CHAPTER 1

What do you do when someone tells you to believe in something you had never thought possible?

I was faced with this unusual question six months ago, last December.

The day started out normal enough. I woke up early and attended to my daily chores: filling the jars with water from the well; cooking our meals for the whole day; feeding the chickens; milking the cow; watering the plants; and so on. Father left at dawn for the fishing grounds, and I was finally alone in our tiny cottage.

I was washing clothes mid-morning when I saw Alice Whitlock and Rosalie McCarty, my two best friends. Alice had married my cousin Jasper almost a year ago, while Rose had become the wife of my other cousin Emmett last June.

They approached me quickly with excited smiles on their lovely faces.

"What has gotten you both so high this early?" I asked them.

"The summer festival tomorrow, of course," Alice sang gaily. "This one's going to be epic! There will be lots of food, dancing, games, and this year we'll be having a guest of honour from Settle!"

Settle was the rich neighbour of our small island of Ford.

"His name is Edward Cullen. He's a really rich businessman, he owns this big mansion, and he's got all these shops..." Alice went on and on at top speed. I gave up trying to follow and went back to work.

It was a while later when I noticed that Alice had gone quiet. She and Rose were both looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I raised a brow.

"Alice asked you what time we're picking you up. We're going to the festival," Rose explained.

I shrugged. "I'm not going."

They both looked exasperated.

"But Bellaaa..." Alice whined, "... you should come with us! You'll miss all the fun!"

I shook my head. "Big gatherings are not that appealing to me."

"This agoraphobia of yours is getting old." Rosalie rolled her eyes. "It wouldn't hurt to show yourself to the public once in a while, cousin."

"You know why I can't," I said softly. Last season's festival had ended with me tripping on one of the potted ivies that adorned the room and crashing into the buffet table. I did not want a repeat performance.

Alice certainly knew what I was talking about because I saw her flinch before she forced her face to assume a neutral expression. "Come on, Bella. People have already forgotten that. Besides, I don't think they really mind. They kind of consider your clumsiness an endearing quality."

I snorted, then decided to change tactics. "I don't have a dress for the festival."

"Come to my house later. I have the perfect dress for you," Alice said enthusiastically. She made beautiful dresses for the women of the village to augment her husband's modest income from farming.

I groaned. "It's no use, Alice. No matter how pretty that dress is, I'll never do it justice. I'll probably end up fading into the background, like I always do!" And I hate being a charity case, I silently added. I was the poorest girl in town, and I always got embarrassed when people gave me things out of pity.

Alice looked like she was about to protest when Rose stopped her. "Okay Bella," Rose began with a glint in her eye, "since you'll surely fade into the background and people won't even notice you, there's no reason for you to be uncomfortable about attending the party, correct?"

I could think of a million other reasons but I knew I'd never get anywhere with the two of them ganging up on me. I sighed in defeat. "What time?"

CHAPTER 2

"I knew it. I shouldn't have attended this cursed event," I chanted silently when I found myself sprawled across the lap of a man. How did I get here again? Oh, yes. I was walking across the barn, where the festivities were in full swing when I stumbled and fell onto the lap of a stranger who was sitting on one of the bamboo chairs scattered across the room. A stranger with striking green eyes, tousled bronze hair, and a stunning face.

I was humiliated beyond words. I could not even summon enough nerve to say a quick sorry. As I scampered away, I heard, to my utmost horror, an irritatingly nasal male voice. "Good for you, Edward Cullen! You've just gotten here, and women are already throwing themselves at you!" he said.

Oh no! I'd offended the guest of honor, no less! Mayor Banner would not be happy with me. He had invited Mr. Cullen with hopes that he'd increase his investments in our local businesses. What if I displeased this rich businessman enough to make him want to break his ties with our town?

I hurried to the back of the barn and hid behind the tall crates that were haphazardly stacked on the floor. I tried to plan a quiet exit before I could make things worse. Unfortunately, my two annoying friends (who were also my cousins-in-law) found me before I could put the plan into action.

"Bella! What are you doing?" Rose hissed.

"I'm going home," I announced, taking a step toward the doors.

"No, you're not!" Alice grasped my arm tightly.

"Didn't you see what happened?" I whispered, tugging on my arm.

"You fell on Mr. Cullen, so?" Rose shrugged as if it were a perfectly normal occurrence, which was actually mostly true in my case.

"Come on, Bella. He knows it was an accident and he doesn't seem bothered at all." Alice began to pull me out of my hiding place.

Together, they dragged me towards the long tables, where they tried to cheer me up with cake and wine.

Suddenly, I heard that same whiny voice again from my left. "My, aren't you a pretty little thing!" I looked up and saw a pudgy blond man placing his arm across the shoulder of Jessica Stanley, the biggest flirt in town. In his other hand, he held a slice of ham. It was the same man who had mocked me earlier.

He didn't notice me, so I ignored him and resumed eating and joking with Alice and Rose. Suddenly, he started choking.

Everyone in the vicinity was too shocked to move. When his face turned purple, I sprang into action. I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. Then, I put my fist below his chest and pushed upward repeatedly until he coughed out a rather large chunk of meat.

When I was sure that he was all right, I returned to my friends' side.

Edward Cullen pushed through the crowd that formed around us. "Mike! Mike, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

I quickly moved behind my friends. "Please, don't let him see me," I prayed silently.

"Can you tell me who helped my friend here?" He turned to Angela Weber, the girl standing next to him. Unfortunately for me, she was the preacher's daughter, and she never lied. She wordlessly pointed in my direction.

I ducked behind my friends' backs, but the traitors broke apart to reveal me cowering in the corner, like a thief caught in the act.

Recognition flashed in Mr. Cullen's eyes. He stepped toward me and took my hand in his. "Thank you for saving my friend's life, Miss—"

I vaguely knew he was waiting for my reply, but I couldn't seem to find my voice.

"Swan. This is Isabella Swan, Sir. Although, she likes to be called Bella," Alice answered for me before introducing Rose and then herself.

"Bella." Mr. Cullen smiled at me, and I felt my heart race. "Please, join me for dinner."

That's how I got to sit beside the guest of honor for the rest of the night.

After waving away my late apology for the fiasco earlier, he began asking me questions. Where did I live? How old was I? What was my father's name? Mike Newton, who I later found was his business associate, sat on his other side, completely forgotten.

When Mr. Cullen—or Edward, as he wanted me to call him—found out from Alice that I cooked the chicken and mushroom casserole, he tried it at once. In a burst of panic, I asked myself, "Have I added enough salt to it this afternoon?" I must have, seeing his blissful face when he had finished eating it.

Strangely, he never left my side, even when many pretty girls vied for his attention.

When I feigned exhaustion so that I could leave, he offered to walk me home. He was somewhat familiar with the area, as his parents were from here a long time ago.

He insisted that we take the path that led around the park instead of the shortcut through the bushes, which I always used. Why would he do that? Surely not so he could spend more time with me?

I tried to think of reasons why this strange phenomenon was happening. Why would such a rich, attractive, young man waste his time talking to a penniless, homely girl already past marrying age? I had no illusions about my appearance. I will never be called beautiful with my pale face, thin body, unremarkable brown eyes and hair, and lack of endowments.

My mother died when I was very young, and from then on, I was too busy with taking over the housework to really make an effort to enhance my physical attributes. It didn't help either that my father never remarried. I had no stepmother, elder sister, or any other female relative who could advise me in that department. By the time Rose and Alice came into my life, I was too set in my old ways that they couldn't make much of a difference, aside from a new dress they would force on me every now and then.

Although Edward was older than me by a few years, a twenty-year-old woman, like me, was still considered too old to be unmarried by the people in this town.

Was this some joke at my expense? However, as I looked into his beautiful face, I honestly could not believe that. It left me feeling clueless.

To say that Father was surprised when he saw us would be an understatement. His daughter was being escorted home by a man, who was not her blood relation? That was a sight he undoubtedly had not expected to see. When he found out whom this stranger was, his eyes just about bulged out of their sockets.

When Edward said goodnight and left, Father turned to me. "What was that, Bella?"

I shrugged. "I saved his friend's life. He must have felt—grateful."

"Huh, he looked more than grateful to me," he said as he scratched his chin. Then we both retreated to our bedrooms.

I replayed the events in my mind, slowing down to the parts where Edward and I were talking. When I remembered his soft voice and his bright green eyes, I couldn't help but smile. I most likely would not see him again, but I was thankful that I was given the chance to meet a man who was so kind to me.

I went to sleep, dreaming of my bronze-haired angel.

CHAPTER 3

The day after the party, Alice and Rose showed up on my doorstep bright and early.

"Girls, if you keep on coming here and neglecting your duties at home, your husbands might leave you," I warned them as I weeded my modest garden.

"As if that will ever happen." Rose snorted.

"But we just wanted to see our cousin! Is that such a crime?" Alice pouted.

Alice always had the power to make me feel guilty even when I knew I shouldn't be. "Sorry," I muttered.

"Don't worry about it." Alice waved her hand. "So how did it go?"

"How did what go?" I asked as I entered the kitchen. The two of them trailed behind me.

"The walk home!" Alice cried impatiently. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I answered, lifting the lid off one of the pots on the stove. While Alice and Rose unsuccessfully tried to make me talk about Edward, I quickly prepared a simple vegetable soup, ladled some into bowls, and set them on the wooden table. My friends were watching me the whole time, gauging my reaction to their teasing.

"Nothing happened? No way," Alice told me disbelievingly. "What did you and Edward talk about?" She and Rose dug into their food but kept their eyes on me.

"Um, I don't really remember." Most of the conversation was about me, anyway. He always had questions about me. Besides, I was too busy admiring him to pay attention to what we were saying. "Cut it out, you two. He'll be going home today and we won't see him ever again," I admonished.

"Bella, you're wrong. We will see him again," Rose declared, looking out the window.

I followed her gaze and gasped. Edward stood outside the door, looking around him in interest.

"Good morning, Bella," he said politely when I opened the door. He handed me a bouquet of flowers. Freesias. Good Lord, he really was paying attention last night!

"Oh, Bella! Your favourite!" Alice squealed, ducking under my arm.

"Hi, Edward." Rose appeared over my shoulder.

"Hello, Alice, Rose." He nodded to them, then turned to me. "Bella, I hope I haven't come at a bad time."

Until that moment, I was tongue-tied. I cleared my throat. "Um, no. I've just finished my chores."

"Oh, good!" His smile was as bright as the sun. "I was wondering whether you could come join me for a walk?"

"Oh," I started. My head was spinning. Why was he here, at my doorstep, asking for my company? "I-I thought you had gone home," I stammered.

He shook his head and gave me one of his intense stares. "I want to see more of—Ford. Will you be my guide?"

I didn't think anybody could say no to those eyes. I nodded, waving goodbye to my friends as I stepped beside him.

I tried to think of a time when a boy gave me this much attention and came up blank. Boys were usually mean to me, saying I was too homely for their tastes. When I thought about it, I realized that no one had ever given me the time of day except for my family and friends. With my poor background and unremarkable looks, I was a nobody in a place where physical beauty was the norm and material wealth was a necessity.

It was in this state of jumbled thoughts that I walked around town beside him. I dutifully pointed out places to him and he listened quietly as I explained as much fact and history as I could remember. Then he asked me more questions about the place or about myself. He seemed oblivious to the stares we were getting. Of course people would stare! Even I thought it bizarre for this handsome single man to spend the day with the town reject.

He persuaded me to have dinner with him in a fancy restaurant I had never been into. I was momentarily fazed by the ornate furnishings and the well-dressed patrons, but he calmed me with his dazzling smile.

"Why did you bring me here?" I wondered aloud. He knew I was not used to this kind of luxury.

"I just want to give you a new experience," he explained. "What do you want to eat, Bella?"

I scanned the menu and realised the entrees were in a foreign language I couldn't understand. Italian, maybe? I pointed to the first thing that caught my eye, hoping it tasted good. He smiled, ordering the same for himself, so I reckoned it must be.

As we waited for the food, he sat back and his expression transformed into one I knew all too well. It was the same expression he had yesterday, when he questioned me relentlessly. He had asked me so much about myself already that I didn't think he would have any questions left. Why did he seem to find me so interesting?

"So, Bella, what do you see yourself doing, say, a few years from now?"

So it was going to be one of those questions. "The same I've always been doing, I guess." I shrugged.

"You mean, stay at your father's home? Take care of him and the house?" he clarified.

I nodded. "What else is there to do?"

"Don't you want to have your own family someday?"

"I'd given up on marriage a long time ago," I said, eliciting a frown from him. "If I were destined to become a wife, it should have happened years ago. I guess I'm just not wife material."

He didn't seem happy with my answer. "You speak too lowly about yourself."

"That's the general consensus."

"You shouldn't put too much stock into what others think. Most of them are so blinded to the truth," he scolded me. "Anyway, there must be something you want to do."

I thought about how I loved to read anything I could get my hands on: an old newspaper that served as a covering for meat that Father had bought at the market; the back of a milk bottle; or a discarded magazine. I was often brought to places I'd never been to whenever I read them. It was an ideal escape from the dismal reality of my life.

"Travel," I decided. "I want to travel. But I don't have any money so I don't know how that's going to happen."

"You never know what could happen in the future." He winked, then straightened up as our orders arrived.

Huh. The food with the fancy name was in fact some sort of mushroom dish. It looked simple enough, but as I took the first bite, I couldn't help closing my eyes in pleasure.

We ate in silence, enjoying the meal and each other's company. I admitted to myself that I was happy spending the day with him. As he asked more questions and I revealed more of myself to him, I secretly wished he would not be turned off by what he learned about me. I really wanted to be his friend.

When we were finished, I smiled up at him timidly. "Thank you. That was the best dinner I've ever had," I told him sincerely. Not just because of the food, but also because of the person I shared it with, I thought, but I was too shy to say it to him.

He grinned back at me, shaking his head. "Honestly, I think your cooking is so much better."

I blushed furiously. What was it with this man and his compliments? It was a bit difficult to get used to him saying so many nice things about me.

We walked some more around town before returning home. Before he left, he paused at the doorway. "Can I come back again tomorrow?"

We'd covered the whole island in just one day. There was nothing more to see in Ford. I told him as much, but he still insisted on coming. "B-but I have chores to do! I'm seriously behind on my sewing," I stuttered, desperately looking for a way out as I retreated back into my shell.

"That's all right. We'll just stay at your house, then. You do whatever you want to do, I'll just stay and talk, or help you if you want," he assured me.

I was confused. "Edward, why are you doing this?"

He frowned. "Bella, I like you. I want to spend time with you. Is that too hard to believe?"

It was actually. But I didn't say that. I knew it would make him frown, which would mar his perfect face again. Instead, I said, "People will talk."

"I don't care what other people think," he interrupted fervently. "All I care about is what you think. Do you or do you not want me there tomorrow?"

Was he joking? Of course I wanted to see him again, and I told him as much.

He looked strangely relieved.

CHAPTER 4

We spent a quiet day at home. I busied myself with housework, and Edward helped whenever he could, despite my protests. He fetched me water from the well, chopped firewood, and did all the other tasks he deemed too heavy for me.

"I've been doing them for as long as I can remember." I laughed at him. "What makes you think they're too much for me? How about you? A rich man like you must have servants attending to your every need."

He shrugged. "I wasn't always rich, you know. I used to be poorer than you."

"Really?" I was intrigued.

He sat down on a wooden chair by the stove where he started a fire. "I wasn't born with money, despite what you may think. When my parents passed away, I was only fifteen. My primary goal at that time was to survive. It was by accident that I came across a kind man who saw my potential and taught me everything I know. Carlisle was a rich merchant. He picked me up from the streets, brought me to his home, and treated me as his own son. When he died, he left everything to me. I was able to double his assets a few years later. Guess I was lucky."

"I doubt luck had anything to do with it. People say Edward Cullen is the youngest, smartest, richest trader in the islands," I said in awe.

"Do you always listen to what people say?" he questioned, chuckling.

"Not always. But in this case, I believe they're right. Only they didn't say he is also kind and caring, which matters more, I think."

He held my gaze for a moment, and I forgot what I was doing. All I could think of was the way the fire from the stove danced in his eyes, adding gold tinges to their green depths. He seemed to glow from within, like the angel in my dream.

The spell was broken by a sharp knock on the door. Edward stood up to answer it, and then Alice and Jasper stepped inside the cottage. They looked at Edward and me and their smiles widened.

"You're Edward Cullen, aren't you? I'm Jasper Whitlock, Bella's cousin." Jasper gripped Edward's hand in a firm handshake.

Alice turned to me excitedly. "Bella, you know our first wedding anniversary is tomorrow, don't you? We just stopped by to invite you to a barbecue dinner tomorrow at our house. Please tell Charlie to come with you. And Edward, we would like it if you were there, too."

Edward accepted the invitation, and then they were off. He grinned, seemingly happy to go to our family gathering.

"I know you've met almost everyone in my family. But I have to warn you, when they're all together, things get a little crazy," I teased him.

"All the more reason to attend then and tell them you think they're crazy," he countered, tickling me playfully in the ribs.

I laughed, batting his hands away. I was still laughing when Father came home. Seeing us together brought his eyebrows to his hairline.

"Mr. Swan. Good evening, sir," Edward said, letting go of me.

"Father, Alice and Jasper just left. They're having us over for dinner tomorrow. It's their wedding anniversary," I told him, fetching his slippers.

"Already? Huh. Time flies fast," he commented, sitting at the kitchen table. He turned wary eyes toward Edward. "Mr. Cullen, good of you to come by again."

"Please call me Edward, sir. And yes, I rather like having your daughter's company. She's the only one I've met so far whom I can have a pleasant conversation with," Edward said without hesitating, his voice clear and confident.

"Don't count on meeting more people like her. This island experienced a boost in trade and economy a few years back. Guess it went to most people's heads, and they started acting high and mighty," Father confided.

Edward nodded. "I'm happy to have met good people, then, sir."

"I'm just glad someone finally took an interest in my daughter," Father said bluntly, causing me to blush. "It'll do her a world of good."

Edward stopped by the house the following afternoon and carried the big bowl of squash candy I made for Alice and Jasper. Father, Edward, and I walked the short distance to their home, which was slightly bigger than ours. A small group of people was already there, comprised of Emmett, Rose, Peter (Jasper's father), Charlotte (Jasper's mother and Father's sister), Mary and Randall (Alice's parents), and Chelsea, Emmett's mother who was also Father's other sister. They were pleasantly surprised to have a "VIP" in the house and gave Edward a warm welcome.

After the introductions, Emmett handed Edward a bottle of beer and pulled him outside the cottage where the men were setting up the grill. The women stayed in the kitchen to cook the vegetables and dessert.

"Goodness, child." Aunt Chelsea breathed deeply. "What a fine young man you have there!"

"Chelsea!" Rose cried in a horrified tone.

"Oh, hush, Rosalie." Aunt Chelsea crossed her arms. "Just because I'm an old widow doesn't mean I don't know a great catch if I saw one!"

The room erupted into laughter.

"Honestly, Bella, what's going on between you two?" Alice asked, and all eyes were trained on me, their cooking forgotten.

"Nothing," I insisted. "We've just started getting to know each other."

They seemed satisfied with this answer because they resumed their various tasks. Rose, however, kept looking at me until she made up her mind and said, "Bella, just friendly advice. Don't push him away, okay? Allow him to get to know you."

"But, Rose, what if he doesn't like what he sees?" I asked in a small voice.

"I think he already does, honey," Rose assured me.

"Don't treat him like the boys in this village who don't know a good woman if she stared them in the face. He's different. I can feel it," Alice added.

The other women in the kitchen agreed with her, and I felt a little better.

We sat at the long bamboo table under a coconut tree outside the cottage. Alice had stringed some fairy lights on the branches of the surrounding trees, and the light of the moon as well as the stars dotting the cloudless night sky gave a bright glow to our small party.

The table was set with cooked vegetables, noodles, soup, and the grilled pork, chicken, and seafood, which the men cooked while drinking beer. I hoped they weren't too intoxicated to cook properly. But as I took a bite of juicy baby backs, I knew I didn't have to worry.

We toasted the happy couple a few times, and everyone settled into a calm mood as we enjoyed the meal.

Suddenly, Emmett's eyes lit up with a wicked gleam. Oh no, this couldn't be good.

"So, Edward, I hope you're not just stringing along our little Bella here only to break her heart later on," Emmett opened up, fixing his eyes on the poor man.

"Emmett!" I exclaimed, kicking his foot under the table. He didn't even move one bit. Stupid bear of a man with giant stone feet.

"I think it's too early to say that, Emmett," Father said uneasily.

"Oh, no. I have nothing but good intentions, sir," Edward addressed Father, then Emmett.

"Good, because you have me and Jasper to answer to." Emmett grinned.

"And me, Randall, and Charlie as well," Uncle Peter said.

"Uncle Peter, not you too!" I cried, exasperated.

Uncle Peter had the audacity to beam at me. Edward looked uncertain, as if he couldn't decide whether or not they were just joking. I gave him a reassuring smile, which he returned with an adorable lift of a corner of his mouth.

"By the way, you might as well call him Charlie, if you're going to marry his daughter someday," Emmett told him.

I choked on my salad, and Mary had to pat me on the back several times before I was well enough to glare daggers at Emmett.

"You know he's just joking, Bella," Mary whispered in an attempt to placate me.

"Yes, just call me Charlie from now on. All this 'sir' business is making me feel uneasy." Father squirmed, making everyone laugh again and dissolve the tension.

My family was a crazy bunch. Who knew what foolishness they subjected Edward to while they were cooking earlier? I only hoped Edward didn't run away screaming before the night was over.

CHAPTER 5

Edward spent the rest of the week with me. He came early in the morning and left for his nearby vacation cottage in the evening. Alice and Rose didn't come around anymore, claiming they were behind on their chores. I was thankful for the privacy they were giving me and Edward. I got to know the man beneath the appealing facade. And he was fantastic, the perfect gentleman. I lived the days as if in a daze, still not quite believing that he was with me instead of someone more interesting. Like Jessica, for instance.

At the end of the week, he stayed later than usual. Just a few minutes before my father was to arrive, he sat beside me and took my hand. "Bella," he whispered. "I have to tell you something."

I let go of the shirt I was folding and looked up at him. My breath caught at the seriousness in his expression. He's saying goodbye, I thought frantically. His week-long holiday is over and he needs to go back home.

I voiced out my suspicions. He nodded silently, causing me to drop my head to hide the tears forming. When we first met, I thought nothing about not seeing him again. But now that I knew him, knew that he was as kind and gentle as he was outwardly beautiful, I could not stop the sob from escaping my mouth.

"What's the matter?" he asked me softly. He lifted my face up and wiped away my tears.

I shrugged. "I'm just sad, is all," I said nonchalantly, but the tears that continued to flow betrayed my true feelings.

"And why would you be sad?" he prodded.

"Because this is the last time we'll be seeing each other again."

"That's not true. I have business in this town. I will be returning here regularly."

"Yes, but it would be months until you come back." I struggled to put into words what was eating at me every day. "You might forget about me by then."

He sighed. "That will never happen, Bella." He urged me to look at him to see his sincerity. "What would you have me do?"

I had never been comfortable with expressing myself so openly with anybody, not even my family. But these past few days taught me something. "I-I don't want you to end this. I want to be with you always," I said shyly.

"You shall have your wish." He smiled at me. "If you agree, I will take you with me to Settle as my wife."

I was dumbfounded. I had been expecting some words of affection because of our growing friendship. I had never dreamed he would speak to me about marriage.

"But, why?" I whispered.

"I know this may seem too soon, Bella, but it is the truth. I love you," he said, gazing at me tenderly.

"Why?" I repeated, desperately wanting but failing to understand.

"Why is it too hard to believe? Don't you think you are worthy of love?" he demanded.

I lowered my eyes and clenched my hands. No, I was not worthy to be loved, not by a wondrous man who was so obviously out of my reach. It made no sense whatsoever.

I bit my lip nervously as I realized that if I told him what I was thinking, I'd risk losing him. Still, I needed to make him understand. "You are known as the sharpest trader throughout the islands, Edward. Surely you must realize that, with me, you are gaining nothing. I am not beautiful, nor am I educated. And I have no money."

He shook his head. "You know my past. If it weren't for Carlisle, I would still be living on the streets. He helped me make money effortlessly, but all those riches seemed empty somehow. Finding you finally gave me something to live for."

He unclenched my hands and threaded his fingers through mine. I couldn't help looking up at him as he continued his explanation.

"The day we met, when you dropped into my lap, you were like an angel from the heavens. I've never seen anyone so lovely and so innocent. And when Mike scared you away with his careless words, all I wanted to do was to find you and apologize for his actions. But you were suddenly gone and I tried to find you. Later, I saw you again, this time after you saved that same man who was so awful to you.

"You are selfless, Bella. So inherently good. You make me strive to be better than I am." He cradled my face in his hands. "So beautiful, too. Why no one else sees it, I will never understand. But in my selfish way I am happy because no one else will claim you and take you away from me."

I was sobbing now, because everything I'd ever wanted but thought I'd never have was finally happening. It felt so surreal.

"Do you love me too, Bella?"

I didn't think he should ask, because it was impossible not to love him. Besides, I was an open book by now. But in the off-chance that he was as insecure as I felt and he needed to hear it, I relented. "Yes, Edward. I love you, too."

His smile was blinding even in the darkness of the night. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I cried out in joy, boldly seeking his lips for a kiss.

He lifted me off my feet and spun me around, making me giddy with happiness. It was the first time he held me in his arms because he always kept a respectful distance, but this felt so right.

The door opened, and Father walked in. He took in our clasped hands and bright faces, and he grinned slowly. "Do we need to break out the champagne?" he joked.

"Charlie, I know I should have asked you first. But since Bella already agreed..."

"What are you trying to say, Edward?" Father asked quietly.

"Bella and I are getting married, Charlie, and it would make us very happy if you gave us your blessing."

Father didn't say anything for a moment. "Huh. I wasn't expecting that."

"I know it's a bit soon, Father, but we both want this," I said with conviction.

"Well, as long as my little girl is happy, I'm happy," Father softly replied, getting a little teary-eyed. He turned to Edward. "Thank you, Son."

They discussed the bridal price negotiation, which was a tradition in our islands. After reaching an agreement on the date and venue, Edward gave me a chaste kiss goodbye and left.

Even after I had accepted his proposal, after my father gave us his blessing, or even after Edward said goodbye, I was still having trouble believing it.

Edward Cullen wanted to marry me.

CHAPTER 6

The wedding was to take place the morning after the negotiation for the price of the bride. I didn't dwell on the negotiation because I knew for a fact how wealthy my future husband was. He wouldn't have any problem paying my father the thirty sheep required for a woman of the plainest face or the lowest status.

My cousins, Jasper and Emmett, insisted that I was worth more than that. They convinced my father to demand sixty to ninety sheep from Edward. They were good men, my cousins, but their love for me blinded them to the sad fact that I was only a thirty-sheep-woman. Even the townspeople agreed with me, as I overheard the old wives' gossip while I hung clothes to dry outside the cottage.

I wasn't bothered too much by the gossip; I'd been living with it all my life. I didn't care how much Edward paid for me. All I thought about was coming home to Settle and becoming a good wife to my husband.

I was only bothered when old Mrs. Mallory next-door commented to Mrs. Crowley, "It's almost noon and Mr. Cullen still hasn't arrived. He must've thought better after sleeping on it and realised what he was getting himself into. Seriously! How could he marry Bella? My daughter, Lauren, is far lovelier than she could ever hope to be!" This was followed by their derisive laughter.

For a moment, all the doubts and anxieties that Edward tried to erase from my mind this past week returned in full swing. How could he say one thing while the rest of the town said another? I felt my heart sink as I thought about Mrs. Mallory's words.

However, I was instantly comforted when I heard Edward approaching. I dried my hands and hurried to meet him upfront. I smiled happily as he got off his horse and touched my calloused hand to his lips.

Then he turned to the negotiation council, which was composed of the village elders, my father, Emmett, and Jasper. My cousins stood at their full height with serious expressions on their faces while Father nervously wrung his hands. I knew how hard he had tried to find me a husband before, and now that it was happening, he didn't want anything to go wrong. I knew he would settle for whatever price Edward was willing to give.

They entered our humble dwelling and sat down for the meeting. I retreated to the doorway of the kitchen, watching silently.

"Charlie Swan," Edward addressed my father in a formal tone, "I, Edward Cullen, wish to marry your daughter, Isabella."

"How much do you offer in exchange for her hand, Edward?" Father asked.

"How much do you want?" Edward countered.

"N-ninety sheep," Father replied anxiously. My cousins nodded in agreement.

"Hmm... Ninety sheep is a lot," Edward commented. "But I am willing to offer two hundred and forty sheep for Bella."

"Two hundred-forty?" Father, Jasper, Emmett, and I cried out in shock.

My mind whirled with this sudden development. What an outrageous price! Rosalie, who was the most beautiful girl in town, only got one hundred-fifty sheep from Emmett, who had to work day and night to come up with that amount. I was nowhere near as pretty as Rose.

The old men were probably thinking about her too because they were shaking heads and quietly arguing among themselves. I caught "Preposterous!" and "Madness!" thrown in here and there.

My poor father looked like he didn't know what to do.

"Uncle, say yes before he comes to his senses and changes his mind!" Emmett said as quietly as he could, but his excitement caused everyone to hear him. Edward fought to hide a grin.

"Y-yes! Yes I accept." Father choked out, shaking his head out of his stupor.

After Edward shook hands with the men, I hurried into his arms. "Edward! Why would you do such a thing? People will think you're crazy or blind!" I told him worriedly.

"I am neither blind nor crazy, my love," he assured me, cradling my face in his warm hand. "Remember, I don't care what other people think. What do you think?"

I laughed, somewhat hysterically. "I think I've been in a rather strange dream these past days."

"No Bella, this is not a dream," he declared, looking into my eyes. "This is real."

 

CHAPTER 7

 

 

The wedding was splendid, though how that could have happened on such short notice was beyond me. All I knew was that with Alice's planning and with Edward's money, anything was possible.

 

Edward and I were wed in the only church on the island, which was a small, plain white building on top of a short hill overlooking the coast. The water gently fizzled against the shore and the birds on the coconut palm trees sang cheerfully as if they shared our happiness. The salty tang of the sea combined with the sweet scent of jasmines permeated the air, making me a bit light-headed as I walked down the short aisle with my father. The interior of the church was transformed with the creative work of Alice so that it was worthy of a page in a tour guide brochure or magazine.

 

It seemed as if everyone in town was there. Only my family were seated at the front row since Edward didn't have any family left. The mayor and his family sat behind them. People I had known since childhood turned their heads in my direction as I walked past them. I did not miss the disdain in some of their faces, but before I had any time to brood about them I faced the front of the church and saw my husband-to-be.

 

No words could describe how marvellous he looked. It was as if he was even more handsome at that moment. He seemed so happy and alive, as if he had just won a prize.

 

When I reached him, he took my hand from my father's. “I don't deserve you,” he whispered, seizing the words from my mouth.

 

I went through the tedious rituals almost impatiently. I knew the pinning of the veil, the cord around our shoulders, the candles, and the coins all symbolised something important, but I wanted to get it over with so Edward and I could be alone, away from the judgemental looks and the wagging tongues.

 

At the end of the ceremony, the people spilled from the pews and came to congratulate us with suspicious grins on their faces. I tried my best not to let them ruin this significant day in my life and just enjoy myself.

 

We walked the short distance to the white beach below where the wedding feast was spread. Tables upon tables of grilled seafood, white rice flavoured with screw pine leaves, stir-fried vegetables, chicken simmered in bamboo, savoury soup, fruits, and native coconut sweets covered half the seaside. A table was reserved for the traditional whole pig roasted over charcoal. I had never seen so much food before, not even during the festivals.

 

A group of young men with guitars and drums crooned love songs while Edward and I went through the remaining rituals of freeing the doves from their cage, sipping wine with arms intertwined, and feeding each other a slice of cake.

 

We parted briefly to mingle with the guests. I talked to my aunts and cousins for a while, and then I was alone. I turned to see Jessica approaching me with a friendly smile. I finally realised why Jessica wasn't trying to seduce Edward as I had expected her to do a week ago. She told me that she was finally settling down as well with none other than Mike Newton. She thanked me (albeit belatedly) for saving his life and wished us well.

 

The old wives were there, too, not even bothering to lower their voices as I walked near them. They were no doubt privy to the events inside my father's hut yesterday, judging from their conversation. We had not been that quiet, after all. Thanks to these gossip-mongers, everyone in the general area would know about the two hundred forty sheep waiting for Father even before this day was over.

 

The people I cared about were eating and dancing and laughing to their hearts' content. They were in a festive mood, Father most of all. Who knew he could marry off his daughter and become a rich man all in one day?

 

I wanted to celebrate with them, I really did. Here I was, the plainest girl in Ford, married to a man who probably wouldn't have noticed me if not for my clumsiness or my heroic antics. I was beyond grateful. But all the loud gossip and malicious stares were making my head ache, so I took Edward's hand and led him behind the trees that lined the edge of the sea coast, away from the noisy crowd. I often went there as a girl, where I would play hide-and-seek with my boisterous cousins. In a small clearing, I found the love seat Emmett had made out of teak logs from his wood shop.

 

Even with the low hum of the cicadas, it was a quiet, solemn place, which instantly calmed my frayed nerves. I sat down with my husband and laid my head on his strong shoulder.

 

“Are you happy, love?” he asked quietly. He pressed a soft kiss to my fingers, and I was soothed even more.

 

“Yes,” I murmured, tracing the lines on his smooth palm.

 

“Then why do you sound gloomy?” he asked me, observing my face.

 

I bit my lip, feeling a rare burst of anger rise in me. “Edward, most of these people eating at the feast you've provided so generously are not here to celebrate our happiness. They came to speculate and laugh and say mean things. It's not right.”

 

He took a deep breath. “I know. Most people never change, no matter what you do. But I didn't throw this feast for them. I did it for you, for Charlie, for the rest of your family. They are just the audience, Bella, but you are the star. Love, can you do something for me?”

 

He had given me so much already and I knew there was nothing I wouldn't do for him. “Anything.”

 

“Even just for today, can you please stop listening to what they say? Instead, I want you to listen to this: You're the only person that matters to me,” he said with utter conviction.

 

What does one say to that?

 

I thought about his interest in me from the very beginning, his constant desire to be near me, and finally his astounding offer for my hand in marriage. It was undeniable how much I meant to him. Love was a very strange thing that I could never hope to comprehend, but I found myself opening up to its irresistible power.

 

Slowly, I was beginning to believe.

 

 

CHAPTER 8

 

 

Edward granted me my one and only wish. For our honeymoon, he took me on an unforgettable trip around the world. I was amazed by the strange-looking people and their even stranger clothes, their heavy accents, and their food that was so different to ours. I was fearful at first because everything seemed so new, a far cry from the small Italian restaurant he had taken me to in Ford. They had technology so advanced it made me a little sad when I thought about my home town’s insignificance. Oh, if only the proud villagers of Ford could see this now! Perhaps they wouldn't be too arrogant. But as we discovered each new city and their hidden treasures, I was filled with exhilaration. I threw my fears and cautions to the wind and embraced my inner adventuress.

 

Edward was wonderful. He comforted me at the beginning when I was too scared to step out of the ship and onto a bizarre new country. He patiently encouraged me until I felt strong enough to go exploring with him. He knew a few languages and acted as my interpreter most of the time, increasing my admiration for him even more.

 

Each place we went to was amazing, and I had never felt so lucky in my life. I felt as if I had aged because of all that I had seen and learned, even though it was only a few months since we left the docks of Settle. My favorites were Greece, Italy, and France. They had an ancient feel to them that was unbearably romantic, as if a chariot drawn by horses would fit as perfectly with the scenery as a racing sports car would. Although I didn't tell this to him outright, he must have sensed my pleasure when we roamed their cobbled streets because near the end of our journey, he declared he had associates in these places whom he would visit in the future, and that he wanted me to go with him.

 

The trip was exciting, but I was relieved when we finally settled in his ten-bedroom home. I was tired from the fast-paced life in those more advanced cities and appreciated the quiet, restful days in the Cullen estate.

 

It took me a long time to see what his words on our wedding day meant, but I finally did. How could I not? Every day, Edward never failed to tell me how much he loved me or show me how important I was to him. If I had to write down every sweet, thoughtful, crazy thing he had done for me, I would run out of paper. What had I ever done to deserve someone so perfect for me?

 

In the end, I acknowledged that I was beautiful and had nothing to be ashamed of. After about a month with him, I stopped looking at mirrors because I simply didn't care about how other people saw me, just as long as I was desirable in his eyes. That wasn't too difficult to attain. I didn't need to paint my face, to rearrange my hair or wear ornaments just as the sophisticated women in the big cities did. All I had to do was be myself and he was content.

 

Our house in Settle felt more like home than Ford ever did to me. The people there adored Edward as he proved to be a generous, fair, and helpful neighbor. It seemed like their love for him transferred to me too. Besides, they were more educated, open-minded and less inclined to judge and ridicule. Gone were the petty gossips. In their place were kind people who gave me a sense of belongingness I unfortunately had not felt in Ford.

 

I tried my best to be a good wife. I never had to do manual labour for the rest of my life because he equipped the house with a full staff. Instead, I taught myself with the books in his extensive library, I managed his household, accompanied him to some of his business trips, cooked for him (because he seemed to like it), and entertained his guests. I felt more confident dealing with people here because they treated me more favourably than ever before. I could only look back with a rueful smile at my long-gone days of shyness and low self-worth.

 

Now, it was June. Edward and I had been living in wedded bliss for several months, but we decided to break the spell and face reality once more when we return to Ford for the Winter Festival. I almost wanted to bail, to stay in our safe little bubble, but he knew I missed my family and that we had to face them eventually. He said I was now strong enough to face the occasional demeaning person in my previous hometown. Besides, we got word that Alice was pregnant, and I wanted to see her and show her and Jasper how happy I was for them.

 

Before our trip, however, a guest arrived. I found out from some of the household staff that the man was a foreign trader who had gone to Ford, where he heard news of my husband's business prowess. I immediately began preparations for his stay and oversaw the dishes we were to serve him while my husband entertained him in the adjoining sitting room. As I set the dining room table out of their sight, I could hear the two men talking.

 

“Hello. I'm Edward Cullen.” I heard my husband introduce himself.

 

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cullen,” a deep, accented voice said. “My name is Jacob Black.”

 

<O> <O>

 

 

 

CHAPTER 9

 

 

“Well, Mr. Black, what brings you here?” Edward asked our guest.

 

“Someone told me that you are the man to go to if I wanted hard-to-find pieces,” Mr. Black replied.

 

“At a price, of course,” Edward said.

 

I busied myself with the flower arrangements on the table while they talked business, listening to their discussion with interest; I knew Edward would ask me about my opinion later. When he first showed me his library and taught me about Literature, History, Science, and Mathematics, he saw in me an eagerness to learn. That, along with my sound judgment, made him value my thoughts on almost everything. He would share with me various problems in his numerous businesses. When I accompanied him on his trips and meetings with his associates, I was like an adviser of sorts.

 

When there was a lull in their rather interesting conversation, I signalled one of the girls to bring the tray of refreshments to the rattan coffee table.

 

Edward thanked the girl and shifted to a less serious topic. “So you've been to Ford?”

 

I instantly paid attention because I wanted to hear something about my family.

 

“Yes,” Mr. Black answered.

 

“Do they talk about me?” Edward asked.

 

“Yes, Mr. Crowley referred you to me.”

 

“My wife is from that town.” I could hear the tenderness in Edward's voice. My heart skipped a beat.

 

“I know.”

 

“Do they talk about her as well?”

 

“A bit.”

 

“What do they say about her?” I leaned closer to the wall to hear better. I was curious about the answer, too.

 

“That you bought her for two hundred-forty sheep.” I noticed the uneasiness in our guest's tone. “They still can't understand why.”

 

“Don't they?” Edward sounded amused. “Everybody knows about it then?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Here, everyone knows about it, too,” Edward said softly.

 

“I know. When I asked the men at the docks about you, they told me about Bella. Strange, but they have a different reaction to her name than the men from Ford. Well, I guess both of you are well known within these islands.”

 

Edward laughed quietly. “I reckon it will not be forgotten for a long time. When people speak about marriages, they will remember how I paid the highest price for my wife.”

 

Our guest snickered. “So after all the mystery, this is it? I thought you did it because you were so blinded by love that you couldn't see her for what she really was. I was mistaken. You did it out of pride. Well, you should know it backfired. The people of Ford are laughing at you. They think that such a smart businessman as you allowed yourself to be fooled by a poor old fisherman.”

 

Black's words were like a knife through my chest. How dare he say such cruel words against my dear husband? The people from that damn town, as well as this stranger, were so preoccupied with outward appearances to really see the soul inside. Edward was the kindest, most generous man I'd known, and apparently, I was the only Fordian who saw it. I felt the sudden need to comfort him. He had done so many wonderful things to me, and I thought now was the time to return the favor.

 

Slowly, I entered the doorway, my eyes searching for him. Our gazes met, and I was suddenly filled with honeyed warmth. I approached him, giving him my most loving smile. I ran my hands along his broad shoulders in assurance and kissed his frown away. I spared a cold glance at our offensive visitor and got a glimpse of his complete confusion before I exited the room.

 

When I reached my previous hiding place, the feeling of bravado began to dissipate until fear remained. I wanted to run away, as I had many times before in the face of hostility. But then, I realized that the love Edward and I shared was stronger than any opposing force. I forced myself to stay in the dining room, determined to see things through.

 

“Who was that?” Mr. Black asked breathlessly.

 

“She is Bella, my wife.”

 

“You married another woman also with the name of Bella?”

 

“No,” Edward expressed the first real sign of annoyance, “She is Isabella, Charlie's only daughter, from Ford.”

 

“But that's impossible!”

 

“Is she different from what you have heard from the good people of Ford?”

 

“Yes, I-I don't understand... ”

 

“Humor me, good sir,” Edward told him. “Imagine yourself as a woman.”

 

“All right?” Black replied reluctantly.

 

“Imagine you are a young woman about to be married to a man. Can you picture it?”

 

I smiled, seeing where Edward was going with this.

 

“Now, imagine you are being bought by your husband for thirty sheep. How would that make you feel?”

 

“Terrible,” Black said softly.

 

“Exactly. I would never let that happen to my Bella.”

 

I fell even more in love with my husband at that moment.

 

“So you did that to keep her from getting hurt?” Mr. Black clarified.

 

“You could say that, though it's not the entire reason,” Edward told him. “In Ford, I noticed that she felt absolutely worthless, and the people never let her forget it. Now, she knows the truth. She knows that she is worth more than all of the women of Ford put together.”

 

After that, our guest grew silent. He trudged to his room, probably to ponder on Edward's words. Meanwhile, I wasted no time in rushing to my husband's side. He pulled me into his lap much like when we had first met.

 

“You certainly gave him something to think about,” I commented, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and resting my head in the crook of his neck.

 

“Did I?” He laughed, burying his face in my hair and breathing in deeply.

 

I remembered the bewildered look Jacob Black gave me earlier and asked Edward about it.

 

He answered me by raising a brow. “What do I tell you every morning when you wake up?”

 

“That I am amazing, and that there's nothing about me you would ever change,” I recited out of memory.

 

“Do you believe that?” he asked.

 

I nodded.

 

“No, I don't think you fully understand. It's a good thing I bought this from Mr. Black. I was going to give this to you on your birthday, but today is a day of revelations, so I might as well... ”

 

I sat up, watching as he pulled out a long, simple wooden box from his trousers' pocket and placed it in my hands. For a moment, I just looked at it, weighing it silently. Then curiosity got the better of me, and I lifted the lid and took out the present. It was an antique gilt-bronze hand-mirror, adorned with engraved images of birds, ribbons and flowers. I admired the patterns at the back until a feeling of uneasiness began to gradually creep in.

 

I realized that I had not seen my reflection for quite a while. When before I had convinced myself that I didn't look at mirrors solely because I didn't care anymore, lately I acknowledged that a part of me was still scared. I could not completely eradicate years of insecurity, even though I felt that I was taking big steps towards accepting myself. Maybe I avoided reflective surfaces because I was trying to forget the stigma that went with my appearance, or perhaps I just wanted to pretend that I was better than I really was. Whatever the reason, I was taking the coward's way out.

 

On the other hand, Edward knew me so well that he must have picked up on my lingering anxieties before I had even noticed them. Once again, he was keeping me from running away from myself. His gift was like an unspoken challenge, and I owed it to him to be strong enough to take it. Otherwise, all his efforts at helping me find myself would have gone to waste.

 

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as if physically gathering courage into me. I channelled the new, more powerful Bella, the woman Edward insisted was the real me. Steeling myself, I turned the mirror over and looked directly into it. I gasped.

 

Staring up at me was the most breathtaking woman I had ever seen. She exuded confidence and grace unparalleled even by the fair Rosalie. Her white skin glowed like alabaster, her cheeks and lips flushed pink with life. But the most glorious part of her were her eyes: they shone with the light of a thousand stars, which could only be attributed to the joy of love and acceptance.

 

“I look different,” I whispered. It was a gross understatement. I had completely transformed from an insignificant waif into this mysterious, fascinating woman in the mirror.

 

“You are the same Bella I fell in love with. I saw this part of you when we first met. It was there all along,” Edward explained. I saw a glimpse of the shrewd trader who had a knack for seeing the potential in even the simplest things. But I knew I was more precious to him than his most prized possessions. “Only when you let go of your fears and doubts did you finally allow it to shine through.”

 

My heart was so full of emotions I couldn't seem to express in words. I kissed him instead.

 

“Now, Bella, do you believe?” he murmured knowingly.

 

I did. I finally, genuinely believed.

 

<O> <O>

 

       ]

     __,

 

THE END