Edward POV:
I watched her disappear through the gate leading to the lake before turning and heading inside.
Without hesitation, I make my way through the lavishly decorated house, I know, belongs to my father before heading to the back terrace, where I know the pool and festivities are being held.
Truth was, I didn't want to be here, but I know it would be rude to not come, especially since we are colleagues. I'd rather be in Dubai or Italy right now, even London working on the current projects we have going on than be here, but i know my parents wouldn't approve. So I sucked it up and came.
As I approached the back door, I took a second to calm myself down before walking out.
Sighing when I hear someone speak,"Mister Edward Cullen has arrived, let's go talk to him."
I only managed to take a step forward before I was immediately swarmed by the few paparazzo that Tanya and Garett must have called to attend so that their wedding date could be plastered all over the country.
"Excuse me, I wasn't done speaking!" I heard Garrett called after them, offended.
I held back an amused smile as I heard him.
Then I was surrounded by beings more annoying than my mothers sphinx cat.
"Mr. Cullen! Over here! Can we get a statement from you on how you're feeling about this celebration?"
"Mr. Cullen! How does it feel to see your ex-girlfriend get married to another man?"
"Will you two continue to work together?"
"How is the English project going?"
Thus shifting the questions to a different note. My, my, these people have the attention span of a goldfish.
"Excuse us," I heard a familiar voice suddenly say before I felt an arm wrap the bend of mine.
The familiar smell of the Chanel perfume hits my nose, and I know who it is as I am pulled away from the swarm of cameras, microphones, and flashes.
"You're late, Mr. Cullen." Tanya says, playfully, as she leads me away.
"I am early for the rest." I immediately replied as we stood to the side of all the chaos. "You look beautiful, just like usual, honestly." I tell her earnestly.
"And you look elegant." She replies with a smile. "Look at them. You're not going to be able to get rid of them. But you're accustomed to that." She adds, as she jutted her chin to the paps.
"What is he accustomed to?" Garrett asks, appearing in the back of her. "How are you? I must say, I am surprised to see you here, I wasn't expecting you to come. In the end, Tanya, you were right." He adds as he wraps an arm around Tanya's small waist.
"Sweetheart, it's not time for jokes." She tells him sweetly.
"Who says it's a joke? You did come to a party." He says.
"Well, yes. I don't understand why you came all the way to Nevada to have the party." I replied as I took the drink I was offered by a waitress, tucking my free hand into my slacks.
"To be honest, Tanya wanted something intimate. She didn't want a lot of people here. But I begged her in the most romantic way I could think of to have a massive party. I want the world to know that we are getting married. There's nothing more romantic, no?" He replied..
Tanya looked at me as he spoke, before turning to smile at him, a fake smile, if I've ever seen one.
"In that case, congratulations." I said, flatly, holding up my drink to them.
I turned to look around only to tense up as I saw the last person I wanted to see standing there.
"What is James Hunter doing here?" I asked, trying to reign in my anger as he held up his drink and smiled at me.
"Edward, serious, I didn't know he was coming here. Garett and him do business together. He's the one that invited him.." She told me quietly.
"I was told that you are childhood friends. He told me. Is there a problem?" Garrett asked.
I gave him a cold look before taking a deep breath.
"Edward, I am so sorry. I didn't want you to get mad." She told me.
I sighed, but it sounded more like a scoff as I shook my head, "No. Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen." I reassured her.
"Honey, do you want to go dance?" Garrett asked her, pulling her away before she could respond.
"This is going to be a long fucking day." I mumbled as I took a sip of my drink.
I was correct when I said that this was going to be a long fucking day.
When I was getting ready to leave, James decided to walk over with Garrett and Tanya as I was trying to leave.
It was clear he was looking for a response, but I wasn't giving him one, which angered him, causing him to stomp off angrily.
When he left Garrett turned to look at me, concerned, "I thought you were childhood friends, what are we going to do now? We can't invite both of you." He tells her.
Tanya gives me a sad look, "We've chosen the date." She informs me.
I schooled my face to an unsurprised one as I looked at her, "That was quick." I told her.
Garrett smiles as she looks over at him. "You let her go. You made a grave mistake. And now you're alone again." He boasts. "It's not going to be easy to find a woman who tolerates you." He adds amused.
"Garrett, stop saying those things. Edward is just very particular about who he dates." She tells him.
My mind immediately goes to the woman who's been on my mind since I met her, and I get an idea. Before I can stop myself, I smile widely at him.
"Actually, I am not single anymore. I found the love of my life, and we secretly got engaged a while ago." I told them, casually.
I got deep satisfaction watching Garett's eyes bulge out of his head as Tanya's happy expression changed into one of disbelief. Good, they both assholes deserve it for being so damn intrusive, especially Tanya.
"Well, congratulations, again." I said as I walked away.
Tanya caught up to me and pulled me to a stop before I made my way inside.
"Edward, is that really true?" She asked me, disbelievingly.
I sighed, wanting so badly to turn away and leave, but unfortunately, that would be rude,"Tanya, Garett is watching us." I replied, exasperated.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" She asked, suspiciously.
"I don't have to tell you everything that I do. You are just my colleague, and we have nothing but a professional relationship now. You have no business trying to know what is or isn't in my personal life." I replied.
"Edward, don't forget that I know you, if you had a fiance you would have brought her tonight. You're lying, aren't you?" She asked, trying not to smile in self-satisfaction.
Garrett made his way over to us, curiously, "If she is the love of your life, let us meet her, where is she right now?" He asked.
I sighed, "She is close, Garett." I replied, coolly.
"Is she near?" He asked, not giving up.
"Yes, but she doesn't like this type of atmosphere, and I don't want to make her wait, so I'm leaving, alright? I'll see you guys some other day. Congratulations." I said before walking out.
Fuck. What have I done? Knowing Tanya, she is not going to let this go.
Shit, I need to find her before they do.
Bella's POV:
I found myself taking off my shoes, as I made my way once more across the grainy sand that was on the ground.
As I did, I heard my phone begin to ring.
"Alice." I respond, knowing why she's calling.
"Hey, I'm calling to see how everything is going. Has there been a problem?" She asked me.
"No, everything's been fine." I replied, with a sigh. "But you won't believe who the job was for." I told her.
"Who?" She asked eagerly.
"Edward Cullen." I told her. "Don't act like you didn't know." I growled into the phone, gaining the attention of a couple who was walking near me.
"I didn't." Alice said, surprised.
"Because every time I do a favor for you, you get me into fucking trouble!" I snap.
"I'm so sorry. Now it's going to look like you're following him." She tells me. "Look, I don't care if I get fired. Where are you?" She asks. "Leave and come home." She says.
"Where am I? You want to know where I am?" I retorted, "I am in Nevada." I finally told her, angrily.
"Oh, you can't leave from there. I thought you were close to home." She says, apologetically.
"Mary Alison Bradon, you owe me a massive one. Believe me when I tell you that I am going to remember this for the rest of my life." I told her angrily.
"You're my best friend, and I love you. I didn't know. I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I had known." She promised, squeakily.
I shook my head in disbelief, "I will call you later, I have to go." I stated before hanging up without waiting for a reply.
It took me a while to calm down before I moved to sit down in one of the chairs.
I got cold sometime later and wrapped myself in my sweater, before laying back.
Before I knew it I woke up, to the sound of Edward's voice.
I blinked, smiling slightly up at him, before I remembered who he was, and proceeded to sit up.
"Can we leave now?" He asks, after clearing his throat.
I nodded, as I sat up, stretching a little.
"Wait, you have sand in your hair." He whispers as he reaches over, clears it off my hair.
"I'll get it." I tell him, moving his hand away from me.
"Alright. Let's go." He quietly said, before getting up, as extended his hand towards me to help me.
I ignored his hand, before grabbing my things before standing up.
"It's that way." He told me, as he slowly lead me in the direction.
Before we could leave, however, we heard a feminine voice call out.
"Edward! Edward!" She called.
He turned, staring ahead with an annoyed look, as I watched amused, before he sighed and turned around.
He turned to look at the group and turned to me, "Come on, humor me in everything I say, don't argue with me about anything. You smile, and that's it, okay?" He asks.
I stared at him, "I don't understand anything." I told him, confused
"Better." He says as he turns, grabbing my hand, and leading me towards the group, his entire body going tense.
"To not argue with you, and what do I say? What is the meaning of this?" I asked him quietly, as the group reached our location on the small grainy beach.
"Hi, how are you?" The woman with a honey gold balayage says, giving me a wide, fake smile.
"Uh, hello." I greet, confused.
"Edward, I don't understand why you hid that you're engaged." She tells him, completelyignoring the fact that I am standing right there.
As my brain registers what she kust said, I feel my eyes practically pop out of my head as I turn to look up at him in disbelief.
He smiles pleasantly, "Hm. It's something private." He replies flippantly, like he didn't just drop the biggest bomb on my lap, eyes widening further as he pulls me into his side with a charming smile.
I'm going to kill him the moment we are alone.
One of the men in the group lets out a laugh, "I am so happy, Edward. I'm very happy. I really mean it. I am happy. I have always seen you as a trivial person, because of your history with Tanya, I did not imagine this. But look what a pretty girl, they make a good couple, too." The man rants.
I give Edward a look, before placing a pleasant smile on my face.
Edward gives him an unenthusiastic nod, as I stare forward trying to stay calmly. "Thank you, really." He replies before turning us, squeezing my hip lightly as we do.
"Edward." The woman speaks again.
"What happened?" He asked her, in exasperation.
"Are you going to leave without introducing us?" She asked, offended.
He sighed, and turned to look at me, "Of course." He sighed, before turning to look at me. "She is Tanya, and he is Garett." He tells me, dully.
"Nice to meet you." I say, politely.
"Well," He trails off, letting out an uncomfortable chuckle.
I smiled sweetly at him and laughed, "Aren't you going to tell them my name, sweetheart?" I asked, staring up at him.
He chokes another laugh out, and shakes his head at me, "No, it's not necessary." He tells me, before turning to the group. "It's just that I tend to call her, my sweet girl." He tells them.
I bite the inside of my cheek, "Your sweet girl?" I question, amused.
"That's right." He says, smiling widely as everyone looks at us with looks varying from disgust, to adoration.
"Oh, very well." Tanya says, smiling tightly.
I smiled, uncomfortably, "Well, can we leave now, it's getting a bit windy, and I am getting a bit cold." I told him.
He nodded, "Of course, sweet girl, let's go." He replied, all too casually.
I turned and smiled at the woman named Tanya, who was wearing a feathered ivory dress with a dark red sash at the waist, "Have a good night, and congratulations." I tell her, genuinely, before turning and walking away.
"Congratulations to you too as well." Garrett says.
"Goodnight." Edward says as he guides me away.
"It's been a pleasure knowing you!" Tanya calls after us.
"Same." Edward calls back.
"Don't say a word, and walk." He instructs me, quietly, as he pulls me along with him.
He holds me until we are far enough from the beach not to be seen before he lets me go.
Without a word I elbow him, causing him to grunt, as his hold on me loosens.
"I-- I am going--" I begin before trailing off angrily.
Ever felt so angry you just want to punch somebody? Well, this was that moment for me, and oh, how I wished to loose control...
"I know. Fuck, I am sorry. Get in the car and I'll explain." He urges me.
"To hell with explaining! I should kick your ass for touching me like you did." I snapped.
"You didn't say that the other day in the stairwell, if I remember correctly, you kissed me." He replied, amused.
I narrowed my eyes at him, "You said to act like that never happened. Why the hell are you bringing it up now?!" I yelled.
"Will you…" He trailed off.
As I flipped him off and stormed off, walking in the only direction I remember from the trip earlier, before he could say anything else.
I walked, the cold breeze allowed my anger to fuel me as I walked down a dark alley, trying to keep my mind occupied.
God, if I ever saw Alice again, I was going to wring her neck. Maybe Edward's too if he found me.
"I cannot believe it. What balls he has to say this! How dare he say--" I trailed off mid rant as I heard a car pull up next to me.
"I've been looking for you for a long time." He finally says. "Get in." He tells me, calmly.
I kept walking as I shook my head, "What if we go to the civil registry to see if they have proof of our relationship?" I deadpanned.
"Please get in the car." He said, patiently.
"No, thank you, I'd rather walk." I said as I sped up.
"Get in the car." He repeats as he stares me down.
"There's no need, I can get there on my own." I replied, ignoring that angry look that he gave me.
He sighed, "Stop the car." He orders before getting out and following me to the small beach I knew was ahead, because I had been walking around in circles. "Don't be foolish. It's getting late." He calls after me.
I turned to look at him angrily, "You are really incredible, now I am the foolish one, right? Yet you're the one who told your friends that we're engaged. Do you see that as sensible?" I retorted.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to bring you into this, but you're blowing things out of proportion. Can you get in the car now?" He asked.
I ignored him and continued to walk, muttering to myself about killing Alice once more when i got home.
"Will you listen to me?!" He calls after me.
I quickly head to one of the larger rocks that are sitting on the beach, and sit down, trying to hold back the anger I felt, only to grow more angry when I feel my eyes begin to sting.
"He's turned my life into a living hell. My education, my future, my entire life! Why doesn't he dedicate this much effort to ruin his own life instead of doing this to innocent people?" I rant, throwing a few pebbles into the water before I kick my shoes off and pull my legs up to my chest.
"Can you stop complaining? How about we take responsibility for our actions once and for all?" He retorts.
I turn slightly to look up at him, frowning when I finally notice what he's wearing for the first time tonight, and swallow hard.
He's standing before me, in a slight gray slacks, a white button down, and matching gray vest. The slacks seem to be molded on his thick, muscular legs, and the white button down seems to cling to his well sculpted upper body.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, as I ignored the feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Who do you think you are to talk to me in that tone or manner?" I asked, staying in my seat.
He sighed, "Look, I am going to propose a deal to you, this is a good opportunity to fix your life. My ex is getting married very soon. I propose that we keep this facade of us being engaged up until after the wedding has passed. In return for this, I will pay all of the tuition for the University. What do you say?" He asks.
I stare up at him in disbelief for a few seconds, before standing up turning away to take a deep breath, and push everything I am feeling as i hold up a hand so he doesn't saying else that will make me want to punch him. Disbelief is plain on my face when I finally turn to look at him.
"I-is this true.. Are you-- Are you actually proposing to me what I think you're proposing?" I asked, balling my fists at my side.
He shook his head, "No. That's not what I am referring to. There will be no physical contact between us." He states.
"Then what do you mean? Explain to me what you mean. Because apparently I am too stupid to understand." I dully respond.
He sighs, and shakes his head, "Look, I don't want us to hook up. I'm not attracted to you at all, it's about you coming with me to meetings and events, nothing more. I know Tanya is going to ask you a lot of questions when she sees you again." He explains.
"Who is Tanya? The girl from earlier on the private beach?" I asked, confused.
He nodded, as he slipped his hands in his pockets. "Yes, my ex-girlfriend." He replies, dully.
"What are you playing at? What type of offer is this? What form is this of asking me to do this? And why does it need to be me?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.
He gave an exasperated sigh, "Tanya is jealous of you, and I've never seen her this affected by anyone." He informs me amused.
I scoff, as I cross my hands over my chest, "Oh, and what do you want? What do you hope to achieve by making her jealous, to get her to come back to you? I asked.
He shook his head in response, "No. I want her to break things off with her fiancee." He tells me honestly.
I blink, "I think you've lost your goddamned mind. What type of person are you?" I retort.
He shakes his head at me, "I don't think you understand. I am offering you a great opportunity to put your life back in order for once and for all." He says.
I sigh, and shake my head in disbelief, staring up at the sky as I debate hard on what I should do.
"Well, are you going to do this or not? Make your decision." He demands.
I smile at him, as he patiently waits before allowing my anger to rear its nasty head, and slap him across his face.
The force of the slap causes his head to turn to the side, and he immediately exhales heavily, before making an unamused face at me.
"Does that mean yes?" He asked, dryly.
I scoffed, "Are you seriously asking?"
He waits for me to respond as I reel in my emotions once more.
"That means N.O. No. I'd rather spend my entire life working in the restaurant or flower shop than pretend to be your fiancee. Besides, I-- I have a boyfriend, and even if I didn't have one , how dare you ask that ludicrous idea to me, of all people?" I asked, "I don't want to see you ever again, do you understand?"
"Okay, okay. I understand. I have made you an offer and you have rejected it. It's okay, don't give it any more thought. That's business. Let's go." He says before walking away.
I turn to follow him, and sigh as I bend down to grab my things, before following him up the road and to the car, barefoot.
He opens the car door for me, allows me to get in, before closing the door and walking around the back of the car to get into the otherside.
As we head back the tension between us is almost too suffocating and all I want to be able to breathe.
He stares out the window, and I realize he's probably concerned about what happened at the beach, to be honest so am I.
I debate whether or not to ask him, fighting with myself before I feel curiosity get the better of me.
"What's going to happen?" I finally ask him. "If they find out that you've lied to them?"
"They were all drunk, tomorrow nobody is going to remember what happened tonight." He replies, offhandedly.
The plane ride back home seems shorter than earlier, and I am almost bouncing in my seat, waiting for it to end.
"Do you need to use the bathroom?" He asks me, with a raised brow.
I immediate shake my head, "I'm just cold, don't worry about it. As soon as we get home, I'll shower and change out of this and it will all be fine." I tell him.
He clears his throat, nodding before turning back to stare out the window, into the blackness of the night.
When we arrive, I grab all of my things, and make my way out of the plane with a sigh. Welcoming the humidity in the air.
As we got off he turns to look at me and I smile brightly at him.
"You know what? I wish and hope that we never see each other again, Mr. Edward." I tell him, with fake enthusiasm.
"The feeling is mutual, Miss." He replies in the same tone. "See you never." He adds.
I give him a small wave, and turn to leave, however before I can take another we are both ambushed by a swarm of flashing lights and voices yelling over each other.
"Oh God." He sighs.
He looks at me concerned as I move towards him, terrified.
"What is this? What do you plan to do now?" I demand.
"Stefan, can you take over this, please?" He asks as a tall man, appears out of thin air.
The man, Stefan, immediately cuts all of them off, as Edward guides us away from the swarm, towards a car.
"What the hell is this? Why is the paparazzi here? What is happening?" I asked, frantically
"Calm down. Get in." He tells me.
I immediately slide into the passenger's side, before he walks around the front and gets into the driver's side.
He immediately drives away, careful not to hurt anyone.
I sit there shocked as he drives the the partially empty highway, blinking hard as I do.
"Tomorrow morning I will give a press conference about a new project. And there will surely be paparazzi everywhere. If it's okay with you, I think I'll tell them that you're my secretary and that they saw us together because you came with me to a meeting." He tells me.
I take a deep breath, "Fine." I say.
"If you want you can come with me, and be by my side." He adds.
I nodded in response but remained quiet for the rest of the ride until I told him my address.
He drove silently, allowing me to get lost in my thoughts, getting there before I realized it.
As he pulled up, I turned to him, and sighed, "I'm going to go with you tomorrow. And once this is over, we won't see each other ever again." I tell him.
"Never again." He agrees, as he turns to look at me.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I tell him before getting out.
I make my way up the stairs and down the driveway before going inside, jumping when I hear a car leave after I walk inside and going to bed without saying a word to anyone.
