"Bella?" Alice knocked on my door, peeking her head into my office. I looked up from the paperwork I had to complete from the mission I just finished in New Hampshire and pursed my lips.

"What is it, Alice?" I asked, tapping my fountain pen against the expensive polished wooden table.

"I, uh... I just wanted to remind you about the dinner tonight with Mom & Dad?" She replied, but sounded nervous. "Have you found something to wear? Crystal is a really fancy place, if you don't remember."

I sighed. "Yeah. I have something. Thanks for the reminder."

She gave me a small smile before closing the door behind her silently.

I had my eyes shut tightly, stress piling up on me and the pressure of my family's problems were giving me no space to breathe. My parents' divorce, their absence from my life for years... Everything. We all used to be so close together with our summer vacation trips to our London holiday home and road trips around the world, but we somehow fell apart when I was sent away to recruit school. My mother & I used to tell each other everything, but I guess all of that stopped the last time I saw the both of them— dropping me off at recruit school for my first year there. When I returned home for the holidays, they were always out, busy on missions. I always woke up on Christmas morning alone in the huge house with Alice, running down the stairs to get to the tree to see who gets there first. The gifts were nice and fancy, like my first Michael Kors bag Renée gave me on Christmas when I was eleven, but my parents were never there. They would leave notes on the presents saying that they were sorry they couldn't make it for the holidays, but the one thing that always got to me was the fact that it was computer-generated— probably the worst thing to do when you want to sound sincere.

Being the last person to know about my parents' divorce was crushing me to the bones. I couldn't believe Alice knew before me and yet she was the one I needed to shelter from the world. What was the use in being a spy with a reputable family in the business when they don't even interact with each other?

I got out of the office, leaving my papers on the table not tidied up and straight into my Audi, driving back to my penthouse that Renée & Charlie bought for me, just like how they bought one for Alice, but mine was in a different building than Alice. As usual, I entered the car elevator and waited for it to reach my floor. When it did, I got out of the car park made just for my car and flicked on all the lights. The lights were on one by one, highlighting the plain black and white family room. I headed to my shower to freshen up and I came out of the bathroom in a fluffy black robe.

I picked out a black sleeveless Alice + Olivia dress with a peplum skirt and a black pair of mesh Badgley Mischka heels. I had my hair in a French twist and just applied blush and peach-flavored lip balm. Once I was done, I drove to Crystal, an exclusive restaurant that my family used to go to when we were... well, tight. We had dinner there every month without fail, and it was always something to look forward to since everyone could dress up. We'd spend hours there talking about future holiday trips and what was happening in school.

The valet boy gawked openly at my car and I was pretty sure he was new, or else he wouldn't care about the brand of the car anymore. He opened the car door for me and when he saw me, his jaw dropped. I was certain he was starting to drool, so I glared at him.

"Keep your eyes to yourself." I snapped, then dropped the car keys into his hands. "Not one scratch on my car, or else."

He blinked repeatedly and his mouth closed, shaking his head out of his daze. "Yes, miss." He stuttered and entered the car to park it. I entered the restaurant and gave the maître d' the name the table was under. as she led me to the table, my eyes scanned the room. I caught a glimpse of bronze hair and I first thought it was Edward, but shook my head in an effort to calm myself down.

My mother stood up from her seat when I arrived at the table and her arms were wide, ready to receive a hug. I gave her what she wanted and a kiss on her cheek. I greeted my father with a kiss on his cheek too and gave a smile at Alice. I went to the remaining seat that was left empty beside my mother and sat there. After we all ordered our food, there was an uncomfortable silence settling between all four of us.

Charlie cleared his throat. "So, Bella, how have you been doing? We've missed you. Look how much you've grown."

I faked a smile. "Thanks Dad. You look kinda great too. I'm just busy with work and stuff. You know, the usual. I went to New Hampshire yesterday and managed to get the job done."

His eyebrows raised at my answer, then looked at Alice. "Has your Aunt Siobhan given you any work yet?"

Alice shook her head. "She wants me to get settled in first then I can start."

"It's tough out there, this business." Renée remarked. "Be careful on your first and don't let them know that it's your first time on a real job."

Alice nodded. "Sure. Anyways, thanks for the house. I love it."

Charlie cracked a smile beneath his thick mustache. "Of course you do. Bella, how are you coping with yours?"

"My house is fine. It still has the smell of fresh furniture in the rooms." I attempted to make a joke, but found myself laughing at how nervous I was.

"Maybe we'll visit." Renée said.

"Wow. Visiting. I'm not really sure if I'll even be at home—"

"Nonsense. I am sure you will be." She swirled her Pinot Noir in her flute slowly, her eyes on me expectantly. She placed the side of the glass between her lips and took a sip of the alcohol. "We can then catch up—"

"No going to my house." I said in a firm tone that startled everyone at the table, including myself. "How about catching up now? How about telling me what I have missing, or in other words, what you two have been keeping from me?"

"The divorce is being finalized as we speak," said Charlie. "The custody too, and Alice is coming with me while you are going with your mother—"

"Custody?" I laughed at the word. "Custody over what? Us? Let me just remind you that all of us here are living under different roofs now, and checking up on what time I've been coming back home is ridiculous considering the fact that you don't even live with us. Let's just accept the fact that we all are only going to gather during Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Eve. I doubt that we're all going to see each other during whatever non-significant holidays too, unless you'd like to make a change about this and stop declining my invitations to holiday parties."

"Bella, we can't just do that. We have a lot of work and—"

"Work." I repeated. "Work is what keeps you all away from family, isn't it?" I asked slowly. "Haven't you gathered enough money to buy five houses in the South of France? What is so significant about work other than money? Is it addicting? Oh wait, I've got the answer— you guys are workaholics. You guys are getting a divorce because you both think that your other half is pulling you down."

When none of them answered, I shook my head. "You know what, having dinner with you guys is no use, because you all are still as distant as you all can be physically. I just... I can't—" I stopped, then raised my hand to catch the attention of some waiter. When a waiter came, I smiled my most dazzling smile at him and requested for a mojito. He immediately complied and I got my drink in half a minute. My parents' watchful eyes laid on the full glass that was decorated with a mint leaf. Staring at them, I drank half my glass up in one go to see their reactions.

When I placed my glass down, I rolled my eyes. "I'm not even sure why I wanted to test you guys by drinking this. I bet you guys didn't even care when Aunt Siobhan told you guys about my drinking problem that started earlier this year, did you? Or were you all just not listening to what she was saying? Aunt Siobhan is more of a parent than you guys, and she's given more quality time than you both have through your phones and whatever fancy gadgets there is in the twenty-first century. It's saddening, really."

Alice shot me a look and placed her hand on mine, tapping out her message on my palm discreetly in Morse Code.

Don't put them through this. They are our parents no matter how they treat the both of us. She told me. I quickly removed my hand from hers and held my drink again, finishing up the glass before I stood up. "I'm sorry, but I need to use the ladies'." I said, as if I was having a meeting with business associates rather than dinner with family. I took my purse and walked briskly towards the ladies' room. I needed to find a private place to break down so that I wouldn't humiliate myself, and that was the perfect spot to do exactly just that.

With my fringe and strands of loose brown hair covering my face, I looked down, not making any eye contact with anyone on the way to the bathroom. I pushed the door of the bathroom and locked myself up in a cubicle, taking a deep breath in. I could smell floor sanitizers and the occasional spray of floral air purifiers as I placed my head between my head, my eyes closed. Tears found their way out of my tightly-shut eyes and slipped down my face. I sobbed and wiped the tears quickly in an attempt to stop them altogether.

The headache caused by my dysfunctional, workaholic parents outside wasn't subsiding no matter how hard I had hit my fist against the side of my head. I cried harder and when I checked the time on my silver watch, realizing that I had been inside for nearly half an hour, I made sure there wasn't anyone else inside the bathroom before I left the cubicle.

Tears still left my eyes and when I heard a knock or two on the bathroom door, I jumped. I wondered who was it who knocked on the bathroom door when they could just enter. It was a public bathroom after all.

When I didn't respond, the door opened widely and I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down as I stared at my reflection. "Oh my— Edward, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I... I just wanted to check in on you. You hadn't been out for a long time and by the look of what happened at your table, it didn't seem good..." He trailed off as he stared at my reflection too. His jaw suddenly hardened and he swiftly walked to my side, making me face him with his hands on my bare arms. My breath caught as his green orbs examined my face. His fingers traced my cheeks and as they slid across, I could feel the evidence of my tears there. Quickly, I pulled his hand down and wiped whatever stray tears there was left.

I looked down at the sink. "What are you doing here in the ladies' bathroom?"

"I needed to check up on you. I didn't expect you to be here in this restaurant but I was here." He explained. "I own this restaurant."

Oh shit. "Oh. Uhm, I guess I really should get going and—"

"Come on, beautiful. Tell me what happened." He coaxed.

I shook my head. "No. This is just simply just personal. I shouldn't be even talking to you— I mean, we're enemies and all. You'll probably hold this against me or something."

"I won't. You just have to tell me what happened. Please." He said.

I hesitated, then summarized the whole conversation at the table to him. "My parents have always... not been there. Even when I graduated from schools, they were never there. When my sister graduated a few days ago, they never showed up." I said it so fast I was sure my tongue tripped over a word or two. I stood away from Edward, my hand holding my other arm as I bit my lip. "It was a mistake to even force them to meet up with me and my sister."

Edward unexpectedly grabbed me into a hug and I tensed. His thumb kept rubbing the small of my back and his hand held my head as if it was gonna fall off. "You know what, let's get out of here together." He offered.

"Edward, I can't—"

"If they upset you like that and they know how their actions have hurt you, I think they will allow you to have some time for yourself and walk away." He reasoned. "Come on."

I pursed my lips, but nodded. He continued holding me to his chest and we got out of the bathroom, earning stares. Edward kept his protective stance around me while I just followed the speed of his feet to keep myself from tripping. I caught my family's eyes— Alice's jaw dropped while my parents stared blankly at our escape. I looked up at Edward and then out at the entrance, where we were making our exit.

"I drove here, so I don't think—"

"I'll make sure to bring you back here so that you can take your car back home. I'm just taking you out for a small tour." He told me.

"Tour?" I frowned. "I'm sorry, but if you think I'm some foreigner here, I'm not."

He chuckled at my response and when a silver Volvo pulled up, he opened the front passenger's seat for me and I gladly entered. He then got to his driver's seat and started driving.

"Are you... Are you kidnapping me?" I couldn't help but ask.

"You're a spy, and yet you ask if I'm kidnapping you?" He laughed.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"I'm not kidnapping you, because kidnapping would mean taking you away without your permission." He looked at his side mirror and focused on the road again. "Put on your seatbelt."

I rolled my eyes, but complied. We sat in silence and my finger twitched towards the radio. I pressed the on button and found that there was a CD inside. The car just continued to play whatever song it was playing. To my surprise, there was nothing but soft music coming from a piano.

I raised my eyebrows. "Interesting taste of music you have here, Mr. Cullen."

"I've been told that a lot." He shrugged.

"How to Save a Life." I blurted out as I recognized the melody the piano played.

Edward nodded. "Correct. Do you play any musical instruments?"

I fidgeted in my seat. "Well, the violin?"

"You don't sound like you're sure of yourself."

"I'm still an amateur. I never really could find the time for it, but I try to." I replied. "You?"

"Piano. I've been playing since I was a child." He smiled.

"That's nice." I commented.

Our conversation was a stalemate, ending with my polite comment. I fiddled with the zip of my purse and my head snapped up when I thought I head him ask a question.

"What?"

"What's your name?" He asked.

"I don't think I should even give you my name." I bit my lip, refraining myself from smiling.

"Come on, we're outside of work now and we're kind of getting to know each other personally. I'd like to put a name to a face. Please."

"Bella."

"Beautiful," he muttered to himself and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again.

"Hey, it isn't the first time I've heard someone tell me that. Multiple of guys have used that pickup line on me." I teased.

"Did you turn them down?" He asked, a little too curious.

"Well... all of them got turned down. I've never really gotten into a relationship before. It's all just one-night-stands for me." I admitted.

He suddenly parked next to a building that had a sidewalk separating it from the main road.

"We're here." He said.

Oh, where did Edward bring her to? AND SHE FINALLY TOLD HIM HER NAME. LOL. Anyways, what do you think is going to happen? Leave your thoughts below!

I have FINALLY made a schedule for when I'm gonna update my stories, including AF. Full schedule is posted on my profile and it will officially start on Tuesday, where my other story Bravado is going to be updated.

Scarlett