I woke up on my bed back in my apartment, facing Edward. My fingers reached up to the scar from his ear to his jaw, tracing the thin line. Edward flinched under my touch as he slept and I just stared at the scar, wondering what was the story behind it.

"Bella?" His hoarse voice said. My eyes flickered to his and I moved in closer.

"What happened?" I asked, my fingers still touching the scar.

"I got it when I was seventeen." He explained. "I was held hostage by another mafia that wanted to take over New York. I was lucky that it was just a clean cut."

"Then what else?"

"My grandfather came and he shot all of them. He only spared the women and girls in their family since they were harmless." He continued.

"Sounds like your grandfather was in charge of saving you in any mafia-related matter." I commented.

"He was. He would have loved to meet you, you know." He said thoughtfully, giving his signature crooked smile.

I placed my lips on his and kissed him softly, but soon it became a heated one as our tongues fought for dominance. Edward rolled on top of me and my fingers were tangled with his hair as I wrapped my legs around his erection. Earning a groan from him, I bucked against his hips. It was then that I realized that I was only in my bra and panties and that Edward had probably removed my clothes last night while I was asleep.

His lips dragged down my jaw to my neck, his teeth tugging and biting on the skin between my neck and shoulder. My breaths were shallow as I panted in anticipation. He unhooked my light yellow lacy bra with just one pull and his teeth weren't biting anymore, but were still on my skin, leaving me squirming under his touch. His lips latched onto my left nipple as he rolled the other beneath his fingertips. My hips thrusted against his again, needing the friction down there.

His darkened eyes meet mine and I moaned out loud at how crazed he looked, only turning me on further.

"I need you now," I managed to say, panting.

He removed his boxers and in a flash, he was so deep inside of me. I grabbed him by his hair and kissed him hard as he kept rolling his hips, pushing in deeper with every thrust. Unlike the other times we had sex, this was probably what I would really say the first time we made love. His thrusts were deliciously slow enough for us to savor the feel of our bodies tangled. My fingers clawed at his back and I tensed up and bit my lip as I came.

"Bella, look at me," Edward huskily whispered in my ear as his lips ran up and down the edge of my ear, sending tingles down my spine. I complied and his dark eyes met mine as I rode out my orgasm. He then exploded in me and pulled out. I kissed his lips chastely before heading into the shower to get cleaned up.

"Hey Edward?" I shouted into the kitchen as he was heating up a plate of instant lasagna.

"Yeah?" He looked up at me, studying the way I was dressed— I was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved Balenciaga dress with strappy black heels and my Lanvin handbag hung on my arm with my gold & platinum Chanel watch. "Where are you going?"

"I'm heading out for a little... shopping and I need you to follow me. You know, to throw some money and make it rain." I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Why do I need to go with you?"

"Because I'm probably gonna spend a thousand on you. Maybe more. Depends on what you pick." I hinted.

He frowned further. "What?"

I walked over to him, grabbed a black chiffon scarf from my bag and tied it around his head to cover his eyes. "If you're bloody clueless about what's going to happen, I might as well make it a surprise."

I made him enter my silver Audi and I started up the engine while waiting for the car elevator to reach the ground floor. Quickly, I drove to the Cartier boutique on Fifth Avenue and killed the engine.

"Where are we?" Edward asked.

"You have no mystery-solving skills. You suck at guessing." I just commented. "Get out of the car and I'll lead you to where we are supposed to be."

He complied, feeling for the door handle before getting out. He closed the door behind him slowly and I locked my car, holding his large hand.

"Five steps more forward and you'll be where we're supposed to be." I told him, opening the glass door of the boutique and removing the scarf on him. He opened his eyes and I smiled. "Surprise."

His eyes lit up as he took it all in, then he looked at me with a kind of shocked look I never thought I'd actually achieve. "You...?" He couldn't continue his sentence, and for the first time, I had rendered Edward Cullen speechless.

"It took me awhile to actually realize that this is a start of a relationship. This is a start of conflict. This is forbidden, and you know that, but nothing's gonna stop us because they can't and if they can, hopefully they won't," I whispered. "If anyone else is going to stop our relationship, it'll be one of us. I think that I'm in love with you. I've probably been in love with you ever since you pulled me out of the restaurant. You save me from all my problems, even if it's momentarily. I love you, and I can't seem to say that enough."

"Bella, thank you so much." He held my face in his hands. "This has probably been the best thing you have ever said to me other than saying yes to our first date and I will never forget about this."

"Good," I smiled wider, "because it's time to pick out a promise ring."

Edward picked out a ring similar to mine, with the infinity band but his was black and silver. It was pretty bizarre to go out ring-picking, and even the saleswoman serving us was giving us looks. I probably looked too young to be here for rings, and Edward was the one that was going to wear it. After I paid for the ring, we headed back out and went back to my house for lunch, but what we were about to be greeted with wasn't what we were expecting.

As I drove into the car elevator, I saw a huge truck with the name of a company used for moving items to a new house outside the building with men walking in and out of it. I frowned, wondering who was moving out or in but I didn't think much about it.

We reached my apartment, and I watched my things getting carried in boxes by people. People were going in and out of my bedroom and my indoor gym, and I realized someone was trying to clear out my apartment.

"Edward?" I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Did you hire all these people to move my things?"

"No, why?" Edward frowned at me, bemused.

"Shit, then I know who's behind this." I stated, my temper starting to flare up. I gritted my teeth as I got out of the car and found my mother sitting nonchalantly at my dining table, texting away on her cellphone.

The sight of her made me want to gag in disgust. After so many years of not even communicating face-to-face with me & Alice, she still thought she had true responsibility for us when we've grown up by ourselves. She looked like all those wealthy mothers who didn't even want to look at their children's faces. Hell, I think she was under that category.

"What is the meaning of this?!" I slammed my hand on the marble surface of the dining table, stinging my hand in the process.

"Hello to you too, Bella." She looked up from her cellphone.

"Mom, this isn't funny." I hissed. "What the hell is going on?"

"The divorce papers have been settled for a few days and I've looked through houses and found a house in Oxshott. Since I have custody over you, you're coming with me. The flight to London is tonight." She told me nonchalantly.

"I'm staying here in New York."

"I won't let you."

"Why?" I demanded. "Is it because of my forbidden relationship with Edward? Well, guess what? I love him and he loves me, so I'm staying. You haven't been there when I needed you and I've grown on my own with Aunt Siobhan's help. I don't need you ruining what I already am enjoying."

"Bella, this is just a rebellious stage you're going through." She looked at me with a glare that was sure to put her enemies in their place, but I had to stand my ground.

"Are you sure?" I pressed my lip into a thin line and folded my arms out of disdain. "How would you know if you haven't been there for me for years?"

"Stop bringing that up. I'm sorry for not paying more attention to you that you needed. I'm trying to make it up to you by trying to get some quality time for us."

"And by trying to pull me away from Edward." I added, knowing the bitter truth.

That was when she grabbed my hand and stood up, towering me a little in her heels. "That was another reason, and it gave me no choice so I had to make you move back to England with me. You've only known him for three weeks and he isn't good for you, Bella."

"He isn't how you think he is and judging him by what he does is absolutely stereotypical of you. I've known him for what seems to be a short period of time, but he knows me better than you and Dad." I hissed, pulling my hand away from her. I walked out of the dining room briskly as I tried to keep my equilibrium.

"You're still coming to England with me!" Renée shouted, not moving from where she stood.

I slammed the door behind me and Edward was on the other side of it, outside of the apartment. I was sure that he heard everything, and yet he was still waiting for me. I dropped my bag and wrapped my arms around him tightly.

He kissed my hair and hugged me back. "Bella, you can't go." He told me.

"I don't want to, but she's my mother. I have to. I'm still under her custody. Until I'm eighteen, I'll be under her watch and she'll be watching me like a hawk." I sobbed into his shirt. "I didn't know this was going to happen."

Sigh. I hate seeing them apart, but I had to. Why? Because I'm following my plot for the story is. They'll meet again in a few years' time.

xx