Edward's POV

Edward stared at the files spread out before him, a stark contrast to the immaculate desk in his home office. The crisp manila folders, filled with documents that had haunted him for nearly a decade, now seemed like relics of a past he had tried desperately to leave behind. Yet here he was, sifting through them again, each page a painful reminder of Bella's disappearance. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as the weight of it all pressed down on him.

Earlier that day, his secretary had dropped off a stack of urgent papers requiring his signature. Contracts, financial statements, all part of the responsibilities he had inherited along with his father's wealth. Edward had gone through them mechanically, his mind only half engaged. The real exhaustion came not from the business matters at hand but from the memories that had resurfaced the moment he opened the first folder.

After hours of staring at numbers and legal jargon, Edward couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was something he had missed all those years ago. Something important. He pushed aside the corporate papers and reached into a drawer, pulling out an old, worn leather bag. Inside were the investigation files he had collected after Bella vanished. He hadn't had the strength to examine them thoroughly back then; the grief had been too overwhelming. But now, as he carefully laid out each document, he forced himself to confront every detail.

There was the police report, stating the obvious: no body had been found, only a single drop of blood near her truck. A bloodstain so small, it could have been from a nosebleed, yet it was the only physical trace left of her. The investigators had considered various theories—abduction, runaway, animal attack—but none had panned out. If it had been an animal, surely there would have been more evidence. Torn clothing, a trail of blood, something. But there was nothing, just an eerie silence that had followed her disappearance.

He thumbed through the reports from the private investigators his father had hired, their findings just as inconclusive. They had combed through every lead, every possible clue, yet it was as if Bella had simply vanished into thin air. Edward's hands trembled slightly as he turned the pages, his mind racing to piece together a puzzle with too many missing pieces.

Finally, he closed the last folder and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. What was he missing? Why did it feel like the answers were right in front of him, just out of reach? He thought of the bookshop in Port Angeles, the last place Bella had visited before she disappeared. It had been so long since he had set foot in that town, but the memory of that day was still vivid in his mind. How he had driven there in a panic, his heart pounding in his chest, only to find her truck abandoned, her belongings scattered, and no sign of Bella.

He glanced at his watch. The bookshop would still be open. Perhaps it was foolish to return there after all this time, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was important. Grabbing his coat, Edward left his office and headed out the door, his mind made up.

The drive to Port Angeles was a blur. Edward's foot pressed hard on the accelerator, the Volvo's engine purring as he navigated the winding roads. The familiar scenery flew past him, trees and mountains blending into a dark green blur. His thoughts were far from the road, lost in memories of Bella, her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her favorite books. He could still see her clearly in his mind, standing in that bookshop, her fingers gently tracing the spines of the novels she loved.

When he arrived, the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the street. The bookshop looked the same as it had nine years ago, its wooden sign creaking slightly in the evening breeze. Edward hesitated for a moment before pushing open the door, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood greeting him like an old friend.

Inside, everything was just as he remembered. The shelves were lined with books of every genre, the cozy reading nooks tucked away in the corners still inviting. Edward's eyes scanned the room, searching for any trace of Bella, as if she might still be there, browsing the shelves. But the shop was empty, save for the elderly woman behind the counter who offered him a polite smile.

He walked slowly through the aisles, his fingers brushing against the spines of the books, just as Bella's had done. When he reached her favorite section, he stopped, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his lips. How many times had he found her here, lost in a novel, oblivious to the world around her? It was a small comfort to know that at least this place hadn't changed, even if everything else had.

After lingering for a few more minutes, Edward finally turned to leave. The answers he sought weren't here. As he stepped back outside, the cool evening air hit his face, clearing his mind. He needed to go home, to think, to piece together everything he had learned today.

But fate had other plans. As he sped down the highway, the forest on either side of him thick and dark, a deer suddenly darted out onto the road. Edward's reflexes kicked in, and he swerved to avoid it, but the maneuver sent his car skidding off the road. The Volvo slammed into a tree with a sickening crunch, the impact jarring him forward against the seatbelt.

For a moment, everything went black. When Edward came to, he was slumped over the steering wheel, his head throbbing. The front of the car was crumpled against the tree, the windshield spider-webbed with cracks. He groaned, wincing as he moved, his body protesting every slight motion. Thankfully, it seemed like he had avoided any serious injury, but he knew he needed to get to a hospital to be sure.

He managed to free himself from the wreck and, after a few minutes of staggering around to get his bearings, he climbed back into the car and turned the key. The engine sputtered to life, and he carefully pulled back onto the road, driving slowly towards the nearest hospital.

By the time he arrived at the ER, the adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain was setting in. A nurse quickly ushered him into a room, and after a few minutes, a doctor walked in. Edward looked up, and for a moment, his breath caught in his throat.

The man standing before him was tall and impossibly pale, his features sharp and flawless. He introduced himself as Dr. Carlisle Cullen, his voice calm and reassuring as he examined Edward's injuries. There was something eerily familiar about him, something that tugged at the edges of Edward's memory, but he couldn't quite place it.

Carlisle worked efficiently, his hands gentle as he cleaned and bandaged the cuts on Edward's forehead and arms. Edward couldn't help but notice how cold his touch was, almost like ice, and how his skin seemed to glow faintly under the harsh fluorescent lights. The doctor's paleness reminded Edward of something—no, someone. Bella. The image of her in the meadow flashed through his mind, her skin pale and cold, her eyes distant and empty.

Carlisle was just finishing up when a nurse entered the room, her expression urgent. "Dr. Cullen, there's an emergency," she said, her voice strained. "It's your daughter."

Edward looked up sharply. Daughter? The doctor barely looked old enough to have children, let alone a daughter who required urgent medical attention. Carlisle's expression remained calm, though there was a flicker of something in his eyes—worry, perhaps, or something deeper.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Masen, but I need to attend to this," Carlisle said, his tone professional but warm. "You're all set to go, but please take it easy for the next few days."

Edward nodded, though his mind was already racing with questions. The nurse began to lead Carlisle out of the room, but Edward called after them, unable to suppress his curiosity. "Dr. Cullen, you have a daughter?"

Carlisle paused, glancing back at him with a faint smile. "Yes, I have five adopted children. Four of them attend Forks High School. My daughter is currently in college, though she visits often."

Edward nodded again, but something about the way Carlisle spoke, the way he carefully chose his words, made him even more curious. He watched as the doctor and nurse left the room, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.

After a few minutes, Edward was cleared to leave. The drive home was slow and uneventful, the adrenaline from earlier completely worn off. By the time he finally pulled into the driveway, exhaustion had settled deep into his bones. He barely had the energy to stumble inside, collapsing onto his bed without even bothering to change out of his clothes.

That night, Edward dreamed. It was the same dream that had plagued him for years, the one where Bella was there, just out of reach, her face obscured by shadows. But this time, it felt different. This time, she was clearer, more real. He could see her standing by the window, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. She looked so alive, so beautiful, that for a moment, he forgot it was just a dream.

"Bella," he whispered, reaching out for her.

She turned to him, her eyes locking onto his, and for the briefest moment, he swore she was really there, watching over him. But just as quickly, the dream began to fade, and when Edward woke up, the room was empty, the only sound the soft rustling of the curtains in the breeze.

He lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, his heart aching with the weight of what he had lost. Bella's presence in the dream had felt so real, so tangible, that it left him more hollow than before. The answers still eluded him, but one thing was clear—he was no closer to letting go of the past than he had been nine years ago.

With a heavy sigh, Edward closed his eyes, trying to push the images from his mind. Tomorrow would bring more questions, more mysteries, but for now, all he could do was wait and hope that, somehow, the truth would finally come to light.

Edward meets Carlisle.