okay so, this is my old abandoned story that i've aready posted here maybe a year ago and it had gotten really good feedback but i gave up on it bc i didn't think it was good enough and didn't know where exactly to go with it but now i have so many ideas and i've already planned lots of upcoming chapters, so you can say i'm finally ready for this. i am also posting this story on 1dff but if it's gonna get more audience here then i'll delete it there, so let's see what you guys think about this :D

"Miss Swan?"

My eyes scanned the large foyer, before they landed back on the man named Joseph who picked me up at my apartment. Without me even realizing it, he moved towards the elevator and pushed a button. When the doors opened, he stepped inside and I had to move quickly in order to catch up to him. When I did reach him, he shut the door right on an elderly lady's face. I gasped, but before I said anything, he slammed his hand down on a button that said PH, and glared quietly at me. A million questions raced my mind, but from my limited experience, I didn't believe that this driver would be able to supply me with the answers that I needed.

It amazed me that this man even knew my address, considering I've never given it to the man who owned the building, and I assumed he lived inside of the penthouse. Since I'd agree to attend this meeting that my boss Andrea set up, I'd been given little to no information other than the man who I was meeting today instructions on how to dress and his dislikes when it came to women.

I wondered, idly, how Andrea even knew about this man, but she knew a lot of people. She was a CEO herself. And I went to her with money problems like the foolish girl I was. She turned me away, handed me this guy's information, and said 'good luck.'

Attempting to hide my uneasiness, I did my best to remain impassive and calm. When the doors opened, the most stunning view and exquisitely decorated living room was before me. The tall rectangular windows illuminated the room, overpowering the light-colored furnishings with the intense blue of the sky and sea.

"Thank you, Joseph, I'll be happy to take Miss Swan from here."

I jumped at the sound of a woman's voice. She had to be around my age somewhere, with short, soft blonde hair and light green eyes. She didn't give me an uneasy feeling like Joseph had. Before I could speak, Joseph gave so much as a nod, turned a corner, and then he was gone again. She took my hand and shook it happily.

"Welcome, Miss Swan. It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Caroline. If I can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to ask. Would you like anything to drink?"

I shook my head because I was too shocked to speak. Never in my twenty-four years of living had a woman in such business be this outstandingly nice to me. I appreciated it because if she had been mean, I would've bolted out of here and never looked back.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. I'm a little nervous."

Her eyes opened wide. "Oh, dear, there's no need for that. Mr. Cullen will be with you shortly, but for the time being, you could use any bathroom in here to freshen up before you see him if you'd like. I will collect you when he's ready to see you."

"I'm fine," I said, even though I wasn't. "Is Mr. Cullen in a meeting currently?"

She smiled and glanced down at an expensive looking watch on her wrist. "Yes, but it should be wrapping up any minute now. And you look lovely, I'd be happy to show you around."

I followed as Caroline led me through the living room. Lush green plants and accents in the hue of blue complemented the tile floor and white leather furniture. With the color of the ocean outside of the window, it all flowed together beautifully. As I approached one of the windows and looked down over the city, Caroline stood watching.

"Cullen Spars and Suites. International. I figured it would beneficial for you to know what you're dealing with, Ms. Swan. I would be happy to fill you in some more, should you wish."

"He owns the building?"

"And a lot more like it," she smiled.

"Interesting."

I turned back towards the view, and smiled when I watched the people below moving on with their day to day routines, walking their dogs, and the traffic that usually, I was stuck in and hated. When I turned back around, Caroline was gone and I heard laughter as it echoed down one of the hallways. I stood straighter and uncertainty twisted in my empty stomach. It was too late to flee.

When Caroline reappeared, she was joined by two men. One, I had no idea who the Hell he was; the second? He was the man I was here to meet today, the guy that Andrea told me could ultimately help me get back up on my feet and help my sister and her husband. They were my main reason for even doing this.

"We'll speak soon," the short, lankier man said, shaking Edward's hand. He spotted me but said nothing as he pulled his hand from Mr. Cullen's grasp. I stood in shock, no longer in control of my limbs. "My wife and kids will love the idea."

Mr. Cullen smiled and nodded briskly. "Yes, I sure hope they do. Give your wife a hug for me. I'll contact you soon. Hopefully we can get this up and running sooner rather than later."

My pulse quickened as the man smiled for the last time and made his way across the room. When I heard the elevator door, my eyes left him and met the smoldering dresden green of Mr. Edward Cullen's. I stood dumbfounded as he gave me a once-over. I was expecting something different. Older. He was young, possibly only a couple of years older than me.

His face remained stoic as he approached me and reached for my hand. "Miss Swan, thank you for coming."

I took in his casual attire—jeans and a white t-shirt. I suddenly felt over dressed in my thigh-length black skirt and white blouse. My hair was up in a ponytail, and even though the heels I had on gave me height, I felt smaller with each step he took towards me.

My discomfort grew with each passing second as his eyes scanned my body. With my hand still in his, I turned to look for help, looking for Caroline. Perhaps she'd show me some sign of support or reassurance. However, as I turned, the only thing I caught a glimpse of was the door as it closed behind her. Leaving me completely alone and at the hands of Edward Cullen.

"Mr. Cullen, thank you for having me. Though, I'm not sure exactly why I'm here."

His mouth twitched as he cocked one brow. "Miss Swan, is it usually a frequent thing for you to go to unknown places, for unknown reasons?"

Was he amused by my discomfort?

Freeing my hand of his, I gripped my purse and squared my shoulders. "No, Mr. Cullen, it is not. As a matter of fact, I'm a bit uncomfortable. Please inform me of what this…" I waved my hand around, but his eyes never left my face. "…is about, or I will leave. And I seriously do not want to do that without hearing how you wish to help me."

"I believe you should hear me out." He gestured towards my clothing and his grin broadened. "I mean, look at how stunning you look. You're all dressed up to meet me."

Blood rushed to my cheeks.

He ushered me towards his office, where the view was even more intense. I hated how much I enjoyed this. He pointed towards one of the seats in front of his desk and leaned casually against his desk. "I do believe you're in a bit of a bind."

"Yes, that's correct."

"I talked to your boss, Andrea Harkins, yesterday evening." He said, impassively, and reached for a manila folder. It was a file he had set up for me, I knew because Andrea had one of me, too. "She said you needed a lot of money, and she explained that you're one of her hardest working girls in the office. She didn't have the kind of money you were asking for, so she turned you away. Correct?"

"Yes," I said, biting the inside of my lip. "That's all in my file?"

He grinned. "You're a fast learner, Ms. Swan."

"It's Bella. Just Bella."

"I'm under the impression that you're about to fall on your face if I don't help you," he said, opening the folder and glancing at it before directing his attention back to me. "So of course, I told her I would do it. We wouldn't want you to crash and burn just as soon as you got back up on your feet, am I right?"

"Yes, you're right. I don't want to fall on my face."

"Tell me, how much money do you need exactly?"

I hesitated for a moment, but his glare told me not to.

"Half a million dollars."

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