WRONG DECISIONS
Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.
"Who did you see, man?" Emmett was the first to ask.
"I saw the ex-Mrs. Edward Cullen and she had two children with her."
That statement hit father, son and the two cousins in the gut.
CHAPTER 6: PLANS ARE BEING MADE
EPOV
"What the hell did you just say?" Edward asked with agony sounding in each word he uttered.
"Said that I saw your ex-wife in Seattle with two children. And, before you ask, no I didn't see anyone else with her but that Irina person."
"Edward, is this something that we need to check into?" Carlisle asked of his son.
It took a few seconds before Edward was able to answer and then he said, "No. No, let's let it lay. I know what you might be thinking, but no those children wouldn't be mine, if that's what any of you might be thinking."
"Is there any way that Bella might have been pregnant at the time of the divorce?" Carlisle couldn't resist asking and as he asked, he saw how much this discussion of Bella and the unknown children was causing his son a great deal of pain.
"I can honestly say that she wasn't expecting at the time of the divorce. So, they aren't mine. Also, Irina was in a committed relationship with someone at that time so those children could very well be hers, but I know they're not my Bella's." And with that said, Edward turned his back on everyone for a moment then began speaking once more as if there had been no interruption.
Then once he had finished with the report, he turned the conversation back to Garrett, waiting for him to give his report about all that had transpired concerning the business he had gone to Seattle to take care of.
"So, what is your opinion about the conclusion of that trip; is everything managed with nothing coming back to our family?" Emmett asked before anyone else could do so.
"I don't see any problems coming back to bite us in the ass. No evidence was left behind, but the message was delivered to the brothers about trying to move into our town." Garrett told the Cullen's as a reassurance that everyone was in the clear and that there was nothing to be worrying about.
"Okay, Garrett, thanks for handling everything. We'll wait and see what move, if any, that the brothers might try to make next." Carlisle remarked with Edward, Emmett and Jasper agreeing with him.
As everyone started to file out of the office after having been dismissed by Carlisle, he did ask for Edward to stay behind. The cousins looked at each other with questioning looks, as if asking what problem might be coming up that might need to watch out for?
Edward stayed behind as Carlisle had requested and took a seat across from the desk that his father was seated behind. He waited for Carlisle to say why he needed to speak with him alone. And it didn't take long before Carlisle got to the point. "Edward, how do you feel about what Garrett revealed where Bella and the children were concerned? Did you think even for a moment that they could be yours?"
"No. Dad, I lost Bella partly because of how she felt about any of our children possibly being involved in the family business.
"Once she had found out about what the family does, she didn't waste any time in expressing her feelings about things. And believe me when I say she didn't hesitate to let me know about not having any of our children connected to the illegal side of things.
"I've told you and Mom about this years ago and that hasn't changed. I tried working both sides and failed miserably at it. And, as you know I'm trying to get things in order now so I can go to her and try to get my wife back.
"So, if that is all you wanted with me, I'm going to leave and check a few things out." With that said Edward got up and left while Carlisle stayed where he was thinking about the whole situation where Edward and Bella were concerned. He was trying to think of a way that he might be able to help resolve the problem. He had a feeling that things might be different than what they are appearing to be or thought to be.
After giving the information that Garrett revealed where his ex-daughter-in-law is concerned, Carlisle decided to call in an old friend and have him see what is going on with Bella at the present time. He had a feeling that this information is more important than what it seemed to anyone else. And, he has learned over the years to pay attention to what his instincts shouted at him.
He knew not to tell Edward about the actions he was planning to take. Edward would go ballistic on everyone if he knew. He wanted Bella to be left alone until he felt that he was able to approach her about the changes the family was making where their business practices were concerned.
Carlisle had a feeling years ago, before the divorce happened, that he needed to talk with Bella about the family. However, he ignored that instinct and look at what happened; his son lost his soulmate, and the family lost a beloved daughter and friend.
It wasn't so much about the children Garrett had mentioned, but about the feeling of guilt that the whole family was carrying because of Edward's loss and unhappiness. Every one of them had ignored the warning signs and thought that Bella would come to accept the truth of things as time went on. But to their surprise, that didn't happen.
As Esme had mentioned just the other day, Edward refuses to move on to another relationship and to admit that Bella is no longer his wife. Also, he never smiles anymore. His smile, although more of a smirk, would reflect even in his eyes, any happiness or excitement that he was feeling. Now, Edward's eyes are more dead than alive.
Carlisle knew that it was time that he did something to try to bring about a change to all of this mess and misunderstanding between Bella and his son. That thought made him more determined than ever to go forward with his plan. So, he reached for his phone and dialed a number that was known only to him. Once the call was answered Carlisle told the person on the other end what needed to be done.
XXXXXX
As Bella was busy over the next few days getting her children ready for starting school, she gave more thought to what Irina had said about why Annabella and Anthony should attend a private school instead of a public one. She knew that each side had good points, however, she still felt that the public school was the right choice at this point.
As the twins got older then that would be the time to reconsider a private school for them.
Bella felt that during the nearly five years that it has been since she was last with Edward Cullen, she had been careful of keeping herself and her children out of the public eye as much as was humanly possible. There has been nothing said or known about her babies, and she had taken great steps to keep it that way.
To her way of thinking, if anyone knew about the twins then something would have been said long ago. Too much time has passed for anyone to know or care.
And, if Edward or any of the Cullen's knew about the twins then they would have made sure to have been in touch with her or shown up on her doorstep without warning. There would have been some demands made where the children were concerned. That much she knew for a certainty. The Cullen family, Edward especially, would have moved heaven and earth, maybe hell as well, to have access to the twins.
Bella decided that she would have another word with Irina; it bothered her that the two of them had such a strong disagreement about where the twins should attend school. Irina and she had always been close and pretty much had the same views about things. When they didn't it didn't take much for them to come to a compromise. So, that is what Bella is hoping will happen this time.
She knew that Irina cared about the twins very deeply and was only concerned about their welfare. That was why she couldn't be that upset, at least not for long, with her friend.
With that decision made, Bella continued with her shopping not realizing that she was being watched.
XXXXXX
The thought of what he and Bella could have had was tearing him apart inside. The fact that Irina seemed to have achieved what he and Bella should have had by now was like reopening a wound that was just beginning to heal to a certain extent.
Edward tells himself, 'Just a little longer. Just a little longer and then I'll have everything in order then it will feel like I can go to Bella and try to convince her to give us another try.'
He wanted children with his Bella, not with anyone else, just with his Bella. The thought of what their children would look like brings a smile to his face as he knows that they would be beautiful since his Bella was one hell of a beautiful woman. It just made sense that her babies would be the same.
He was working hard to be able to bring his Bella home. To bring her home so their lives will be complete once again. Just to be able to have the sun shining in this sea of darkness that he seemed to be floating in. To know the joy of Bella's gentle, loving touches once more and to be able to reassure her that she had nothing more to fear.
That was his goal; his purpose for all the hard work that he was doing.
After Bella and he had divorced, a family meeting was held, and all were in agreement that things needed to change overall for the betterment of everyone in the family. That was when Carlisle okayed for many of the businesses to be brought up to legal standing. The Cullen family was going to semi-retire from the illegal side of things.
They would form an alliance with the Denali's who had the territory of the Northwest part of the United States, as well as the west coast. But the Cullen's would also alert the Martinelli's who had the East coast and the Hernandez's who held the lower part of the United States about the changes that the Cullen family who had all of the Midwest, east, west and toward the south, were making for themselves.
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Marcus wasn't at all happy with the idea of having Paul spy on the ex-Mrs. Cullen, let alone having someone investigate further into her private life. She and the people surrounding her are innocents and should not be dragged into the business of the dark side of the underworld.
True, the Cullen's had sent one of their men to Seattle to deliver a message to stay the hell out of their territory, but hell, Aro and Caius were the ones that started that mess by trying to invade where they knew trouble would follow.
The Cullen's were one of the strongest crime families in the whole damn United States, even with influence that reached further. If you have any sense you don't mess with one of the four leading families.
The Volturi's were small potatoes compared to the Cullen's, the Denali's, Martinelli's and Hernandez's. Those four families ruled all of stateside plus having connections further afield.
When Aro had sent one of their men to Chicago to try to infiltrate the Cullen's in hopes of gaining enough information that would give the Volturi's a chance to take some of their territory and to begin to get a foot in the door of Chicago, as well as the surrounding areas, Marcus knew there would be trouble. Even his brothers knew that if their man got caught it would lead to repercussions, but neither Aro nor Caius would listen to reason. They were headstrong and thought they had all of the answers.
Now, some innocent people, a woman and her children, were about to become pawns in his brothers' game for more power. How it would end is a foregone conclusion because his brothers would pay a pretty hefty price when they got caught again. And Marcus was sure that they would be caught.
AN: The Cullen's have decided to bring most all of their businesses into the legal sector and has Edward working hard to get it all brought about. The Volturi's found out about Bella and the twins and are planning to make their move. Marcus Volturi isn't comfortable with what his brothers are trying to do. Finally, Garrett returns from Seattle with news of Bella and Irina being seen by him with children and he mentions this to the Cullen menfolk. The news doesn't seem to be taken too well. How soon will the Volturi go after the children? What will be everyone else reaction when they do?