Sixteen:
Truths and Doubts
Bella's POV:
The café near Edward's office is bustling with the morning rush, but the noise around us feels distant, muffled by the weight of the discovery Rosalie and I just made. We barely said a word to each other as we left Edward's office building, the gravity of what Rosalie uncovered hanging between us like a dark cloud.
Now, sitting across from each other in a small booth, the tension is palpable. Rosalie pulls out her phone with a grim expression, ready to show me the evidence she found.
"Here," she says, sliding the phone across the table to me. "Take a look at this."
I pick up her phone, my hands slightly trembling as I open the image. It's a clear photo of a document, and my heart sinks as I recognise the signature at the bottom—Edward's signature.
But something about it feels off. My eyes narrow as I study it more closely, and the realisation hits me like a punch to the gut. "This… this isn't his signature. It's been forged."
Rosalie nods, her expression serious. "I thought the same thing. It looks almost perfect, but there are small details—like the angle of the stroke—that are different. I compared it with a few others on his desk."
My mind races, trying to make sense of what this could mean. "Who could've done this? And why?"
Rosalie leans in slightly, lowering her voice. "Bella, while I was going through those documents, I noticed something else… something that didn't belong to you."
I look at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"The scent," Rosalie says, her expression serious. "It wasn't yours. It was subtle, but distinct. I used to work at a fragrance counter in college—I know my perfumes. It was Chanel, and I'm pretty sure it belongs to Tanya. She's the only senior member of his staff that's female and she would have the salary to buy that perfume in bulk. Also the only person with access to documents like this."
I feel a cold knot forming in my stomach. "Tanya? But why would she be in Edward's office?"
"That's what we need to figure out," Rosalie replies. "But there's more, Bella. There's something else I found in those documents… something that points to Edward."
My heart stops for a moment as I look up at her, fear and disbelief warring within me. "What do you mean?"
Rosalie hesitates, clearly torn between wanting to protect me and telling me the truth. "Bella… one of the documents had his actual signature on it. And it wasn't just a routine contract—it was something more. It looks like Edward was aware of the financial discrepancies, at least partially. There's a note in his handwriting that mentions reallocating funds."
She taps on her phone, pulling up the image, and hands it back to me. My eyes scan the neat, precise handwriting, recognising Edward's familiar script. The letter reads:
To Whom It May Concern,
After reviewing our current financial situation, it has become clear that immediate action is necessary to prevent further losses. I have instructed Tanya to oversee the reallocation of funds from less profitable projects to those with higher return potential. This is a temporary measure to stabilise the company's cash flow and ensure we meet our upcoming deadlines.
These adjustments should be kept confidential until we can present a unified front to our investors. I trust that you understand the sensitivity of this matter and the importance of maintaining our firm's reputation during this critical time.
Edward Cullen
As I read the letter on her phone, my breath catches in my throat. This isn't just a casual note—it's a clear indication that Edward was involved in something much deeper, something he didn't mention to me. The careful language, the urgency, and the secrecy.
I stare at the letter, my mind reeling. The Edward I know—the one I've grown closer to, the one I've started to trust—had kept this from me. This wasn't just a small oversight or a minor detail; this was a deliberate decision to hide something critical about his company, something that could have devastating consequences.
"This letter…" My voice was barely above a whisper as the gravity of it began to sink in. "Rosalie, if this gets out, it could destroy him."
She nodded, her expression serious. "I know. That's why I had to show you. This isn't just some minor oversight. We're talking about serious financial instability. It's not being disclosed. Hiding bankruptcy essentially from his stakeholders."
I read the letter again, this time more slowly, letting the implications hit me like a ton of bricks. "If investors find out about this, they could pull their money. Clients might back out of contracts. Edward's entire firm could collapse."
"Not to mention the legal implications," Rosalie added, her voice low. "If he's been hiding this from his investors or partners, it could be considered fraud. He could be sued, or worse…"
A chill ran down my spine. The thought of Edward being caught up in a scandal like this was almost too much to bear. But what if he was involved? What if he had known about this all along?
"And then there's Felix," I whispered, the thought sending a jolt of fear through me. "If he gets wind of this, he could use it to force Edward into a corner. He might take control of the company entirely, leaving Edward with nothing."
Rosalie nodded slowly. "That's why this letter is so dangerous. It's not just a problem for Edward's business—it could destroy his life. But…"
"But what?" I asked, my heart pounding.
Rosalie hesitated before continuing, her voice gentle yet firm. "But there's something else. If Edward knew about this, if he's been covering it up, then… then maybe he's not as innocent as you want to believe."
My heart sank. The thought had crossed my mind, but hearing Rosalie say it out loud made it feel more real, more damning. "You really think he could be involved in something like this?"
"I don't want to think that," she replied, her voice softening. "But we can't ignore the possibility. We have to consider everything, Bella. You need to be prepared for what you might find."
I swallowed hard, the weight of her words settling over me like a heavy blanket. I wanted to believe in Edward, to trust that he was the man I thought he was. But this letter—it complicated everything. My mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—love, doubt, fear. I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was slipping out of control.
Rosalie reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Whatever happens, I'm here for you. We'll figure this out together."
I nodded, trying to muster up some semblance of strength. "Thanks, Rosalie. I don't know what I'd do without you."
She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We're in this together, Bella. Just… be careful, okay? His dick might be great but it's not going to be much use to you when it's in prison."
I took a deep breath, trying to push away the gnawing doubt that was creeping into my mind. I needed to stay focused, to figure out the truth—whatever it might be. And I needed to be ready for whatever I discovered, even if it shattered everything I thought I knew about Edward.
As Rosalie and I sat in the café, the tension between us was palpable. My eyes roamed the room, trying to focus on anything other than the whirlwind of thoughts in my head. That's when I spotted her—Tanya—sitting in a corner booth, her attention on her phone as she sipped her coffee. A jolt of adrenaline surged through me.
"Rosalie," I whispered, nodding toward Tanya. "That's her. That's Tanya."
Rosalie's gaze followed mine, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Well, isn't this just perfect?" she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's go have a little chat with Miss Perfume."
Without hesitation, Rosalie stands up, her movements quick and determined. I follow closely behind, my heart racing as we approach Tanya's table. The air between us crackles with tension.
"Excuse me," Rosalie says in a cold and unfriendly tone.
Tanya looks up, her eyes widening slightly as she takes in Rosalie's fierce expression. It is evident that she does not recognise us. "Can I help you?" Tanya asks, her voice laced with confusion.
Rosalie leans over the table, her gaze icy. "Oh, I believe you can. We need to have a little discussion about some business you've been handling recently."
Tanya's expression flickered with surprise before she quickly masked it. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"Not yet," Rosalie snapped, sliding into the seat across from her. "But you're about to. And I suggest you listen closely because I don't like repeating myself."
I slid into the booth beside Rosalie, trying to keep my composure as she continued to take charge of the situation.
"What is this about?" Tanya asked, her voice now edged with irritation.
Rosalie didn't miss a beat. "Let's talk about your choice of perfume, shall we?" she began, her tone cutting. "Chanel, right? A very distinctive scent, one that lingers."
Tanya's eyes flashed with irritation, but Rosalie didn't give her a chance to respond.
"You see," Rosalie continued, her voice dripping with disdain, "I used to work at a fragrance counter back in college, so I've got a nose for these things. And wouldn't you know it, I've come across that very same scent recently. It's quite unmistakable."
Tanya's posture stiffened, her fingers tightening around her coffee cup. "I don't know what you're insinuating, but I have nothing to do with whatever you're getting at."
Rosalie leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she fixed Tanya with a cold, calculating stare. "Oh, don't play coy with me. We both know you're not exactly a saint. So why don't you cut the crap and tell us what's really going on before things get messy?"
Tanya's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenching as she tried to maintain her composure. "You're way out of line."
Rosalie's smile was all teeth. "And you're way out of your depth. So let's make this simple: what's your game, Tanya? We're not here to play nice."
Tanya glanced between us, clearly weighing her options. But Rosalie wasn't about to give her any time to think.
"Tick-tock, Tanya," Rosalie said, tapping her manicured nails on the table with exaggerated patience. "We're waiting."
Tanya let out a slow breath, her posture rigid. "I don't know what you think you're trying to pull, but you're barking up the wrong tree. There's nothing for you to find here."
Rosalie's eyes flickered with something dark and dangerous. "Is that so? Because, from where I'm sitting, it seems like you're hiding something. And trust me, I've got a knack for finding out secrets."
Tanya's gaze hardened, and for a moment, the tension between the three of us hung thick in the air. But there was a crack in her facade—a flicker of something that told me she wasn't as confident as she pretended to be.
"You know," Rosalie said, her voice low and menacing, "it's funny how people think they can get away with things. But the truth has a way of coming out, one way or another. So, are you going to tell us what you're hiding, or do we have to find out the hard way?"
Tanya's expression faltered for just a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "I'm not hiding anything," she insisted, though her voice wavered slightly.
Rosalie smirked, leaning in closer. "We'll see about that, won't we?"
Edward POV
The morning was already off to a rough start. The headache from yesterday's tense discussions with Felix lingered, and the coffee in my hand did little to quell the storm brewing in my mind. I'd just sat down at my desk, hoping for a moment to gather my thoughts, when the door to my office flew open without so much as a knock.
Tanya stormed in, her face a mask of barely contained fury. I could tell from the moment she stepped inside that this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.
"Edward, we need to talk," she snapped, slamming the door behind her.
I raised an eyebrow, trying to maintain my composure despite the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "Tanya, what the hell is going on?"
She marched over to my desk, planting her hands firmly on the surface as she leaned in. "Your so-called 'girlfriend' and her little sidekick just accosted me at a café, demanding answers about work-related documents."
My mind reeled, trying to process what she was saying. Bella? At a café with Rosalie? What the hell were they thinking? Bella had been here yesterday. The supply closet - shit. Surely she didn't do that. Surely my girlfriend didn't pull the wool over my eyes like that. Using sex to distract me like that. It wasn't in her nature. I know this woman.
"What are you talking about?" I demanded, my voice low and controlled, though my pulse quickened with anxiety.
Tanya's eyes blazed with anger as she spat out her next words. "They cornered me, Edward. Harassed me about business matters they have no business knowing about. That cheap skank whore and her smart-mouthed bitch of a friend! They had the nerve to confront me as if they're part of this company."
Hearing Tanya insult Bella like that was like a match striking gasoline. My vision clouded with red as fury surged through me. I stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Watch your mouth, Tanya," I warned, my voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "You don't talk about Bella like that."
Tanya flinched slightly at my tone but didn't back down. "I'm just telling you the truth, Edward. She and her friend were digging into things they shouldn't be. This could jeopardise everything you've built.
The thought that Bella might have somehow implicated my business filled me with dread. But at the same time, I couldn't believe she would do something so reckless. There had to be more to this story.
"Tanya," I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep my temper in check, "you'd better start explaining exactly what happened. What did they say? What documents were they asking about?"
Before Tanya could respond, my phone buzzed loudly on the desk, cutting through the tension. I glanced down at the screen and saw Felix's name flashing on the caller ID. The timing couldn't have been worse.
"I'm not finished with you," I growled at Tanya, holding up a hand to silence her as I picked up the phone. "This conversation isn't over."
I answered the call, my mind still racing with a mix of anger and confusion. "Felix, this isn't a good time," I said, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.
"Make time," Felix's voice came through, cold and unyielding. "We need to talk, Edward. Now."
I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening around the phone. "What is it?" I asked, my patience wearing thin.
Felix's tone left no room for argument. "It's about that letter you wrote for me. We have another issue that requires your signature."
My blood ran cold. The letter. The one Felix had practically forced me to write—something that had already crossed lines I never wanted to cross. The thought of being dragged further into his web of illegal activities made my stomach churn.
"I told you I wasn't comfortable with that," I said, my voice low and dangerous.
"And I told you that you didn't have a choice," Felix shot back. "If you want this merger to go through, if you want to keep your company from sinking, you'll sign off on this next step. Or I'll make sure you regret it."
I felt trapped, like the walls were closing in on me from all sides. Bella's involvement, Tanya's accusations, and now Felix's threats—everything was spiralling out of control.
"Felix," I began, trying to find a way out of this nightmare, "there has to be another way. I'm not going to risk everything I've built on something that could destroy us all."
But Felix was relentless. "You're already in too deep, Edward. One more step won't make a difference now. Either you sign the papers, or you'll lose everything—including your precious company."
I felt a deep sense of dread settle in my chest as Felix's words echoed in my ears. The thought of signing off on another illegal activity, of being complicit in something that went against everything I believed in, made me sick. But the alternative—losing everything, including my company, my reputation, and possibly even Bella—seemed just as unbearable.
I had to make a decision, and I had to make it fast. But as I stood there, phone in hand, the weight of the situation pressed down on me, and I realised that no matter what choice I made, there would be consequences.
And they might just destroy everything.
I felt the world closing in around me as Felix's cold, calculating voice continued to drone on through the phone. His words were just background noise now, eclipsed by the furious drumbeat of my thoughts. The reality was crashing down on me—I was losing control of everything I'd built, and the pressure from every side was unbearable.
But Tanya… Tanya was standing right in front of me, looking smug, thinking she could walk into my office and insult Bella—my Bella. The woman who had been lingering in my thoughts since that fateful night.
I tightened my grip on the phone and cut Felix off mid-sentence. "I'll deal with you later," I snapped before ending the call abruptly.
Turning my attention back to Tanya, who looked momentarily startled by the abrupt end of my call, I felt a surge of anger so intense it was almost blinding. The fact that she had the audacity to insult Bella, to make my personal life her business, was infuriating.
"Tanya," I began, my voice dangerously low, "I won't tolerate you disrespecting Bella—or anyone else—like that. If you have an issue with my personal life, you keep it to yourself."
Tanya's smug expression faltered slightly, but she recovered quickly, lifting her chin defiantly. "I was just trying to protect you, Edward. That girl and her friend are digging into things they have no business—"
"Enough!" I cut her off, my patience snapping. "You've crossed a line, Tanya. You have no idea what Bella means to me, and frankly, it's none of your business. But what is my business is how you've handled this situation. And right now, I'm done with you."
Her eyes widened in shock, but I didn't give her a chance to respond.
"You're fired," I stated coldly, each word precise and final. "Clear out your desk, and leave the premises immediately. I'll have HR send you the paperwork."
For a moment, Tanya just stared at me, her face a mask of disbelief. Then, she sputtered, "You can't be serious. After everything I've done for you, for this company—"
"You've made your position here untenable," I said, cutting her off. "Consider this your final warning. Leave now, or I'll have security escort you out."
Tanya's face twisted with anger, but there was something else there too—fear. She had overplayed her hand, and now she was paying the price.
"You'll regret this, Edward," she hissed, but her voice wavered.
"Get out," I repeated, pointing to the door.
Tanya hesitated for just a moment longer, as if she was going to argue further, but then she turned on her heel and stormed out of my office, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that followed was deafening. I stood there, breathing heavily, trying to process what had just happened. Firing Tanya was a drastic move, but it was one I had to make. She had overstepped, and I couldn't let that slide. Not when so much was at stake.
But as the reality of what I'd just done began to sink in, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Firing Tanya wouldn't solve all my problems—not by a long shot. If anything, it might just make things worse.
And then there was Bella… What had she been doing with Rosalie? What had they discovered that could have pushed Tanya over the edge?
As I sank back into my chair, the weight of everything bore down on me again. I needed to figure out what was really going on before it was too late—before I lost everything I cared about.
And that started with Bella.
