2brown-eyes rules!

It's finally here!

Tonight, the Cullen Corp Christmas Gala will be the talk of the town. With the CEO position finally locked down, will EAMC debut his wife, or has this all been a bait and switch?

Inquiring minds want to know.

However this turns out, the mysterious Isabella Swan's life will be forever altered. Will it be in a good way or bad?

Now, that IS the burning question!

See ya tmr with all the juicy deets!

Alice Knows All

My hands shake as I shove the shiny gloss back into the red sequined clutch that I'm gripping tightly. A team of women descended earlier, most of them the same as in Vegas, to help me prepare for my debut.

The Cullen Christmas Gala.

I choose a red—not that color is an option—Reem Acra with a plunging neckline and mostly lace back with cutouts wrapping around the sides. The slinky number hugs my curves and compliments my ivory skin tone to perfection. The slit makes my legs look a mile long, and the fancy updo, red lip, and black sky-high Louboutin's round out the look.

The woman in the mirror feels like a fraud. She seems every bit the part, but inside, she knows this isn't her world. She doesn't wine and dine with the elite, and if it weren't for her burgeoning feelings for the man who's strutting across the room behind her, she'd never even attempt it.

"My god, Mrs. Cullen," Edward rasps, his lips skimming my exposed neck as his hands settle on my waist. "You're absolutely stunning."

"You're not so bad yourself," I reply, arching so he can explore the tender skin at my pulse point. "What can I expect tonight?"

His lips stop moving, and he sighs as he meets my eyes in the mirror. "These people are vultures. The media, the board members, and almost all the upper staff. But there will also be normal people there from lesser-appreciated departments like payroll, HR, and even the mailroom. Ignore anyone who clamors for more than a polite introduction. You'll have Rose, so please stick with her if I can't be with you." His palm glides from my hip to my stomach and he pulls me flush against every hard inch of him. "Nothing about tonight changes anything between you and me. We go as husband and wife, we come home the same way. This is simply our first foray into the public together."

"Is it also the first step to my freedom?" I hold his gaze.

"I hate that you see yourself as a prisoner," he says, sidestepping the question. "You've always been free, Bella."

"Tomorrow Rose and I are getting coffee." I spin in his arms, my finger pressed to his lips to hold back whatever he opened them to say. "I promise to take her somewhere hella expensive and wear the most ridiculously priced outfit I own, but I refuse to spend another day cooped up in this place."

He licks the digit before sucking the tip between his lips and twirling his tongue around it. A spark of want flickers to life, and his low throaty chuckle does nothing to appease it. "You can wear whatever you'd like and go wherever you'd like. My only condition is that Jasper Hale is your new driver and bodyguard. He's already agreed and been provided the car."

The longer he speaks the higher my brows rise. "Jasper will be my bodyguard?"

"He's someone you trust, yes?" The concern in his gaze disarms me, and I nod easily. "He'll attend some classes on protection, of course, but I want you to feel safe and be around people who mean something to you."

I blink back the urge to cry. "I don't know what to say."

He presses a soft kiss to my lips and steps back, holding up a finger. "This isn't even the good stuff."

He disappears into the hall, leaving me perplexed, until he returns carrying a black velvet case in his hand.

My hand goes to my chest. "Oh my."

He flashes a devilish smile. "Indeed."

The hinge makes a slight whining sound as he lifts the lid, and I'm nearly blinded by the sparkle that emanates from the box. My palms start sweating and my heart beats heavily.

My eyes go from the chunky diamonds to his. "I don't need…"

"Nonsense," he says quickly. "Tongues will wag, so why don't we give them a good reason." He places the box on a nearby table and lifts the necklace. "May I?"

I take a shuddering breath before turning around. His lips ghost my nape before the cold, hard jewelry settles heavily around my neck. Though I'm hesitant, I can see how perfectly it settles into the V of my neckline as I finger the large stones.

"It's gorgeous," I say, my throat tight.

"Don't forget the matching earrings." Edward holds them up. "Since I know you have pierced ears."

He's all boyish cuteness and cocky confidence, a combination that's impossible to resist. "Thank you, Edward," I say, taking them from him. "They're stunning."

I can see him shrug in the mirror. "They don't outshine the wearer, but they're nice."

Butterflies stir to life in my belly, and I take a deep breath to push them back down my throat before grabbing my clutch from the vanity and spinning to face him.

"I'm ready."

"Yes, you are." His eyes rake down my body, and it heats to the same shade as my dress. He holds out his elbow. "Shall we?"

I don't know what's in store for us tonight, but I do know that whatever it is, we've built a sturdy foundation to conquer it.

All we have to do is stick together.

Time for Bella's debut!

See ya tmr :)