2brown-eyes is the best!

With over a week gone and still not even a glimpse of the mysterious Mrs. Cullen, some are beginning to wonder if she even exists.

AKA is here to assure you that she definitely does!

EAMC seems to be too busy cleaning house at Cullen Corp to care much about spending a night on the town with his new bride. It begs the question, is she just another step on his ladder to the top?

Alice doesn't know … yet.

But when I do, so shall you!

AKA

When are we getting together again? – R

I read the text from my best friend for the fiftieth time and all it does it piss me off further. I've been at the penthouse for over a week now, and other than in the middle of the night when he fucks me stupid, I've barely seen my husband.

The phone was left on the nightstand the second morning I woke to a note. The number I have for him goes to his office where a woman named Angela kindly tells me he's very busy every time I call. We don't talk, all my food is delivered without my input, and a rack of clothing was parked in the great room the morning after we returned from our honeymoon.

Can you pick me up? – B

Her response is immediate.

Jas gets off in thirty, I can have him do a drive-by – R

Works for me – B

Address? – R

Fuck.

Can't you Google it or something? – B

WTF? – R

I sigh, all my anger melting into despondency. What seemed like a fairy tale offer has turned into a prison sentence. He's plucked me from obscurity and plopped me into an enormous full floor home high in the sky without so much as conversation about what I'll do besides sit in my gilded cage.

Is your phone an iPhone? – R

Yes, but idk what model – B

Only the best for the billionaire. Look at the top of this conversation. See my phone number? Click that. When the contact info pops down, click share my location. And voila! – R

I read her directions carefully before venturing into the unknown. She's lucky I was able to get in touch with her at all. I actually called Jasper first because I kept confusing their numbers. I sigh in relief when I see the little blue words.

Do you see me? – B

Yep! Fancy. *eyeroll emoji*

I'll text you when he's otw and you can meet him out front – R

*thumbs up emoji* – B

Tears burn the backs of my eyes as I lay the phone on the coffee table. My skin crawls with the need to be out of this place, yet every opportunity I'm given to voice my concerns ends up with me flat on my back and nothing productive coming out of my lips.

I nearly jump out of my skin when the phone vibrates against the black tinted glass, an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. I pick it up, hesitant. "Hello?"

"Are you being a bad girl?" Edward's voice is low, and it travels down my spine, causing me to shiver. I'm unsure yet if I'm being turned on or pissed off. "You know you can't sneak out."

"I don't need to sneak," I reply, leaning more toward pissed-off. "I'm a grown woman with two legs that can take her anywhere she wants to go."

"Bella." His tone is softer now, the playfulness gone. "I know this is hard for you, but I need you to please wait until I have everything in place. When Mrs. Edward Cullen is introduced to the world, it'll be on my arm, not while she's sneaking into Jasper Hale's car."

My cheeks flush. The way he says it makes it sound bad, but he gets to leave here every day while I'm stuck in hiding. "I'm going crazy, Edward," I say softly, frustrated. "I need to be around people."

"Am I not fulfilling my husbandly duties?"

I roll my eyes at his mock-hurt tone. "That's the only reason I've allowed it to go on this long."

"I promise not to falter if you'll give me just a little more time," he says, and for the first time since we've been married, I hear the strain of taking over the company in his voice. "I don't like this either, so please don't think I do."

"I know," I reply, voice cracking. "I'm bored to tears."

"Tell Rose that a limousine will pick her up in twenty minutes in front of her apartment." He's already snapping back into business mode. "Dinner will arrive promptly at seven, and she can stay until I'm home." His tone softens. "Does that help?"

"It helps."

I'm already pulling up my text messages when he says, "I'm really trying here, Bella."

"Try harder." I don't want to be a bitch, but I can't take much more of this. "Please."

"I need more time."

"Then you'd better come up with something."

I hit end without allowing him to reply, and guilt eats at me, but not enough to make me regret doing it.

I'm hurting here.

And whether that's his intent or not, I swore to myself I'd never let a man hurt me again.

Nothing to say today, so…

See ya tmr :)