his fist. "How do you think it was possible for me, at 28, to keep it all?"

His fist crashed once more near my ear.

"You know nothing," he spat before pulling back.

He grabbed the keys placed on a corner of his desk and without another word he left the room while I was still pressed against the wall. I released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding all along.

That's what I call blowing a fuse in due form.

He had scared the hell out of me, but beyond that, he had also surrendered himself. Violently evidently, but all this anger hid something. Something deeper.

And what did he mean by "With you I lose control?" I didn't understand anything.

At last I decided to budge. Adjusting my little black dress, battered by the turn of events that just played, I walked toward the exit. My foot stumbled against an envelope stranded on the floor when the tidal wave named Cullen had sent everything flying to the ground. I was going to step past it when I saw my address noted on it.

One thing is for sure; this can't be a dismissal letter.

Intrigued, I picked it up and saw that one, it contained a flat square object, and two, it wasn't sealed. Might as well put an "OPEN ME" sign in flashing capital letters before my eyes. My curiosity more than whetted, I plunged my hand inside and pulled out a CD of Ludovico Einaudi and a card that I quickly read.

"Bella,

In memory of that moment,

Edward."

As always, I want to thank my dear beta Lizzard43 for her precious help.

Until next time

Milk