DISCLAIMER: The story doesn't belong to me; the characters are property of S. Meyer, and the plot belongs to Annalau Thank you so much for letting me share your story in English!

Gracias Laura, por darme esta oportunidad!

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Chapter 28

"Sorry I'm late, sir..."

I almost jump to my feet as I recognize Kate Denali entering the office. She also recognizes me because her hand remains attached to the door handle, she looks between frightened and surprised at my son and then at me, with her pale face she backs away, hitting her back against the door and making some sheets fall to the floor.

She crouches down and with trembling fingers begins to gather what fell.

I take another step. It's like going back to my twenty-three years all at once.

"What are you doing here?" I question harshly. I don't know how to feel about having her in front of me.

Kate is back on her feet, taking a deep breath and avoiding my eyes at all times.

"I'm your son's new psychologist," she replies curtly. It's obvious she has no intention of engaging me in conversation.

"Why did you leave?" I cry out, feeling a tightness in my chest. "You disappeared overnight, and I never understood why."

She fixes her glasses looking anywhere on the beige walls, dressed in black pants and a blazer with her red hair in a ponytail, she crosses her arms over her chest.

Kate is still very beautiful.

"Get over it, Edward."

"It's not that I'm not over it, I just don't understand why you left without saying anything."

I move closer, her light blue eyes meeting mine for the first time.

"I assure you, you don't want to know," she murmurs, holding my gaze.

"You are wrong. I want to know the reason why you disappeared after so many plans."

"Dad..."

Pat's whisper makes me look at his strong grip on my forearm. I hug him, reassuring him that I'm okay, and he immediately relaxes when he sees me smile.

"It's your right to choose a new professional," Kate declares, "That's fine with me."

I look at her harshly and almost contemptuously. I place a hand on Pat's shoulder guiding him out of the office while Kate remains leaning against the door. I decide not to turn around and continue on my way without looking at her one more time.

"Are you mad?" my son asks as he watches me walk back to school. "You have been very quiet since we left therapy. Are you going to find me another psychologist? I would like to stay with Kate. Do you think she doesn't want to see me?"

"I'm not angry," I answer with my jaw tense, it's as if my mouth is in a twist. So many things are going through my head at once and it all has to do with Kate.

"It sure seems like it."

"Pat, if we need to find someone else, then we will. I don't want you to worry about anything."

I concentrate on the road trying not to let the encounter with Kate go any further in my head, I need to get her out of my mind. However, every time I try to think of something else, the image of her comes up. I really need to know the reason for her estrangement, I want to know the reasons that forced her to disappear.

This damned intrigue lingers on after leaving Pat back at school, and even when I'm in the office obfuscated by the stress of the earrings I'm still haunted by that feeling of wanting to find out why.

"Edward, Mrs. Cu..." Angela grimaces and falls silent as she shakes her head. "Esme left a message for you. She says to please answer her call."

"Thank you, Ang. I don't have time to answer right now, you know what to say if she calls back."

"Jasper Hale also got through. He left word that he is coming in two days and that it is urgent to see you."

I look up, what is Hale doing calling my office and not me?

"Bella also spoke. She told me she won't be coming to lunch with you because she has a job interview."

Instinctively I smile at the mention of her name. I had missed her today.

"Looks like I was in demand," I emphasize, realizing my cell phone is off. "Thanks, Ang, I'll take care of it."

As Angela leaves the office I'm dialing Isabella.

"Hi," she whispers with a chuckle, "how are you, handsome?"

"Busy at work, love. By the way, my cell phone was off. I'm sorry I didn't answer it sooner."

"I noticed. How was the session with Pat? I was thinking about you guys a lot this morning."

I exhale noisily and lean back in my chair, still playing with a pen between my fingers.

"Long story, honey. I'll tell you all about it tonight," I promise. "Is it true we won't be eating together?"

"Sorry, I have an interview at the same time."

I grimace.

"An interview? Where?"

"In a small clinic, they need a secretary."

"I'll see you tonight then, love. Good luck!"

"Okay," she snorts, "I've got to go to my next class. I love you."

She ends the call without letting me answer that I love her with the same intensity that a teenager can have. Isabella is that person that even though my day may be bad just hearing her voice can make everything better.

"Wow, you're smiling," Jacob pronounces as he enters, "I came to invite you to lunch."

"What a coincidence," standing up I adjust my raincoat, "I have a reservation in Oriole, I had plans with Isabella, and she can't come with me, I'll have to settle for your presence."

As I walk by him I slap his back hard enough for him to groan out loud.

"I can't believe it," he exclaims as he gets into the van, "since when do you listen to Korean music?"

"It's Turkish," I clarify, "Isabella likes it," I smile as I get punched in the shoulder, "and I like listening to that music too."

"You look like an asshole in love" he mocks hitting my shoulder again and then sighs. "It's good to talk about something other than work. How do you feel with Bella? How are you and Bella getting along living together?"

"Awesome. I have no other word to define my life with her."

"It must be true because you rarely talk about your feelings and look, now you even seem to spit out hearts when you talk."

With one hand on the steering wheel and without taking my eyes off the road I continue driving with a smile on my lips, I must admit that Black is right. Rarely did I give myself the chance to get into a relationship like I'm doing with Isabella.

"Have you thought about getting married?"

"Isabella is very young; I don't want to be selfish..."

"You're not answering my question" Jake interrupts, "just say yes or no."

"What does he want to hear?"

That I have thought more than once about asking her to marry me because I am in love and my selfish side wants her with me to share the rest of our days together? Instead, my rational side tells me that I should give her a chance to choose because I am aware of her youth, and that we can still love each other right now, however, my pessimistic side whispers to me that Isabella has plans to fulfill and I don't want to intervene in them.

"Answer me!" he urges me.

"Yes, I do want to marry her," I reveal as I hear his muffled laughter.

When we get to the restaurant it is impossible to have a serious conversation with Jacob. I'm starting to get tired of his joking side which always makes me angry.

"What are you doing drinking beer at this hour?"

"I felt like it," I square my shoulders, drinking again from the glass mug.

"Let it out at once," he shakes his hand, urging me to speak, "I know you want to tell me something. Do it, what's wrong?"

The corners of my lips turn up. Black knows me well.

"You have no idea who Pat's new psychologist is," I comment.

Jacob leans back, leaning his back against the chair.

"Are you talking about Kate?"

Surprised, I reach over the table.

"How do you know?"

He turns to look among the diners and then fixes his gaze on me.

"I heard about it from Tanya. They're resuming their friendship."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me? Since when is Kate in town?"

He raises his palms gesturing for me to lower my voice.

"Kate wants nothing to do with you. The condition for resuming the friendship with my wife was not to mention you and Tanya is respecting her request."

I smile incredulously. I can't believe my cousin and my best friend would keep Kate's whereabouts from me. Not from them when they know in detail what I suffered from her sudden escape.

"Great! You owe loyalty to the woman who sent me to hell with no explanation, who cared very little about my love for her."

"Edward don't start."

"Don't start?!"

"Lower your voice, Edward. You have a fucking habit of intimidating those who differ from your ideas and no, it shouldn't be that way. You must understand that if Kate decided to leave, her reasons are valid too. And that doesn't make her a villain or us traitors."

My throat makes a sound that sounds like a snort. I'm angry because I know he's right.

"But tell me, what did you feel when you saw her? Isn't she still beautiful?"

I stare at him angrily.

"Before you get intense, yes, yes I have seen her a couple of times at home. I also know she's recently divorced and has two girls."

I snort.

"I don't know if it's wise to say," he comments seriously, too serious to be him, "Kate's oldest daughter is eight years old and looks very much like Pat. She's almost identical."

"What are you implying?" I growl.

"Tanya and I think the child is yours."

"I can't have a child with Kate."

I feel as if hot lava is racing through my bloodstream as my heart wants to burst out of my chest.

Kate can't have a daughter that's mine, can she?

Okay, now we're getting closer to the peak moment. What do you think will happen?

PS: Now that I can do it, whoever leaves a review will get an advance of the next chapter :)

THANK YOU FOR READING!