BPOV

I take a sip of my coffee as I step through the revolving door to my office building.

Last night gave me hope that Edward and I are good now. He even got up this morning and had breakfast waiting for me. He asked about work and kept any opinion of Royce out of the conversation.

My only anxiety left was what would happen with Rose and the case in general.

I tap my badge and smile at the building security guard when the yelling begins.

I look to the security desk where Royce is berating the girl who provides the visitor badges.

"I am a client at Whitlock-Platt," he says, like it means something.

"We have received a note from Whitlock-Platt that you are no longer a client and need to be removed from the visitor list," she informs him.

"Ms.," the guard says, garnering my attention away from the scene to my left.

"Sorry," I respond before hurrying along before Royce spots me.

His bellows follow me into the crowded elevator as the doors close.

There is quiet chatter about the lunatic in the lobby. Some recognize him from the news and try to pinpoint which law office in the building is representing him.

When I get off on my floor I still can't believe what I witnessed in the lobby. Even the office is bustling with activity and I start to notice more than a few heads turn my way as I make my way to my office.

My assistant instantly stands when she sees me.

"Mr. Whitlock wants you in his office," she murmurs with concern.

Rose has to have said something; with Royce having his access to the building revoked and all eyes suddenly on me, that has to be it.

"Okay, thanks," I say with a nod.

She gives me a hopeful smile.

I throw my things onto my chair and shrug off my jacket.

I quickly take one more sip of my coffee before heading down to Jasper Sr.'s office. Whatever is about to happen I know I'm going to need coffee.

Senior's assistant stands giving me a tentative smile.

"Mr. Whitlock ran down to the lobby to handle a situation but said you can wait for him in his office," she tells me.

I nod and step past her.

As soon as I enter the room I note I am not alone.

"I hope you're happy," Rose snaps at me.

I take the seat beside her without giving her the reaction she so desperately wants.

I think back to a time when I thought Rose and I just might be okay.

~PR~

I fix myself a drink while Edward entertains his audience in the living room. Since Covid, his parties have been smaller, more intimate maybe.

They are never overly crowded.

He even uses a smaller catering company.

He's more cautious.

He only invites the friends that he knows were vaccinated. He wasn't taking any chances since I'd had it, and it affected his time in the studio if someone was out with it. Time really was money in his world.

I glance around the living room, watching Edward in his element. He moves gracefully from one conversation to another, making everyone feel special. His eyes occasionally flicker to me, a silent acknowledgment that he's aware of my presence. Despite the changes, he remains the same—charming, attentive, and utterly captivating.

As I take a sip of my drink, Rose walks in, her face a mask of indifference. I catch as she acknowledges Edward with a nod before making her way to me.

"Hey," she says softly.

"Hey," I reply, unsure of where this conversation is going.

She takes a seat next to me, her expression softening. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry. For everything."

Her words catch me off guard, and I search her eyes for sincerity. "Thank you, Rose. That means a lot."

We sit in silence for a moment, the noise of the party fading into the background. It's a tentative peace, but it's a start.

It's when I catch sight of Emmett watching us that I start to get suspicious. His gaze flickers between Rose and me, a mix of concern and something else I can't quite place.

Rose shifts uncomfortably beside me, her usual confidence replaced with an unfamiliar vulnerability. "Emmett and I... we've been seeing each other," she admits with a mumble, her eyes darting to where he stands.

I raise an eyebrow, processing the information. "Since when?"

"A few months now," she confesses, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want to tell anyone because of Tyler... and because I didn't know how Edward would react."

I take another sip of my drink, the revelation slowly sinking in.

Rose looks down at her hands, twisting them nervously. "I know I haven't always been nice to you. I was angry and hurt with everything going on with Tyler, and I lashed out."

Her admission softens something in me. "Rose, you didn't have to be so… horrible. We could have talked."

"I know," she says, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry, Bella. Truly."

I take a deep breath, trying to reconcile the manipulative person I've known with the vulnerable woman sitting next to me. "Does Edward know?"

Rose shakes her head. "Not yet. We were planning to tell him tonight."

As if on cue, Emmett walks over, his expression a mix of determination and anxiety. "Rose, Bella," he greets us, his voice steady. "Can we talk?"

Rose looks at me, her eyes pleading. I nod, and she stands, taking Emmett's hand. They lead me to a quieter corner of the kitchen, away from prying eyes and ears.

"Bella," Emmett begins, his tone earnest, "I care about Rose a lot. We didn't mean to keep it a secret, but with everything going on, it just... happened."

I cross my arms, feeling a mix of emotions. "Why are you telling me this?"

Edward is who they both should be telling.

I'm also boiling because of how he treated Angela and now he's with Rose.

"Because Edward listens to you," Rose answers, her grip tightening on Emmett's hand. "And because we want your support. We're going to tell Edward, but we need you on our side."

I study their faces, seeing the genuine affection in their eyes. Despite the turmoil and manipulation, they seem sincere. "Okay," I finally say, my voice firm. "But you have to promise me something."

"Anything," Emmett says, his voice hopeful.

"No more secrets," I insist. "We need to be honest with each other from now on."

Rose nods vigorously. "I promise."

Emmett extends his hand, a silent agreement. I shake it, feeling a sense of resolution wash over me. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a start. And maybe, just maybe, it's enough to begin healing the rifts between us.

As we rejoin the party, Edward catches my eye, a questioning look on his face. I give him a small nod, signaling that everything is okay—for now. The night continues, and while the future remains uncertain, there's a glimmer of hope that things might just work out after all.

~PR~

Emmett believed in Rose.

Maybe it's because he's seen her vulnerable, but after everything she has done and her current mood now, I feel bad for him.

I've been burned too many times and with the tension radiating off her right now, I know better.

"Sorry about that, ladies," Jasper Sr. says as he enters his office.

He looks collected but from what I witnessed downstairs it couldn't have been easy dealing with Royce.

Rose sits quietly watching her uncle.

He takes a seat with a sigh.

"I can assume we all know why we're in here," he says, eyeing Rose.

We both nod.

"Rosalie, we'll have a separate conversation about this since this is all a very private matter. However, there are a few things that I want to say to the both of you," he tells us.

"Royce is no longer a client due to circumstances that Esme brought to my attention yesterday. I do wish this was brought to my attention sooner. I know that Bella still doesn't know exact details, only that you allowed her to be put in the uncomfortable position of having to represent him knowing what you know."

"I thought Bella was perfectly capable—"

"Enough," he snaps at Rose before he regains his composure. "Rose, you put the entire firm in jeopardy by not reporting Royce. I understand this is delicate but it should have been you who came to me."

Rose shifts uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. "I didn't know how to handle it. I was scared and... ashamed."

Jasper Sr. softens slightly, but his voice remains firm. "Fear and shame are understandable, but they don't excuse putting others at risk. Bella, you were thrown into a situation you shouldn't have been, and for that, I apologize."

I nod, appreciating his acknowledgment. "Thank you, Mr. Whitlock."

He turns his attention back to Rose. "Going forward, there will be no more secrets. We are a team, and we need to trust each other. Is that clear?"

Rose nods, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes, Uncle Jasper."

"Good," he says, leaning back in his chair. "Bella, I want you to handle the transition of Royce's case. Ensure he has no further contact with our firm. Rose, I expect you to focus on your current cases and rebuild the trust you've broken."

"Yes, sir," we both reply in unison.

As we leave Jasper Sr.'s office, Rose turns to me, her expression a mix of distaste and determination. "I bet you're loving this."

I look at her, seeing her for who she really is. "I can't believe you, Rose. You are the reason either one of us are here in the first place. You didn't even have to reveal your past with Royce, you could have at least raised a red flag so your uncle could have turned down the case."

Her nostrils flare.

"Always so noble," she sneers. "You know I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to think about it. Do you know what it's like to relive something like that every time another man touches you? It wasn't just rape, Royce finds satisfaction in what he does. He violates you beyond comprehension."

I flinch at the thought of something so horrific.

"You would have found all this out when you had to interview your character witnesses. No one would sign off on a narcissistic psychopath except if they were hired by him," she says.

My eyes widen at the realization that he would go as far as to hire someone to say they dated him.

"Because of you and my brother's urge to never let anything go, I will now need to deal with the aftermath of this. Because Royce isn't going to let this go. He only does that when he grows bored and now you have reignited his interest. Trust me."

"You can't possibly think—"

"I know what he is capable of, you do not," she hisses.

I blink.

"I told my mother all of this when she tried to pry it all out of me last night. She now wants to be a mother to me. Needs to fix what she couldn't back then. Do you know why I think she insisted so much? Because she is so afraid to lose you. She and my brother are so desperate to make you a Cullen," she seethes. "Like you can live up to the name."

"Rosalie, my office now," Senior calmly demands from his doorway.

I'm still too stunned to react.

I knew she disliked me but not to this extent.

She fumes quietly as she goes back into her uncle's office.

"Bella, I know I keep apologizing for my niece," he says with a sigh trying to find the right words.

"It's fine. I'll get to work on processing Royce's file for transitioning his case if his new representation reaches out for case notes," I tell him hoping he'll drop whatever apology he was trying to give me.

I don't need one from him.

Rose needs to take ownership for her actions and I don't know if that will ever be possible.