I allowed him to drag me after him, feeling dazed as we walked.

"Bella," Paul said as he stood inside with his wife.

I blinked in surprise as I realized that he was still here, as I pulled myself to a stop, feeling Edward, looking at him in exasperation, with an unimpressed expression.

"Paul's wife." I said, dully as she smiled at me, amused.

"Edward…" Paul trailed off, nervously, before turning back to me, "We'll see you around, Bella." He finally says before he storms off angrily.

I stood there, holding my breath as they walked out before yanking my hand away from Edward's hand.

"Let me go." I said angrily.

"Who was that?" He asked, curiously raising a brow at me.

"My boyfriend." I told before I realized what I had said.

"Ah…" He sighed as he turned to look around, head jotting from side to side.

"My ex-boyfriend." I clarified, with a groan.

He made a face and nodded, "So, would you like to explain to me now, what the hell happened out there?" He inquired, raising a brow at me.

"I'm sorry." I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face.

"Oh? You're sorry?" He asks sarcastically. "Well, that's good to know…" He adds, shaking his head.

I sighed, "What do you want me to tell you? I regret it. Something snapped inside me, and I did it before I could stop myself." I told him, looking down in embarrassment.

He moves closer to me, anger clear on his face, "Are you aware that you have discredited me in front of the client, the press, and my team? Not only that, you've interfered with the presentation of an international project." He hisses out.

"It was her fault. If that night you hadn't told anyone that I am your girlfriend--" I began to argue, until his stormy expression changed to an uncomfortable one.

"We need to leave. Immediately." He urges as I feel his hand wrap around mine and pull me forward yet again."Where to?" I asked, wide-eyed, as he moved without answering,"I am talking to you."

"We have to leave." He tells me, heatedly.

"I don't plan to go anywhere with you." I told him, pulling myself free of his grasp.

"Fine. Suit yourself." He throws over his shoulder before turning away before storming off.

As he leaves, I see what he means, eyes practically popping out of my head as I see a large group of paps slowly moving in my direction, and I immediately gasp, scurrying after him.

I follow him out of the hotel and towards the parking lot, where he gives me an amused head shake.

"Told you." He says, smirking as he opens the door for me.

~~R.W.T.M.C.~

We sped through town, silence and tension heavy between us.

I chewed on my bottom lip and sighed as I thought of a way out of this situation. Finding only one logical way.

"Look, I think the best thing is for me to disappear for a while. Go from the restaurant to the house or to the flower shop. I don't know until this all blows over. What do you think?" I asked him.

He sighed, moving to stop on the shoulder of the road.

"This is the plan. The paparazzi must already know everything about you. So, I'll take you home, don't talk to anyone, don't tell anything to anyone. Close all your accounts on social media. Don't talk to your friends about this. Go to my office at eight o'clock tonight." He tells me.

I scoffed, "No," I tell him.

He lets out a long, slow breath before he turns to look at me, "Look, we already talked about this. We will make a contract. Tanya is getting married within two months,and meanwhile, you will pretend to be my fiancee." He says.

I shook my head, "I already told I don't want to pretend to be your fiancee. Or did you forget?" I retorted angrily.

"In exchange for everything I ask of you, I will return your scholarship." He tells me, exasperated.

I scoffed, pushing the door open. "I already told you I don't want your fucking schlarship! I don't want anything from you! I don't even want to see your face!"

I hear a long slow breath, before the sound of the other door opening, as he gets out, and walks around to stop me from leaving.

"Listen to me carefully, I'm not going to tolerate your nonsense for another minute, do you understand md? I could sue you for a million dollars, and you'll have to work for me for the rest of your whole life." He threatened, as he got in my face.

I blinked tearfully, anger making my limbs shake, as I stared up at him, locking my muscles into place so that I don't commit another stupidity. "You are a very bad person." I hiss.

He shakes his head, glaring at me as he towers over me. I should kick him in the nuts, see if he feels so powerful then. Asshole.

"You are going to do this." He growls.

I shake my head adamantly. "You can go eat shit." I growled back.

"Listen to me, because you seem to be under the impression that this is over, I can no longer explain anything coherent about you to the press. Or anyone else without it seeming like a lie. So, you're going to pretend to be my fiance. What happened is your fault. You have discredited me, and you have to recompense me!" He yelled.

"I already apologized, what else do you expect me to do?" I asked, angrily.

He looked away, shaking his head at me in exasperation. "To be at my office tonight at eight." He commands.

"I hate you with all my being!" I yelled at him.

"The feeling is more than mutual, lady!" He yelled back, breathing heavily.

We glared at each other for a few more seconds, before I stormed off, heading down the street.

~~R. W. T. M.C.~

As soon as I got home, I made sure that the house was empty before heading to my room, grabbing a pillow, and screaming into it until I was exhausted.

Alice arrived home, saying hi to my aunt as she left to go back to the flower shop. She walked in as I was sitting on the floor, staring blankly in front of me.

"Did you tell her?" I asked.

She shook her head and sighed, "You're getting famous on all media platforms, though." She told me.

"You've got to be kidding me. Please, tell me you're kidding." I begged.

She hummed and shook her head at me as she pulled out her phone to show me.

True enough, there was a video of Edward, and I locked in a passionate kiss.

"I've got a big problem." I groaned.

She nodded as she showed me the next one. This time, it was one of those news outlets. A full story and a picture were now online.

"No…" I gasped in horror.

"You're damn right you've got a problem. You've kissed a man in front of the paps with a man who you don't like." She tells me amused. "He seemed to like it, though." She adds, amused.

"Oh god…" I mumbled, dropping my head against the side of the desk.

"Well, I need an explanation." She demands.

I sighed, "I kissed him. I don't know. Something took over me, and I couldn't stop it until it was too late."

She laughed, "I can see you have been enticed and fallen at the feet of this handsome man. You should have kissed him when there were no cameras." She teased as she bumped my shoulders.

"Alice!" I groaned as I dropped my face into my hands.

"By god, what is the meaning of this?" We heard my aunt say.

We both stiffen as we hear my aunt's voice suddenly enter the house, exchanging widened looks as she makes her way upstairs.

We immediately stand up and move.

"Not a word to my aunt about this." I told her, giving her a firm look. "You can't tell her anything." I added, before moving to hide under my bed.

"Uh… Hey, do you need something?" She asked my aunt as she opened the door.

"I was told that Ell didn't go to the flower shop. Is she here?" My aunt asked.

"Actually, I don't think she's here, I was just about to leave too." Alice told her as she moved to leave.

"Hang on a minute. Are you hiding something from me about Isabella?" My aunt asked her.

"We have gotten to a point in which I can't hide anything from you." Alice states, flatly.

"We are at that point, right?" My aunt said laughing. "Well then, let's call her, shall we?"

I muffled a groan as I slid my phone out and put it on silently, before letting out a deep breath and sliding it in my pocket.

"She's not answering." My aunt sighed, "If you see her, tell her I need to speak with her. Immediately." She adds before she leaves.

We listen to her as she leaves again, jumping when we hear the front door close. Immediately rushing to the window, to watch as she drove away.

"We are in so much trouble. She is going to find out where you are." She squeaked.

"No, she won't find out if you keep those fat lips zipped!" I told her threateningly.

She took a deep breath, "Okay, okay, I will go to the flower shop to do damage control, and you, I don't know… Stay here. Don't talk to anyone, and don't go out anymore." She urged as she rushed out and made her way to her car.

I sighed, knowing all hell would break loose when my aunt found out what had happened.

I am officially fucked.

To think that this is all because of my impulsiveness, and lack of self control.

Great, just fucking great. This the exact kick in the ass that I need after the week I had.

~~R.T.W.T.M.C.~

Edward's POV:

~.~

As I drove off, I tried not to groan at the pain I felt in my groin.

"Fucking hell.." I mumbled as I drove to the apartment I acquired a while back, heading to burn off some steam, then to shower, before driving back to the office.

"If you know anything, talk, Emmett." Rosalie demanaded.

"I, well, I don't know much. I know her name is Isabella… and that her last name is swan but that's all I know." Emmett stuttered out.

I sighed, and shook my head at those fucking nosy as people. Having to take a deep breath before walking in.

As I walked in with an unimpressed look.

Tanya turned to look at me, an angry glint in her blue eyes as she stood there with her arms crossed over her shoulder. An unamused expression on her face as she stared at me.

"I don't want to hear a single word out of any of you." I warned them, angrily.

Emmett, Rose, Ben, and Jess exchanged looks before nodding silently.

"Jess, bring me the list of pending tasks for today, and the file of the Anderson project, please." I threw over my shoulder as I made my way to the conference, which I had been using for the last few days just to avoid using the damn stairs leading to my office, upstars.

"Yes, sir." She stuttered before scurrying off to get my information.

"Edward." Rose called as she followed me inside.

"I'm not interfering in his personal affairs." He said.

I ignored their gossiping as I walked into the conference room, slipping of my coat, and hanging it in back of my chair before I let out a long breath.

I felt the urge to go home and pretend none of this happened as I shook my head and reached up to run a hand over my face.

The urge grew a moment later, when Tanya walked in a moment later, with the file and slid it to me across the conference table, before she sat down.

"What happened today, Edward?" She asked me.

I lifted my hand, bringing it up to cup my chin, as I tilted my head to the side to look at her.

I knew I was only passing her off by evading her questions but she deserves it for everything she did to me.

"In what capacity are you asking me? If it's like the company's public relations, I'll tell you today at the meeting. But if you ask me as my ex…" I trailed off as she scoffed.

"Would the answer change?" She asked, challengingly as she stood up, "I want to know. Who is she? What woman can make Edward Cullen do something like that in front of such an important client?" She demands.

"I see. It's only to satisfy your curiosity then." I replied, looking up at her, blankly.

Of course it is, she can't stand not being the center of attention. She's shallow, and egotistical. She left because I refused to marry her. Even though I told her I was never going to marry, even her.

When she yelled in my face that I was a cold hearted bastard, who only cared about money, and my job.

Not true. At all. I care about my company, my parents, and things that are worth caring about. I wasn't interested in spending the rest of my life trying to impress pretentious idiots who think that just because they have money, they can do whatever they like.

It's stupid, and a waste of time to go around those people. I only do it because of business, nothing more.

The fact that she likes being social, and hated that our break up backfired on her, making her the laughingstock not me made it all the worthwhile.

It's one of the few things that makes me smile nowadays.

"Edward, who is Bella?" She finally asked, as she leaned over me, and got closer to my face. "Are you really in love with her?"

I looked away, taking a deep breath before sighing, "Tanya, if you want to talk about our work, I'll listen. Otherwise…"

"'Leave', right? I understand. Well, besides what happened, we have spoken with the client about what happened and he left satisfied. One of the other topics that has attracted attention is that the guests will be able to pick fruits and vegetables from their garden." She informs me, flatly.

"Great, is there something else that I need to know about?" I asked.

"Lately, I've been asking myself those same questions." She replies sarcastically.

"So, no?" I asked, holding back the amusement I felt as I saw her jaw tick, and her eyes flash again.

"No." She replied, shortly.

"Great. Thanks." I told her, dismissively.

"You're welcome." She snapped before turning to leave.

~~R.W.T.M.C.~

I spent the rest of the day holed up in the conference room, overseeing, and checking the progress of the various projections, before realizing that it was way past the time everyone usually leaves.

As soon as I knew that I was alone, I made my way outside to the large rooftop lounge area slash outdoor kitchen area, grabbing a drink as I did.

I sat there watching the street and the sky as I contemplated the last twenty four hours of my life.

I heard the door open, and turned slowly to see Bella standing there, a determined expression on her face.

She had changed into a pair of tight jeans that emphasized the curves she had, and a thin white long sleeve blouse.

"Do you want to drink something?" I asked, gesturing to the mini bar.

She stared back at me, wordlessly, before shaking her head in response, as I nodded and moved to get her a drink either way.

"Okay, let's begin shall we?" I mumbled as I looked at the contract I had made earlier.

I slowly made my way back and sat down, with a sigh as I saw the glass down in front of her.

She remained quiet as I placed my hands on my thighs, as I spoke, listening as she let out a small sigh in defeat. "Rule number one, you shall pretend to be my girlfriend for two months." I told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Why, what?" I replied, as I handed her the drink.

"Why do I need to pretend to be your girlfriend for two months? To separate the happy couple?" She retorts, clearly not liking the idea.

I stared back at her for a second, "Yes." I replied, noting being able to lie as she stared at me with that doe-eyed expression.

"What if they don't separate?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest, causing me to blink.

"They'll separate." I told her, reassuringly.

Fighting a smile as I thought of Tanya's attitude earlier.

"And if they don't?" She questioned challengingly.

"Calm down, the contract is only for two months. It won't extend. Our engagement and the contract expire within two months, and you won;'t ever see me ever again." I promised her, honestly.

"What happens if they break up before the two months are up?" She asked me, setting down her little bag.

"The sooner they break up, the sooner this facade is over." I reassured her.

She blinked, "Are you doing all of this so that Tanya will get back with you?" She asked me outright.

I blinked, shaking my head, holding back my disgust. I wouldn't get back with her if she was the las woman on Earth.

"When the contract finishes I will pay you all of your tuition, I will pay your plane ticket, and any other expenses you may have." I informed her.

She scoffs, "I don't want to go to Italy. I'm not going. I don't want your money, okay? I don't need anything from you, just so you know." She tells me as she moves to pace.

"Then what do you want?" I asked her, raising a brow.

"Nothing." She replies, smiling at me, as she shrugs and shakes her head at me. "Since I have destroyed everything and I have destroyed your reputation, I want to fix it. Besides, if i can help a man who is in love, get back together with the woman he loves, two months will go flying. And then I will get out of your life." She tells me, honestly.

"Nothing of that. Both parties must benefit from this agreement. So if they took away your scholarship because of me. They will give it to you again, thanks to me. This matter is not up for discussion." I told her.

She walks towards the edge of the terrace, sighs, before she looks down before turning to me. "Fine, then, give me a job. Until the contract expires, I will work here for two months." She tells me.

"Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a job in my company? You aren't even licensed to be working here." I pointed out, amused.

"It is your fault that I couldn't finish my career." She argues, as she grabs her purse, shrugging. "It depends on you, but if you choose to not agree, you can sue me for all you want. I will work for you for the rest of my life if that's what you want. Goodnight." She told me, before moving to leave.

I glare at her retreating before groaning, and following her. How can such a little person walk so damn fast?

"Will you please wait?" I called after her.

She flipped me off, and continued walking.

"Can you please stop?" I asked.

She sighed and turned to look at me, expectantly.

"Sit down." I told her.

She gave me a look and stood there as I pulled out the chair, "I beg of you." I flatly said.

She nodded, before placing her purse on the massive oak wood meeting room table, and lowered herself into the chair.

"You can only be my assistant with a resume like yours." I informed her.

She nodded, "Fine, I'll be your assistant." She agrees. "But I'd like to add a few things." She says, and continues when she sees me paying attention to her, "You will not offend me."

"What?" I asked, frowning in confusion as I sat down across from her.

"You are a very cold man, not to mention ruthless. So, don't offend me. You will not humiliate me in public. You won't even hurt me... but most important you will not talk down to me..." She lists off.

"Alright, continue." I tell her, nodding as I wrote what she said down.

"No, you continue." She says, leaning back.

"Alright." I said, as I got up, sliding my hands into my pocket as I began to walk around the room. "Rule number two. You need to be with me during the day, or at night. Whenever I want. You'll come with me to all the invitations I receive. Parties, events, or meetings. In or out of the city, and above all, it must be clear that when I ask you to do something, you can not contradict me." I told her.

She gave me a disbelieving look. "Why not?" She asked.

A fought back a smile, as I turned to look at her, "Why? The why?" I asked, feeling as I began to lose my patience.

"Why can't I ask 'why'?" She asked, as she bit her cheek.

I stopped walking to look at her. She looked daintier in that chair and it made me want to kneel down just to be at eye level with her.

I fought off the urge, placing a hand on the table in front of her, and answered, "Because I don't like being asked questions. And you ask too many damn questions for my taste. Is there anything you want to add to this right now?" I asked her, impatiently attempting to change the subject.

She looked down at the contract before her, nodding a second later. "Yes, actually. I don't work Saturdays in the morning. What ever happens, do not call me on Saturday in the morning and don't ask me where I am. Ever." She told me.

I nodded, flexing my arm, "Okay. Fine." I sighed.

There went the stupid idea Emmett told about earlier.

"By the way, there is one more thing I want to add," She tells me as she stands up.

"I'm listening." I replied as she moved closer, which caused my body to tense.

"You can't touch me." She finally says, smiling widely as she looks up at me.

I let out a sharp exhale, and nod, "I was actually going to add that myself, especially after what happened today." I told her, unamused.

She nods, and shrugs,"You can't hug me, and you can't hold my hand. That is, you will not touch a single hair of mine." She tells me, stepping closer to me. "Unless I say so." She adds, as she grabs her bag and moves away.

I clench my fists in my pocket and nod, looking sharply at the table.

"Rule number three. I can't tell anyone about this relationship." She reads out loud. "Of course not." She deadpans as she walks back out to the terrace. "With the exception of my mother, or talk about it." She reads as she turns to look at me, in disbelief, "You can't just do this. It's impossible not to tell anyone. I need to at least tell my aunt and friends. I don't keep secrets from them." She argued.

"You can't breathe a single word to anyone about this. Not your family, or friends. Not a single soul." I told her firmly.

"Why the hell not?" She asked.

I have to bite back my amusement as I see her right knee twitch, and her hands clench at her sides.

I almost want to keep challenging her to see if she'll stomp her foot or hit me… maybe we could change the contract to benefit us even more… take out or add a few things on the agreement, if she wants… or make the agreement have a physical clause, just in case…. the latter idea forces me to pull out of my thoughts with heat hitting my body, and I blow out some slowly air as I turn to look at her, "You're asking why too many damn times." I point out, breathlessly.

"Why can't I tell anyone but you can?" She asks.

"A secret is something that spreads like wildfire. If you truly want to hide this you can't tell anyone anything. I know who I can trust, and I don't trust you." I told her.

She sighed, grumbling in frustration, her knee twitching again. "Well, as it turns out, my aunt and my friends know how much I hate you. How do I convince them that I have gotten engaged to you from one day to another?" She asked, sarcastically.

"Love at first sight." I replied, smiling at her.

"Love at first sight?" She repeats in disbelief and disgust. "How original." She snips, shaking her head in with a scoff.

The feeling is mutual, Isabella, very mutual.

"Can't it be something gradual? Or-- Or lie about when we really met?" She asked, as she pushed back her hair.

I shook my head, "Mm.Mm. If it's one thing I hate, it's lying, and since this all began with a lie, you can guess how I am feeling right now." I told her, tensely.

"It's not going to make sense to anyone… What we met, fell in love… and got engaged, just like that? No person in their right frame of mind does that?" She asks, heatedly.

I smile at her, "People do it all the damn time. Vegas, remember? That's where these types of things happen. All the time. And we're going to play it for all it's got. No ifs, buts, or anything else. This is how it's going to go." I told her.

We stare each other down for what seems like an eternity, neither of us wanting to backdown from what we want before she breaks contact, and shakes her head.

"It'll get the job done." I told her, shrugging offhandedly.

She scoffs, shaking her head and turning to look over the edge of the terrace,"Why does your mother need to know?" She grumbles.

"It's for your own benefit. If she believes that we're really going out, she will tear you apart." I told her, honestly.

"No one can tear me apart." She says, with a snort, before staring me down, "If I can't say anything, you can't either. It's that simple." She adds as she grabs her purse and moves to leave.

I groaned, already feeling the oncoming headache. "Okay, but you'll regret it. I promise you will." I told her.

She scoffs, "Believe me, I am regretting a lot of things right now." She snips before turning away.

"No more than me. Besides, it'll all be over before we know it." I told her, which caused her to snort.

"Why are you playing this game? Why don't you just confront Tanya, and tell her you still have feelings for her so she'll leave that Garrett dude?" She asks

Because I don't want her like that, I just want that asswipe away from my company.

I ignored her questions and gave her a dry smile, making it apparent that I'm not going to answer. "Do you have any more real questions? Or do you prefer to keep wasting our time?" I asked, sarcastically.

She scoffs in response, as she pulls out a pen and signs it before she slams the file into my chest, and walks away.