Chapter 19

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Chapter 19

Carlisle settled into his seat before the lights went down so the final act could begin. He looked to his right and smiled when he saw his wife staring, unsurprisingly, at Edward and Isabella who were a few rows in front of them. They could have sat up in the CP box with the others, but attending the opera was one of the things Esme enjoyed more than just about anything and well, as much as he loved Emmett, appreciating the arts was not necessarily his forte. He watched Edward visit with the people sitting around him, laughing quietly at something someone had said. He kept a hold of Isabella's hand; in fact if Carlisle was to guess, he'd have to say he'd barely let go of her all night.

Carlisle looked around the theater and took in all the different people, people he'd known for the majority of his life for the most part. People he worked with and against. Most he liked, some he didn't. They were the owners of some of the biggest and most well-known businesses in Chicago and other places, too. They were the movers and shakers of the business world, the arts, doctors, lawyers; all successful in their own rights. As he looked from person to person, the thing that struck him the most was not one of them looked as content as his son did.

He watched from his position as Edward leaned forward in his seat to speak to Grant Keith. They got engrossed, from what he could see, in conversation but it only took a few minutes for Edward to let go of Isabella's hand and place his hand on her back, while she spoke to Kara Markussen. He gazed at them in amazement when Edward, seemingly without realizing he was doing so, rubbed her back gently in a circle, almost as if to remind her that he was still there, or maybe it was to remind him she was still there. Whatever it was, it took him quite by surprise.

Over the past few weeks, since the dinner at Emmett's, Carlisle had spent a great deal of time deep in thought. He couldn't count the number of times Esme had caught him sitting at his desk in his study at home, staring off into space or the number of times he'd lost track of what someone was saying during a meeting at the Foundation and at the office. He couldn't seem to get the conversation he and Edward had had out of his mind. He replayed the words over and over again and each time he was struck anew just how badly he'd misread the entire situation it seemed in regard to Edward and William. He could finally admit, though it was only to himself and not the person who needed to hear it, that he'd been wrong.

So very, very wrong.

He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. Carlisle knew the time was coming, and in all honesty he would rather sooner than later, when he, Esme, Edward and he was sure, Isabella, would have to sit down and talk about the things that had happened to Edward before he left Ireland as well as what happened once he'd come to live with them. As he quickly thought back over that tense, difficult, but also wonderful time, he could easily see, with the gift of hindsight and age, the plethora of mistakes he'd made where Edward was concerned. How when his father swooped in almost immediately with prompts and suggestions, he let him. How both he and Esme let Edward try to work through whatever had hurt him by himself because that was what they assumed he wanted based on his actions. How over the years he'd let his own bitterness and resentment toward his father affect his relationship with Edward until it got to the point that it had. How he was too afraid, and truthfully, too fucking proud to make the first move to mend their relationship.

Esme wasn't the only one that spent a good deal of time so far this evening watching his son and daughter-in-law. There was something about them both, tonight especially, that just seemed to draw your attention to them. It wasn't as if they were acting in a way that made them noticeable, but more just the aura that surrounded them. He'd noticed it the moment they entered the dining room and spoke with Johann. He'd noticed it during the first intermission when they sat with Jasper and Alice. He could see it now.

The thought that slammed into Carlisle like a Mack truck as he heard Edward's unmistakable laugh drift up toward him was that he was tremendously proud of the man his son had become. It was obvious from the way Isabella looked at him, the way Emmett, Rose, Jasper, Alice, and the others embraced him, and the way his peers and colleagues acted around him, that Edward had changed. He wasn't sure if he and Edward would ever be at a place where he would be privy to the reason behind it, but he could always hope.

And hope he would.

"Love, do you need anything before the final act begins?" Edward asked once he'd sat back in his seat and focused his attention solely on his wife.

She shook her head and Edward couldn't help but sigh at how beautiful she looked. "No, thank you, sweetheart, I'm okay," Isabella answered him.

He reached for her hand and picked it up, brushing a light kiss across the back of it. He was still a bit worried she was upset with him for talking to Anna, but so far she had said very little so he didn't know for sure. She didn't seem to be, but the thought of her being angry at him twisted his stomach in knots. "You're sure you're not upset with me for speaking to Anna?" he asked quietly as the lights dimmed.

"Did she upset you, or say anything that hurt you?" Isabella asked immediately.

Edward shook his head. "No, love, it wasn't anything like that. It was a bit uncomfortable yes, but it was good to clear the air."

"Then there is nothing for me to be upset about. Edward, I trust you, completely. When we get home, you can tell me what you two talked about if you want to, but as long as you are all right, then I'm good," she told him.

"You're so good to me," Edward said softly as the actors made their way onto the stage.

Isabella pulled their joined hands onto her lap and squeezed his. "That's because no one is more important to me than you. You're my Edward," she said and then sighed.

Edward leaned over and bent his head close to her. He nuzzled her neck with his nose and then placed his lips right by her ear and whispered softly, "I've always and only been yours, Beautiful."

Isabella settled against him, feeling his words fill her heart and soul with an abundance of love so great she was sure she would explode with it. What he just said to her was the reason she could wait to get home before finding out what Edward and Anna talked about. Now, if he had been upset, that would have been a completely different story. Tiger Isabella would definitely have shown her claws if that had been the case.

All night she couldn't help but feel like she and Edward had been on display and while that would normally bother her a great deal, admittedly tonight, she didn't mind at all. She was proud to stand beside Edward, proud to be introduced to his colleagues, and most importantly, proud to be his wife. She loved the quiet moments they spent with each other at home but she couldn't help but get a thrill as she watched him work the room so to speak while he visited and networked. She felt a little bubble of glee, and in all honesty it bordered on conceit, though Isabella would never feel like she was better than anyone, to be by his side.

Over the past month, as she had spent more time working beside him, she could fully appreciate just how charismatic and magnetic a man he was. It wasn't like she didn't know that already, but really up until she started on the project with Emmett, she didn't spend much time at the office at all. There were meetings she needed to attend with her fellow editors and the clients she personally worked with. There were executive meetings where her presence was required, if only because she was a Cullen and Edward's wife. She and Alec tried to have lunch once a week to catch up. There were functions that she attended with Edward as representatives for the company, but nothing on the scale as the past month had been. While she wouldn't go so far to say that Edward's work schedule for most of the time they'd been married was acceptable, especially because he used it as a means of avoidance, she'd always known just how important CP was to him.

She meant, wholeheartedly, what she'd told him earlier. She had every intention going forward of doing everything she could to ensure CP's success. She couldn't help but feel a bit, and actually a lot at times, ashamed of the hands-off approach she'd taken so far. Admittedly, Edward never asked for more input from her and he didn't ever seem like he wanted it, either, but she couldn't help but feel like if she'd made more of an effort at that aspect of things, maybe Edward would have made more of an effort as well.

She looked to her left and found Edward watching her instead of the stage.

That seemed to happen quite a lot, she thought. "Edward, you need to pay attention," she chided, thought not very seriously.

"I suppose you're right. Nonna told me to pay close attention in the final act for some reason. I'd hate for her to give me a quiz tomorrow after Mass and not be able to pass." Edward snickered in her ear.

His warm breath caused her to break out in goosebumps and of course her husband being the adorable man he was, let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She wasn't cold but she sure as hell wasn't about to tell him that!

Edward chuckled softly as Isabella snuggled up close to him. He turned his head and kissed the top of hers and then focused on the stage in front of him. All performance long he'd had this feeling of not so much foreboding, but expectation. Nonna would never have specifically told him to pay attention if there wasn't a meaning behind it. He also had a feeling the annoying angel person was hovering; he could feel him.

Of course he could just be close by so he could ogle his wife from wherever the heck he was.

The performance started and Edward lost himself in the story before him. Sometime later, the scene changed on the stage and Edward felt his skin prickle. The music changed and Edward's heart began to beat faster as he watched Gretchen pray for the seemingly forsaken Faust. It was so eerily similar to what he imagined Isabella had said during her own prayers. She'd told him numerous times, Seth had as well, how she prayed for him. She never told him specifically what she prayed about and he hadn't asked, but watching the stage in front of him he couldn't help but imagine it was much the same. He watched, transfixed, as Faust met his end and through the grace of God and because of his constant attempts to change his ways, coupled with Gretchen's prayers, he was saved from Mephistopheles. As the scene hit its crescendo, Edward felt himself completely fall apart. He knew he was still sitting in the opera house; he knew Isabella was right next to him, but it was as if he separated from his body, only to come back together again as the music faded away as well. In that one moment, where it seemed as if he was in two different places at the same time, Edward saw more than he'd ever seen before, even more than when he was on that damnable plane ride those many weeks ago.

Yes, he'd made so many mistakes in his life that they were too many to count. Yes, he'd hurt the people he loved, Isabella especially, but his family and friends as well. Yes, he'd been traumatized and damaged when he was only a boy and that had affected him deeply, probably on levels he hadn't even begun to explore yet, but as he watched Faust ascend toward heaven on the stage, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of completeness, of tranquility.

Somehow, he knew things would be okay. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he was sure of what he was feeling. He didn't want to die and had come to terms with the reason for Seth's presence in his life, but he had faith that everything would work out the way it was supposed to.

He knew his eyes were going to be rimmed with red and he knew there would be the telltale trace of tears on his cheeks and he knew without a doubt Isabella would know that he'd been crying. He hoped she would just think he was moved by the performance, not because he had been in the middle of the most intense out-of-body experience he could ever imagine. He had no idea what had happened to him, but he sure as hell knew that the first chance he got, he was asking the all-knowing angel. He'd be putting that theory to the test post haste.

He tried, as unobtrusively as possible, to wipe beneath his eyes, but of course Isabella caught him right away. He gave her a smile and a slight shrug of his shoulders. He'd known she'd know anyway; there hadn't been any point at all of trying to hide it.

Isabella felt her stomach drop when she looked at Edward and saw that he'd been crying, but she said nothing. She felt him during the final act when he'd squeezed her hand so tight she lost feeling in it but she didn't acknowledge it. It was obvious the scene was affecting him and though she was incredibly curious to know exactly what had moved him so deeply, she'd wait until they were alone to ask him. She had a guess as to what it was, after all, she knew him better than anyone, so she knew not to push.

When the lights to the theater came back on and everyone stood and clapped, Isabella looked once again at her husband and though his eyes and nose were a tiny bit red, he looked and seemed just fine, better than fine actually.

Once the audience had finished clapping and the performers had taken their final bows Isabella turned to Edward and whispered, "Congratulations, sweetheart. Tonight has been a tremendous success."

Numerous people approached to tell him the same thing and then finally they were able to make their way out of the theater. When they finally stopped in the lobby, Isabella caught Vincent staring at them out of the corner of her eye. She turned and gazed at him levelly, trying to figure out exactly what the hell his problem was. He stared back at her, his eyes cold and vacant, and then winked at her before turning back to his group of people. She also noticed that he didn't even bother to acknowledge Anna's presence right beside him either. He was too wrapped up in whatever he was talking about with his colleagues to pay her any attention at all. Anna must have felt her looking at her because she turned in her direction and when Isabella smiled at her, she couldn't help but gasp but gave her a grateful smile in return.

Surprisingly, any anger she'd felt toward the other woman faded immediately. It was clear that she had no nefarious intentions toward her or Edward and as long as that remained the case, Isabella couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Vincent was a snake, just like Edward had said, and Anna deserved better than him. No one deserved to be subjected to the vile man.

"Beautiful, we're going to be late if we don't head toward the restaurant," Edward said as he reached for her arm.

She shook her head and realized that everyone was waiting on her so they could leave. Edward had made reservations for them all at Coco Pazzo for after opera drinks and dessert. He also let it slip it was so the family and Jasper, Alice, Alec, Marcus, and their dates could celebrate her birthday as well. It was completely unnecessary but she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings so she smiled and let Edward help her with her wrap.

The restaurant was within walking distance and Edward kept his arm tightly wrapped around her to ward off the chill and just because he was Edward.

She listened to Alice and Rosalie chatter and she heard Jasper laugh at something Emmett had said. She chuckled, there was no telling what that could have been.

She looked up when she felt someone step alongside her and smiled when she realized it was Alec. She glanced behind her and noticed that his date was talking to Camille.

Alec rolled his eyes at her when she looked back at him. "Um, yeah, Amber wasn't a big fan of the opera," he said in his usual sarcastic way.

One look at the beautiful woman he'd brought as his date and it wasn't that hard to figure out. Alec always had a tendency to pick looks over brains; it had been that way for as long as he could remember. It was something he hoped to change in the near future.

"Oh, Alec." Isabella giggled at him.

Edward was talking to Carlisle and Esme so she stepped away from him and hooked her arm in Alec's. Edward looked at her in question when he felt her move away from him and then gave her a sweet smile when he saw she was talking with Alec. She blew him a kiss and Alec couldn't help but chuckle at the two of them.

If he didn't love them both so much, they'd surely make him sick.

He laughed even harder when Isabella tried to give him what he was sure was supposed to be a glare, but instead it wound up as some sort of wink kind of thing. "Bella, give it up, honey. You can't give anyone a dirty look, especially me. You love me too much to get mad at me," he teased her.

"Don't bet on it, buster. Good thing for you you're right though." She laughed back at him.

He bumped her hip with his and they walked a few steps before he remarked, "You both look exceptionally happy, Bella. I couldn't be happier for either of you."

Alec knew he acted like a dick most of the time and he made no apologies for it. He was a classic Type-A personality and because he didn't have a wife, a family, or much else, he worked harder than anyone he knew, besides Edward that was.

Well, the old Edward, he reminded himself.

He didn't have many friends, never felt the need for them really. He had a job he thoroughly enjoyed, he found himself company of the female persuasion easily and often, he worked out at the gym and ate out at the best restaurants almost every night. He was content, not particularly happy, but not unhappy either. His job kept him busy enough so that he didn't have much time to think about all the things that were missing from his life, but ever since Edward's abrupt change, he found himself questioning the path he was on more and more.

Damn Edward, he thought, though it was done so with affection.

"Thank you, Alec. Things are...really good," Isabella answered him with a sigh.

Alec snickered. "I'd say so. You know there is a bet at the office to try to guess what's going on with him?"

Isabella immediately pulled him to a stop and gave him an incredulous look. He was shocked at how angry she got, and how quickly, too, not to mention when the Italian, or what he assumed was Italian started spewing from her mouth.

"E 'affari cazzo di nessuno cosa gli è successo e se trovo chi ha parlato di lui, ne pentirai!" (It's no one's fucking business what happened to him and if I find out who has been talking about him, they'll be sorry!)

He watched, stunned, as her hands started waving about and her eyes turned almost black she was so mad.

"Alec, what the hell?" he heard Edward ask harshly as he stepped beside Isabella.

"Man, I have no idea," Alec answered and watched in disbelief as Isabella calmed down immediately when Edward touched her arm.

She took a deep breath and then smiled gently at him and said softly, "I'm fine, Edward. Let me talk to Alec for a few minutes. You all go on in; we won't be long."

"Isabella," he said, sounding completely torn about leaving her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Really. Get our table and order me something really sweet," she told him and then stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Alec was still reeling; he had no idea what had set Bella off so badly, and he felt awful for upsetting her. Not that he minded seeing her get so riled up, though. She was magnificent when she was angry, though he was sure that he'd hate to be on the receiving end of her ire.

"Sorry, Alec," Edward told him and Alec waved him off immediately.

He didn't know what the hell was going on but he damn sure knew Edward was only worried about Bella being upset.

The rest of their party went into the restaurant and everyone gave them a worried look as they passed by, well, all except Amber. If that didn't tell him everything he'd ever need to know, he didn't know what would. He sure knew how to pick them, he thought with a huff. He looked anxiously at Bella and let out a very relieved breath when she smiled at him.

"I'm so sorry, Alec," she told him and ducked her head in embarrassment he guessed.

"So am I, though I have no idea for what," he told her with a shake of his head. "Bella, what the hell was that?"

He watched her blush and damn it all if he didn't love her just a little bit more.

She laughed a little, which made him feel better immediately, and then he watched as she shivered from the cool air. He shrugged out of his jacket and laid it across her shoulders and then motioned to the bench along the sidewalk. He led her to the bench and waited for her to tell him what the hell was going on.

Bella blew out a breath, pushed her hair back behind her ear, and then turned and looked at him. "I'm really sorry about that little outburst," she began and he snorted instantly.

"Little, Bella? You scared the ever-living shit out of me and I didn't even understand a word you said," he told her. "It's obvious what I said upset you. At the risk of having you rattle off Italian at me, you want to tell me what got you so riled up?"

He watched her play with her fingers and he could tell she was uneasy, though why, he had no idea. "Bella, come on, you can talk to me."

He knew it was weird and it kind of pissed him off that Marcus knew how he felt about Bella. Oh, he wasn't an idiot, he knew exactly how Bella and Edward felt about each other and really, he didn't have those kinds of feelings for her either. It was more of a fantasy type of thing. Bella was his ideal of the perfect woman and he couldn't help but compare every woman he met to her, and unfortunately for him and for them, none ever measured up. He adored and respected Bella more than any other woman he'd ever met. He meant every word he'd told Marcus not that long ago. In his eyes, Bella was perfect; she was beautiful, smart, funny, sweet, and from what he just witnessed, feisty as all get out. How could he ever want anyone that wasn't like she was? He felt the same affection and admiration for Edward, too, well maybe not quite the same but he was a close second. He and Edward had been friends for a long time; Alec didn't have many of them to begin with, and he would never disrespect either him or Bella by acting inappropriately.

"Alec, you've known Edward for a long time, longer than me, and I know he hasn't always been the easiest of people to be around," she began and giggled when Alec rolled his eyes at her statement. "You and I both know he's different, but I hate the thought of him being subjected to gossip like that. Something happened to him, and it's really not anyone's fucking business what it was except for me and the rest of you if he chooses to tell you. It's nothing to joke about and it's certainly not something meant to be office fodder. He's been so unhappy for such a long time and I won't let anything get in the way of that changing, at least not if I can help it," she told him in the fiercest voice he'd ever heard her use.

The use of the f-word didn't go unnoticed either.

He really felt like an asshole when she got done talking. With as much time as he spent with Edward at the office, he knew better than just about anyone how much he had changed and the effort he was putting forth to be a different man. He wasn't ever one for sappy, sentimental shit, but even he was moved by the changes he'd seen in his friend.

"Bella, I'm so sorry, and you're right. Whatever has happened to him, it's no one's business but yours and his. He's told me a bit, but I know there's more to it than that. I've known him for a long time, Marcus has known him even longer, and neither of us have seen him any happier than he's been for the last month. You two deserve every bit of it, too," Alec told her.

"I'm scared, Alec," she whispered so softly he almost didn't hear her, but hear her he did.

"Honey," he said in a pained voice and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Why?"

Isabella pursed her lips and closed her eyes for a moment. She'd needed to talk about something for weeks now and she'd struggled with trying to decide who she should turn to. She'd talked a bit with her mom and Nonna, but no one else. She didn't feel comfortable enough talking to Rose only because Rose's allegiance would always lay with Emmett over Edward. She didn't trust talking to Alice because as much as she loved her, Alice couldn't keep a secret to save her life. She felt odd talking to Jasper or Emmett only because they were the people Edward turned to and she didn't want to intrude on that. She had a great relationship with Marcus but that didn't feel right either. Truthfully, Isabella had always felt the most comfortable with Alec. It didn't make any sense at all especially because they were so totally opposite of each other, but maybe that was why it worked. They'd always gotten along really well and he never took any of Edward's bullshit or attitude lying down.

"Bella, come on, you can tell me. What's up?" Alec prodded her.

He waited for her to figure out what she wanted to say, but he could tell whatever it was had been weighing heavily on her. He felt even worse than he did earlier. It seemed like everyone, himself included, had been so focused on figuring out what was up with Edward that they'd all forgotten about her.

Fuck.

Bella reached up and pulled his jacket tighter around her and then looked at him. In a very quiet voice she said, "I don't want him to go back to the way he was, Alec. We've been so happy this past month and it would kill me if something happened and he changed back. I'm...I'm not sure I could handle that."

"Oh, Bella. Damn, come here," Alec told her and scooted her as close to him as he could get her. He rubbed the top of her arm with his hand and with the other reached across his lap and grabbed her hand. "How long have you been carrying that little tidbit around?" he asked.

She snorted and then rolled her eyes. "A while," she said evasively.

"Bella, look, we've always been honest with each other so I'm not going to lie to you. I can understand why you're worried, and I don't blame you, but you can't think like that. I never thought I'd see the day when Edward laughed and joked around, but he's been a completely different person for weeks now. I don't know him as well and you and the others do but I know him well enough to know, the Edward of late, that's the real Edward. That sullen, miserable Edward of before, that was just him protecting himself. I don't know from what and it's none of my business. If Edward or you want to tell me, that's fine, but I don't need to know it in order to know that Edward is a good man. Honey," Alec softened his voice and looked at her. "I love you both, I really do. I'm a self-absorbed asshole most of the time, I know I am, but even I can see how much the two of you love each other. Everyone at the opera tonight could tell; it was plain as day. I've never seen a man look at a woman, ever, the way Edward looks at you. It is like you're his saving grace and he'd be lost without you and hell that's probably the truth. I'm not telling you things will be perfect, because they won't. Edward is without a doubt the most stubborn, aggravating person I know, but you two love each other. And...keep this in mind, if he fucks up...you just come to me. I'll kick his ass from here to next week, and if that doesn't work, I'll just steal you away from him. You never know, if you gave me a shot, you might even like me more than him," he teased and kissed the side of her head.

"Alec," Isabella chided him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she told him quietly after a moment.

"Anytime, Bella, remember that," he told her and then helped her up. "If I don't get you back in there, not only will I have to deal with Edward but a very upset Alice, too, and no one wants that, so let's head in. You okay?" he asked once they were both standing up.

Isabella nodded at him and gave him a very sweet, gentle smile. "Alec Tipton, you don't fool me for one damn minute. You're a hell of a man and someday soon you'll find someone who appreciates you," she told him and then kissed his cheek. "Thank you again."

"Well, if there's someone out there for me, I guess I'm just going to have to look harder, huh?" he asked her and he wasn't kidding.

Not one fucking bit.

They made their way into the restaurant and found their group. He went to his place beside Amber, who barely even acknowledged his presence, and watched across the table with a smile as Edward pulled Isabella immediately to his side once they'd both sat back down.

His two friends were very lucky indeed.

"Love, is everything okay?" Edward asked, the worry evident in his voice.

Isabella took a drink of the warm machiatto that Edward had ordered for her and nodded her head immediately. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine. I promise. Alec told me something that caught me off-guard and I lost my temper for a minute. It's nothing, really," she told him reassuringly.

"So I don't get to kick his ass for upsetting you? Damn," he said with a chuckle.

"Maybe next time," Isabella answered him with a soft laugh and then looked around the table. She got startled when she looked to her left and Esme was sitting beside her. Edward had whisked her to the table and she was so concentrated on assuring him she was fine she never even noticed anyone else.

"Esme, hi," Isabella said fondly and then leaned over to give her a hug.

Esme patted her daughter-in-law on the back and then ran her hand down her arm before she said, "Hello, dear. I'm sorry I surprised you."

Isabella giggled and rolled her eyes. "Well, Edward didn't give me a chance to notice anyone else, so I'm sorry, too. How are you? Did you enjoy the performance?" Isabella asked.

"Oh, yes, very much so. The performance was spectacular. Edward should be very proud to support such amazing work," Esme answered back with a pleased tone of voice.

"I told him the same thing, along with everyone else," Isabella answered her back.

"Are you two talking about me?" Edward asked with a lopsided grin when he leaned around his wife. He took an extra moment or two to look at her just to make sure she was okay. He was dying to find out what Alec had said to her to get her so angry so quickly, but she appeared fine so he was somewhat appeased.

Isabella laid her hand on the side of his face and kissed the other cheek and smiled indulgently at him. "Of course we are, sweetheart. Now, stop being so nosy and let me visit with your mother."

Seth had been watching Edward and Isabella ever since Edward had finished talking with Anna. Not only did he want to be close by in case Isabella had gotten upset with Edward, though he didn't think that would happen, he also wanted to see Edward's reaction to the final act. He laughed to himself; he knew Edward was going to have questions aplenty for him once they were able spend some time talking.

In all matter-of-fact, he knew there was much to be discussed. Not only did they have to talk about his discussion with Anna and what had happened while he watched the final act, there was also the matter of CP as well. Seth was well aware that his young friend had not really grasped some of the legal aspects of what would happen to the company if he were no longer able to run it. Neither Carlisle nor Emmett wanted to be in charge; Jasper was an excellent attorney but businessman he was not, and Alec and Marcus, though brilliant in their own rights and more than capable of taking over, lacked one very important thing; they weren't Cullens.

That left only one person, and the angel knew, because he knew Edward better than anyone, it would not be easy for Edward to come to terms with that fact. It wasn't as though Edward would feel Isabella was incapable, though she was certainly inexperienced, it was more having to face the harsh reality of what his dying meant in terms of the more concrete things. Edward was a young man in the literal sense and as was common among driven, accomplished, powerful men, he felt as if he was invincible. He'd said as much all those weeks ago on the plane and Seth needed to get him to concentrate on the fact that his time was limited. He owed it to Isabella, his family, and his friends and employees to ensure that Cullen Publishing would go on, even if he wasn't there to run it.

Edward may have only been in charge for the past six or so years, but CP had been a part of his life for almost twenty years and it was his duty to make sure it would prosper long after he was gone. Seth admitted silently to himself that Isabella's declarations at dinner had really shocked him. His two humans were getting extremely adept at doing that on a regular basis and that unnerved him more than he wanted to say. It made anticipating what their reactions were going to be rather difficult to say the least.

Seth decided it was time to make his presence known, especially because an unwanted interruption was about to take place. Going back to what he'd just thought, there was no telling how this would play out; Edward and Isabella had a funny way of acting in ways he least expected. In this case, it could be very, very bad or very, very good.

Just as Edward had started to wonder when his personal pain in his ass would show up, he looked up and lo and behold there he was.

"You didn't miss me did you, Eddie?" Seth asked with a shit-eating grin.

Edward snorted. "Not hardly," he answered, though he had a smile on his face. "Any particular reason you're here, or did you just come to stare at my wife?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the cheeky angel immediately responded. "Seriously though, how are you holding up?"

Seth liked to give Edward shit, no doubt about it, but he was first and foremost responsible for making sure Edward kept moving forward and Seth never lost sight of that fact. He couldn't afford to for one, and Gideon wouldn't allow it either.

Edward looked around the table and saw all of his friends and family, with exception of the Swans, and realized how incredibly lucky he was, how lucky he'd always been really. The people that surrounded him had always been by his side, even when his head was buried far up his ass and he again felt that same regret for all the time he'd wasted.

The angel sighed as he watched Edward's shoulders slump ever so slightly and he knew full well where Edward's mind went. No matter how happy Edward was, how many wrongs he corrected, there would always be that agonizing reality that he'd lost a great deal of time hiding when he could have been living instead of merely existing.

Edward heard the patient sigh and looked up at Seth. "I know, I know. There isn't anything I can do about the past, I can only go forward. It doesn't make accepting that any easier, though, you know? I'm incredibly blessed; I know I am, but it doesn't mean I can't mourn for the time I lost with Isabella and my family and friends," Edward said sadly.

"Edward Anthony," the angel said in a voice that immediately soothed Edward's troubled heart. "Of course you can grieve for the time you missed loving your wife fully and being embraced by your family, but you can't let that stop you from continuing the progress you've made. Look what you did for Anna tonight, my friend. Absolutely amazed me, I have to say, and you know I'm not easily impressed. I'd be willing to bet, and because I'm never wrong you should believe what I'm saying, that our Anna Davenport will be a changed woman from now on. An Isabella she'll never be, but I guarantee she'll be happier and more content going forward. You did that for her, Edward, not because I told you to or because your lovely wife did either, but because it was the right and good thing to do." Seth moved so he was beside Edward and laid his hand on Edward's shoulder. Edward was, once again, flooded with a sense of peace and comfort and was filled with the belief that all would be okay. He didn't know how or why, he just knew.

"You're a changed man, Edward Anthony Cullen. You spend your time thinking about others first instead of yourself. Every action, every thought you have revolves around Isabella and how to make her happy, because that makes you happy. You ask for my help, and the help of the others, for her, for your family and your friends, but not for yourself. You helped Anna when it would have been just as easy to turn your back on her and not bothered. You are a good man, Edward, a great one even. Be proud of who you are," Seth finished in as loving a voice as Edward had ever heard.

Edward swallowed and had to clear his throat a few times before he was able to speak. "Thank you," he managed to say even though there was still a large lump he had to get rid of in his throat.

The all-seeing angel chuckled and tried to decide whether he should warn his charge of the impending events he had no doubt were about to unfold. Deciding he'd much rather watch things as they happened, he said nothing. Eh, Gideon would most likely give him a stern talking to, albeit with a gleam in his eye, but Seth would take it willingly. He couldn't let Edward think he was getting soft, now could he?

"Enjoy the rest of your night." Seth chuckled devilishly. "I'll be around if you need me," and then disappeared.

"Damn angel," Edward muttered and narrowed his eyes when he registered the tone of voice he'd used. There was no telling what that meant, Edward thought with a groan.

There really were times he'd like to wring the being's neck.

Everyone laughed and visited until Edward noticed Isabella yawning. "Beautiful, you've had a long day, are you ready to go home?" he asked her. He placed a finger beneath her chin and turned her face toward his. He bent his head down and brushed his lips across hers for a kiss that was full of love and want.

It wasn't a long kiss, but it was enough to stoke an already smoldering fire of lust. He moved his lips from her mouth to her ear and whispered very softly, "As much as I've loved seeing you in this dress, I can't wait to see you without it, wearing only diamonds and those sexy as hell shoes." His voice had turned rough and needy and his nostrils flared as they stared at one another.

Isabella gasped and then licked her lips, shifting in her chair. Her stomach immediately fluttered, her heart started racing, and her panties were most definitely damp after hearing him whisper in that tone of voice. She'd had her fill of sweet drinks, sweet desserts and her even sweeter husband; she wanted hot and spicy and she wanted it now.

She glanced quickly around the table to make sure no one was watching them and leaned forward, taking care to purposely graze her fingers across the front of his pants. "My gorgeous, sexy husband," she whispered in his ear and then flicked her tongue at his earlobe. "I can guarantee if you take me home right now..." she breathed out at took the bit of sensitive flesh between her teeth and bit gently. "I most definitely will let you take this beautiful dress off me, but only if I get to undress you. I promise I'll take my time, and I might even, maybe..." she teased as she licked the side of his neck, "have to touch you, everywhere, as I go. Sometimes I just can't help myself; you wouldn't mind that, would you, sweetheart?"

"Fuck... Isabella," Edward groaned quietly and picked her hand up from where her fingers were driving him mad. "The only question I have for you, my love, is how fast can you walk in those shoes?" he asked with a grin and a crooked eyebrow.

He quickly paid their check which caused the others at the table to do the same. It really was late and it had been a long, emotionally draining day. However, with the promise of a naked and from all appearances very willing Isabella, any thoughts of sleep were far, far away.

The group made their way out the door and were saying goodbye when a voice sneered, "Well, isn't this sweet?"

Edward whipped his head around and was face to face with the very pompous-looking Vincent Sinclair surrounded as usual by his gaggle of yes-men.

"Sinclair," Edward said levelly.

Anyone who knew Edward at all would have been able to hear the animosity that bubbled beneath the surface calm. Isabella damn sure heard it and stepped up beside Edward and slid her hand in his. They were a team and there was no way she was letting Edward face Vincent without her by his side.

Vincent had been tempted to continue on into the restaurant without saying anything else, but seeing Isabella stand side by side with Edward really fucking pissed him off. Fucking Cullen, he seethed with barely repressed rage as he stared at the duo. Bitterness and jealousy boiled and all Vincent could see was red.

"You know, Cullen," Vincent began in an oily voice, "for all the talk around town about how great a businessman you are, it was really fucking easy to take Deaton-Hall right out from under your damn nose." He scoffed and looked back at the group behind him and shook his head, making a tsking sound with his tongue. "You must be getting really fucking desperate if you're letting Emmett and Isabella, of all people, head up a project." He stared at Isabella, his beady eyes cold and calculating and licked his lips. "You know, Isabella, if you want to play with the big boys, you'd better be prepared to get your hands dirty, not that I wouldn't mind getting dirty with you," he said with a wink.

Edward growled in the back of his throat and squeezed his hands so tightly he lost feeling in them. He only let go when he felt Isabella tug on his hand. He glanced down at her and instead of finding the calm, reassuring look he was sure he would find, he found that her face was a picture of fury and her eyes were murderous. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but she shook her head quickly one time and he halted what he was about to ask her. He took one more second to reassure himself that she was okay and then turned to face the son of a bitch.

"You...asshole," Edward said in a venomous voice.

He could barely see he was so fucking angry and if Isabella hadn't been hanging onto him, he might very well have ripped him limb from limb and then happily set him on fire, watching as he disintegrated into nothingness. The world would definitely not miss the likes of one Vincent Sinclair and Edward would have no qualms being the one to take care of him. None at all.

Edward was aware that Emmett had stepped up beside him, opposite of Isabella and that Jasper, Alec, and Marcus had closed ranks as well. He watched as Rose stood beside Isabella in a sign of support and he couldn't see them but he knew his parents were behind him as well. All ready to stand by his side and if he would have been able to, he would have taken the time to thank each and every one of them. There was no way in hell he was taking his eyes off Vincent, however.

Vincent fumed as he watched Edward be surrounded by his friends and family. Why the fuck did he deserve their loyalty? Why was it that no matter what he did, he couldn't ever outsmart or outmaneuver him? Why, even when he thought he'd finally beaten Edward at something, it felt like he'd lost more than he'd gained?

Isabella was fighting a battle within herself. She was normally a very rational woman except where Edward was concerned. That was evident by the way she went off on Alec just a little bit ago, but that was nothing compared to what she felt right at this moment. She prided herself on being a forgiving, compassionate person but she found none of that present now. Instead, she wanted to make Vincent pay for every hurtful thing he'd ever thought or said to, or about, Edward.

She'd go to Mass and ask for forgiveness...later.

As much as Edward wanted to beat the ever-living shit out of Vincent, he held back, choosing to be the better, bigger man. "It's really funny, Vincent, how you always manage to be one step behind me. No matter how many little spies you send our way or how many pathetic attempts you make to be better than me at anything, you always fail. At prep school, during college, when we graduated and started our jobs, you were always trying to play catch-up and you still haven't been able to do it yet. Face the facts, Sinclair, even when you lie, cheat, and steal, you still can't come close to touching me. Never have, never will," Edward finished smugly and with a tone of condescension. Oh, on the inside he was seething and wanted nothing more than to rip the fucker's head off, but he'd never give Vince the satisfaction of knowing he'd gotten to him.

Shaking off the hands that tried to restrain him, Vincent took a few steps toward Edward and tried to get right in his face. He felt a hand on his arm and he snapped his head to the right. Anna had reached out to try to stop Vince from making an even bigger ass out of himself than he already had. She'd heard enough, way more than enough, and felt like she needed to do something. Obviously no one else was and Vincent really needed to take a step back before he did or said something he would regret. Even someone as cool and controlled as Edward had his limits and then to purposely antagonize him by insulting Isabella, well, Anna was shocked Vincent was still standing.

"What the fuck?" Vincent hissed. "Let me go, Anna, now," he ordered.

Anna shook her head and said, "Vince, knock it off. This has gone too far."

Vincent narrowed his eyes and the look he gave her caused goosebumps to break out all over her skin. "Yeah? What the fuck do you know? You just stand there, keep your mouth fucking shut and look good; it's all your good for anyway."

Isabella felt her blood boil when she saw Anna shrink back from Vincent's vitriol. How fucking dare he, she thought angrily. No one, especially a woman, deserved to be talked to in such a degrading manner, not even Anna. She'd had enough and was going to put a stop to his tirade...now.

"Isabella," Edward said urgently when he felt her step forward.

"Edward, please let me go," she told him and the tone of her voice left him no room to disagree.

He released her hand and though Isabella missed the feel of his hand the instant he let her go, she straightened her shoulders and looked Vincent straight in the eye.

"Enough," she said harshly.

She was vaguely aware of Emmett and Edward arguing behind her, and couldn't help but smile quickly when she heard Edward tell her brother-in-law not to worry. However, the smile faded as quickly as it came; she had a snake to take care of.

"Oh, really? And, just what do you think you're going to do about it?" Vincent taunted.

Isabella heard the snickers from the men and women that stood around Vincent and instead of letting that intimidate her, it steeled her resolve to deal with him once and for all.

She scoffed and shook her head. "I'm not going to do anything, Vincent, except go home with my husband and family, spend an enjoyable day tomorrow resting and relaxing and then getting up bright and early on Monday to go to work, so we can plan on how to make sure Cullen Publishing keeps its rightful spot as the number one publishing company in the country," she told him in a calm but no-nonsense manner.

"Is that right?" Vincent mocked.

"Yes, that's right," Isabella answered back succinctly. "Perhaps if you spent your time worrying about your own company instead of focusing so much on what Edward is doing you might find it more productive. Mind you, you'd still never catch up, but you'd sure as hell have a more successful business that way."

"What the hell do you know about running a business? You're nothing more than a glorified spell checker. Nicer to look at than a computer, I'll give you that much, but that's about it," Vincent said condescendingly.

"Why you..." she heard Edward hiss under his breath and she turned quickly around and held up a hand to stop him from saying anything else.

So far Vincent hadn't said anything that surprised her, nor was she finished speaking her mind either. It would take a hell of a lot more than a few snarky words and lecherous looks to stop her now.

"You're right, I don't know very much about running a business, but I know enough to know that Edward does it the way it's supposed to done. He treats it as more than a job; he actually cares about what he's doing. I don't know any of them," she said as she pointed to the men that stood beside Vincent. "I would hope that like Edward you've surrounded yourself by people you can trust to look after not only you, but the business as a whole, though, judging from some of the underhanded things you've done, I highly doubt it."

Vincent jeered at her and then cackled. "You're something else, I'll give you that. Where the hell do you get off telling me how to run my business? In case you haven't paid any attention, you're husband hasn't exactly won any employer of the year awards. Not to mention, at least I'm not pretending to have had some near-death experience and then using that to make myself look good. I mean, come the fuck on, could he be any more pathetic?"

That...did it.

Up until that point, Isabella had been content to exchange a few words just so Vincent was aware of the fact that she knew he was an asshole and he didn't scare her, but go after Edward and all bets were off. He wanted to play dirty? By the time she was done with him, there wouldn't even be enough left to bury.

"Chi cazzo fa questo buco di culo crede di essere?" (Who the fuck does this asshole think he is?)

She stared at Vincent, her brown eyes almost black and was angrier than she had ever been in her life. If her eyes could have melted him, they would have she looked at him with such rage and fury. "Don't you ever, fucking ever," she rasped in a steel hard voice, "make the mistake of thinking you know anything about Edward. You know nothing about him or me and as is evident by your total lack of respect for Anna and your supposed friends, nothing about how to act like a decent human being either."

She took another step forward and was vaguely aware of the low grumbles of anger behind her from Edward and the others. She would deal with them as soon as she was finished with Vincent.

"You told me if I wanted to play with the big boys to get ready to get my hands dirty, well let me tell you one thing, Mr. Sinclair," she breathed out in a fiery voice. "Be careful what you wish for. Come after Edward, my family, or my friends, and I promise you, it will be the last mistake you ever make. After all these years, no matter what you've tried, you haven't succeeded in getting the best of Cullen Publishing, and I can damn well guarantee it's not going to happen now. By the time we're through with you, you won't know which end is up. You want to play, I'll play, but don't come crying to me when you are the one that ends up on the losing end."

When she finished speaking, not one person made a sound or said one word. Everyone was shell-shocked, stunned completely speechless, but no one more so than Edward.

Isabella took one long, deep, tension-relieving breath and then turned around to look at her husband, with a radiant and very self-satisfied smile on her face.

"Edward, I believe we have plans at home we need to get to. I'm ready to go now," she said.

Edward nodded at her and then pulled her beside him. He narrowed his eyes at Vincent and said, "If you ever so much as look at my wife again, never mind speak to her like that, I...will...end...you, and I'm not talking about your company."

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~