Selfish

Thursday; March 24th, 2016

Bella P.O.V

I freeze in my spot. I've lost the capability of talking or even breathing. I just stand there looking at Carlisle as he looks at me, waiting for my response. The only I can think about is that whatever he is holding, whomever sent it, he knows all I've done but that doesn't mean he has proof, right? I could easily deny it and make it look like... I could say... What do I do?

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Edward said incredulous. "What could Bella ever do?"

Oh, Edward, you have no idea what's about to come. I bite my lip, still looking at Carlisle. As much as I want to lie and say that I never did anything, I can't. Why can I lie to him? It's been so easy all my life and right now, when my life depends on it, where everything I care depends on it, I can't? Carlisle will hate me. Esme will hate me. Emmett and Alice will hate me.

Edward will hate me. And the mere thought of Edward hating me is almost unthinkable. I can't handle. I don't want them to hate me. I want to say sorry, I want to cry on my knees and beg for forgiveness.

Why am I thinking this? I've never begged for forgiveness. I never cared enough to have remorse of what I've done. I've never cared about anyone but the Cullen's showed me I could. I could have a family, I could be loved but I took it all for granted and now, I have to for what I've done.

Carlisle sighed and took a paper out of the envelope.

"No!" The word flies out of my mouth even before I could think about it. My entire body shakes and my eyes begin to water. "I'm sorry," I whisper low enough for him to hear.

He looked down at the envelope. "I don't want to read this, when I did, I had the hope that if I asked Bella, she would say it was a lie. Then, I saw the pictures and her reaction just confirms it."

Pictures? What pictures?

"What does it say?" Emmett asked with a confused look.

I shake my head. "Please, Carlisle."

He read the letter anyway.

Dear Mr. Cullen,

You don't know who I am but I'm well aware of who you are. I've been observing you and your family since last November. Before you freak out or anything, finish this letter first. I want you to understand why I've been watching.

You have something that belongs to someone else, something that someone wants back. On last November you took in your home a beautiful, innocent, harmless girl whom at the time had just recently lost her mother due to cancer. Isabella Bennett. I know well that you and your entire family - with your son Edward included - love this girl immensely.