The Bonds Between Us • E.Cullen x Fem oc x B. Swan

Chapter 54°

**This chapter is heavy on language, so I'm sorry for anyone who doesn't like strong language.**

It was a Friday, the sky of Forks, Washington was cloudy like always, hollow grey eyes stared out her window as she watched all her neighbors go about their business.

Cori had seen Bella's truck leave, slowing down in front of the house, her brown eyes gazing up at its deceiving nature. Eventually the Swan drove off, allowing the Austin girl to breathe.

Unfortunately it seemed as if her good luck had run out as a red car had pulled into their drive. The opening of the car door was enough to have Cori's heart beat fast as anger coursed through her.

Flaming red hair that had matched her own, with striking green eyes had emerged and Cordelia had wished the world would have killed her. She didn't want to face her mother. The woman didn't seem to care about her, so why should she pretend.

Knock, knock, knock

"Cordelia, I know you're in there. Open the door." Her mother, Margery Austin, shouted from the front porch, her lips pouted as her emerald eyes kept watch on the sky, wishing for the impending rain to hold off for just a little longer.

Cordelia had thought about just letting her stand there. Eventually it would start to rain, or she would call Jonas, though the last option was a far stretch.

Her father had told her, shown her the times he had tried to get in contact with her mother, only to be left on read, or to be picked up by voicemail.

The youngest Austin despised her mother, wishing Esme could have just taken the spot, but like every other parental figure, she too disappeared, not leaving a letter of apology or best regards.

"Cori!" Margery shouted as she pounded on the door. With a heavy sigh, the teen managed to pull herself from her swinging chair, her legs a bit wobbly from lack of use and food, before making her way down the stairs.

Ripping the door open, her eyes glared fiercely at the woman standing before her. "What do you want?" Cori hissed out, her voice softer than she wanted, but the venom in her words still clearly heard as the woman flinched.

"That's no way to greet your mother." Margery said spitefully, the smallest bit of an accent flowing from her lips, as Cori chuckled darkly. "To be a mother, that means you had to actually be there. You're basically just an incubator." The teen hissed out, rage bubbling with in her.

Her words may have been harsh, but Cori thought she deserved them, maybe more, but she didn't have the energy. "Just get what ever you need and leave like you always do." "I'm moving out." Margery told her daughter. Cori's head snapped to her mother, their eyes meeting.

"You're what?" "Your father didn't tell you? The divorce was finalized. I'm moving out, and leaving this mud hole of a town in the rear view. Anyway, we found an amazing apartment in the city, blue skys, views-" "We?" Cori asked. "David, my fiancé." Margery told her daughter nonchalantly with a wave of her hand, and Cori's eyes hardened. "How long has that been a thing?" Cori asked snidely. "About a year." She said and Cori's eyes narrowed as her heart beat faster.

Her father had only served her with divorce papers six months ago. Her mother's infidelity has started long before that. "Get your shit and get out." Cori told her, her words sharp as the older woman had stepped into the house, past her seething daughter.

Cori dialed her father's number on the house phone. Cori knew her father still loved her, but he had to know.

"Please leave your message at the beep." The voice rang out on the other end, getting her father's voicemail. "Hey dad, it's me. Uh, I didn't really need anything, just call me."

Following the noise in the usually quiet house, Cori found her mother in what used to be her parent's shared bedroom. "Was I not clear. I want you out. Pack your stuff and go. Leave like you're so good at doing." Cori told her mother as she saw the red head looking through a photo album.

"I remember when these were taken." Margery said, her voice full of fondness. "Yeah, so do I. It was before you tore our family apart." Cori told her harshly as she grabbed the photos from her.

"You have an hour. Most of your stuff is gone anyway, taken from all the other times you've come back only to stay a few days before disappearing before I woke up. If you're not gone in an hour, I'm calling the cops." Cori told her and Margery looked appalled. "You can't do that!" She shouted. "Your names not on this house. It's mine and dad's. You're trespassing." Cori reminded the older woman, "one hour."

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Exactly an hour later, Margery was packing the last box into her car. "I hope you know I never wanted this." The older woman told her daughter as she turned to look at her. "What? Tearing apart your own family?" Cori asked. "This! I never wanted kids. I never wanted to be called mom, or have to look after someone other than myself. I wanted a simple life with your father."

"Well, life happens." Cori snipped, her heart breaking even more as she listened to her mother talk. "I wish it didn't, but we all don't get what we want do we?" Margery asked as she looked at Cordelia one last time. "Have a good life Cori." "Go fuck yourself." Cori spat at her as the redhead climbed back into car, backing out of the drive and speeding down the road.

Running back into the house, it seemed as if the structure shook by how hard she slammed the door. "Aaaaaah!" Cori shrieked at the top of her lungs, the windows of the nearby houses shook as the ground seemed to almost tremor, the tears pouring down her face from the day that she had. All the emotion she had buried came rushing to the surface as she seemed to gasp for breath between sobs, her legs giving out from underneath of her, falling to the floor.

"Lia!" Bella shouted from in front of the house, hearing her scream from outside of her truck, the brunette running to the Austin house. "Cordelia!" Bella shouted as she heard the girls cries.

Opening the door, Bella's heart seemed to shatter all over again as Cori sat on the floor in the living room, her hands woven through her hair yet clenched into fists, slowly pulling out strands, rocking back and forth as tears streamed down her face.

Pulling out her phone, she called the only person she could think of. "Hello?" "Mr Austin, it's me, Bella. Somethings happening with Cordelia. You need to get home, now."