Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Edited by Sjdavis84 and StillDreaming85.
WARNING: This story contains mature themes and is intended for mature readers.
MARIE CULLEN (ISABELLA)
Married!
I do!
Two words that made it official. The two words that officially killed off Isabella for good.
I do!
Today was the day that Isabella really died, in my eyes at least, and Marie had taken her place.
Marie Cullen, the wife of a career criminal, a monster. There would be no escape, not from this, not from him, not now or ever. Maybe in death, but I doubt I would escape even then.
"I want to make everything better." His words, simple words that held no meaning and no value.
He had made promises before, and he had broken them. His words meant nothing to me. He spoke a meaningless sentence and as far as I was concerned, he was only wasting his breath. He would never be able to keep his word.
You cannot make something better, you cannot fix something that is beyond repair.
How could I ever forgive him for the wrongs that he had done? How could I ever forgive them? What sort of person would I be if I let him take over my mind, if I let him try and make everything better, as he had put it? How could that even be possible?
"Smile," he said, leaning close to my ear, and placing a small, lingering kiss behind it. The simple action made me shudder.
Right, smile, put on a show for these people. They must be laughing inside their heads witnessing this. How pathetic we must look. Their boss marrying a corpse.
One by one, the few guests that were here came to congratulate us. They kissed both of my cheeks and Edward's hand. No matter how hard I tried to smile, to force it, it didn't happen. Edward noticed, but he didn't say anything. I had to look like a mess. James had tried to calm me down in the minutes before coming out here. I had another attack, but this one was not as bad, I didn't pass out. I realized that if I didn't come out here and if I didn't go through with this, I would not be the only one to suffer the consequences, but James and Garrett would suffer with me. I couldn't let that happen, not when they have been the only two people who were good to me.
Of the small gathering of people that had congratulated us, one stood out the most. I remembered him well from the the first time Anthony had taken me underground. The elderly man with the gelled black hair that was obviously colored. He did not appear pleased at all. He did not come to congratulate us as everyone else did.
He was angry, displeased, and he could not hide it. I hadn't noticed he was in a wheelchair until now, when he turned and wheeled himself out of the room.
"Motherfucker," Edward mumbled under his breath.
"Where are Rosalie and mom?" Edward asked Anthony.
"They went back inside the house, Emmett followed after them, hoping he could talk some sense into them," Anthony said. Like every other guest had done today, Anthony grabbed his brother's hand and kissed it. "Congratulations, brother." There was a bitter edge to Anthony's tone.
"My new sister," he said, kissing me on both cheeks. Anthony ignored everyone else around us and his brother. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me flush against him. With his other hand, he stroked the back of his fingers against my cheek.
"Che cazzo stai facendo?" Edward whispered harshly. He had a firm hold on my hand, one that became more painful as he tried to pull me out of Anthony's arms.
"I'm admiring my new sister, brother. Don't worry, she's all yours, you won," Anthony said, but did not look anywhere but at me.
"Cazzo," Edward cursed.
Anthony ignored his brother's annoyance of his presence. He leaned in closer to me. His lips on my ear.
"I should have been the one to have you," he said.
His words caught me off guard. Was he still playing this game with me? I would not show him any emotion, he didn't deserve to know that he had effected me, not just now, but the night I found him drunk and bleeding in Edward's apartment. He showed a side of himself that night that left him vulnerable. I think that was the side of him that scared me the most. I had seen the monster in him, he had hurt me beyond repair. Yet, underneath the his dark layer laid a troubled man, one that was full of regret.
~DINY~
There was no celebration after. No dinner, no drinks, nothing. I had never been more relieved. I was thankful that Edward didn't feel the need to put me in that situation and parade me in front of those people anymore than was necessary.
It was late at night, we were still at the estate and so was his family, his mother and his sister who I had yet to meet, although they had been sitting at our wedding. I hadn't paid any attention to where or who they were.
I was in the same bedroom that I had been kept prisoner in before, the only difference now, Edward was in here with me and not James. Although James was somewhere around here.
Edward was laying in bed, still dressed in his suit, his jacket was resting across the foot of the bed, he had removed his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. I was still wearing the wedding dress. I didn't have anything to change into.
I stood by the bay window. I had sat by this window so many times before. Being back here, in this room, looking out this same window, it only reminded me further more that I will never be anything more than a prisoner.
I was so lost in my own thoughts, that when his arms slipped around my waist I jumped and let out a small yelp.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked me, smoothing out my hair. How could he ask me such a stupid question? Was I okay? I wanted to laugh in his face, but I didn't think I knew how to do that anymore.
"I'm fine," I said dryly, avoiding any sort of eye contact with him.
"I meant what I said, Isabella, I want to make everything better," he said.
"I thought I was Marie now?"
"You are only Isabella for me."
"Lucky you," I spat the words out and immediately stepped out of his arms.
"Isabella," he warned, although there was no threat in his warning.
"No, you can't make anything better, Edward. Nothing you do will make any of this okay," I said.
"Dolcezza, please."
"You killed me. You put someone in my coffin. You killed me, and for what?"
"Please calm down, fiorellina, you're shaking," he said, taking a step towards me.
Am I? I hadn't realized I was. I didn't feel like I was panicking again. "Please don't come next to me," I said, holding my hands up in front of me. But he didn't seem to care for my protest, or demand, whatever it was I was doing. He continued his advance towards me until the knock at the door snapped him out of it.
"Come in," he called out.
"Hey, I came to let you know, Rose and I are going to head out. She's already got Sofia in the car."
"Come here, Emmett." Edward said. "Emmett, this is Marie, my wife."
Emmett held his hand out to me. I looked at it as if it would burn me if I touched it. He gave me a warm smile and took his hand back, he didn't seem bothered that I hadn't taken his offer.
"It's late, why are you leaving now?" Edward asked.
"Rose…" Emmett trailed off.
"That bad?" Edward chuckled.
"It's better if I take her back home. I'll call you later with...You know," Emmett said.
"Drive safe," Edward said.
As Emmett left the room, Anthony came in. He was followed by a woman, maybe in her fifties. She had dark blonde hair that reached her shoulders and the same green eyes that Edward and Anthony had. This must be their mother, oh no.
"I couldn't stop her," Anthony said. Now that he was closer to me, I could clearly see the red handprint on his cheek.
"What the hell have you done?" She yelled, stepping around Anthony and getting right into Edward's face.
"Mother," Edward said, holding his hands up, just as I had done moments ago to him.
"Don't you dare open your mouth and feed me lies," she yelled. "How the hell could you do this, Edward? How many times did I ask you, asked the both of you, and you both lied to me. You both looked me in the eye and lied to my face," she continued to yell.
"Mom, please calm down," Edward said.
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down. I thought I raised you both better than this. I thought you knew better than this." She pointed in between her two sons. "You have put your family through hell. You have put this child through hell."
"Mom," Anthony said, touching her shoulder. His mother turned around and knocked Anthony in the jaw. He stumbled back. He was angry, but he didn't say a thing.
"And you," she turned to Edward. Marching right up to him, she slapped the taste right out of his mouth.
I stared wide eyed as Edward flexed his jaw and wiped the small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"It's not what you think," Anthony said, trying to calm his mother down. "If you would stop and let me explain…"
"What can you explain, Anthony? What is there to explain? You kidnapped her and now she's your brother's wife. What more do you need to explain?" Their mother asked.
My eyes were glued on Edward. There was a level of anger present in his features, the likes of which I had never seen before on his face. He looked scary, menacing, more so than his brother when he was in this state. But he held himself back, he didn't act out on his anger.
"Get out, the both of you," she said.
"No," Edward said, gripping my hand. "You need to stop, whatever you are thinking of doing mother, don't," he warned.
"So help me God, Edward. I brought you and your brother into this world and if I have to I will take the both of you out and I will not regret a damn thing. Get out," she said, standing her ground. "NOW!" Her loud pitch voice shook me to the core. I didn't yet know if I had anything to fear from her, and now we were alone together in this room. When had Edward and Anthony left? I hadn't noticed.
"I am sorry about that. Isabella, correct?" She asked, her voice softer now, gentle.
"I guess," I said.
"I'm Esme. I would like to say, it's nice to meet you, but I wish we did not have to ever meet, not under these circumstances at least."
"It's nice to meet you, Esme," I said. I did not know what else I could or should say to her.
She stood staring at me for the longest time. Her gaze made me feel uncomfortable because I didn't know what she was thinking. When I noticed the tears falling down her face, it only confused me further. Without giving it any thought, I reached out and hugged her. She put her arms around me and hugged me back, but her hold was different, it was gentle and loving, like a mother. I bit my lip to hold in a sob as the thought of my own mother entered my mind, a mother who now thought I was dead.
Esme pulled away from me and wiped her eyes.
"Isabella, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for what you must be going through," she said. "No, that is stupid of me. There is no apology out there that could make up for what you have been put through, but I feel the need to offer you one."
"None of this is your fault, Mrs. Cullen," I said. Truly, what fault did she have in this mess? Did she know prior to now that it was her son's who had arranged my kidnaping? Was she in any way involved? Somehow I doubted that.
"They are my children, Isabella. I should have known what they were capable of doing. They are every bit like their father, but Carlisle would not have stooped so low as to take his revenge out on you. Please, tell me everything that has happened to you from the beginning," she insisted.
"Mrs Cullen, please, I can't do that," I said, looking down at my feet. Regardless of what she has said, how could I tell her what her children had done to me? How could I tell her that her son beat me and locked me away in a brothel?
"Is it that bad? Did they rape you?" She asked, she held onto my shoulders, looking me in the eyes, maybe to see if I would lie to her. I shook my head. But she didn't look convinced.
"Please, Isabella," she begged.
In this moment, her soft features, her pleading eyes and her warm embrace. I broke down and fell to my knees at her feet. Everything that had happened these past few months all flooded back. Everything that had happened this past week, finding out about my fake death, seeing my parents in the state that they were in, Anthony's moment in the bedroom, Edward, this wedding...I'm his wife. It crashed into me like a semi truck and I rolled under it. I told her everything, everything that she wanted to know and more and it felt so good to get it all out, to tell someone what I had been going through and to have their comfort.
When I had calmed down, when all my tears were dried up, when I had nothing left in me. Esme helped me up. She took me to the bathroom and helped me clean myself up. She helped me wash my face and take off the wedding dress. She gave me one of Edward's shirts, apologizing that there was nothing else here. She put me in bed and tucked me in. She stayed with me until I fell asleep, stroking my hair.