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━━━━━━━━☆★☆━━━━━━━━
After Esdras and Shelley figure out about Riley's visit, Esdras decides that it'll be best to gather a meeting at Cullen residence.
Edward paces around, frustrated while Alice is stressed. Esdras is staring into the air as if he's in between a battle with himself in his head.
Bella tries to track their fast-paced conversation with Carlisle, Rosalie, and Esme. And here Shelley is, digging into the Torta tenerina without any pressure or worry in her mind about the situation around her.
Well, don't blame her. The moment Esdras announced that the scent of the stranger is of a vampire who proved to be her ex boyfriend, she was traumatised. But then again, when Esme offered a handful of pieces of her famous Torta tenerina, she was back to herself, enjoying her delicious piece of Torta tenerina. It's truly heaven.
"Who was it? Someone we know?" Alice asks.
"Just a stranger. I didn't recognize his scent." Esdras says, not daring to look up.
"It's him. Riley." She replies, swallowing down another piece of her Torta tenerina and licking the chocolate layer on her lips in delight.
"What if it's just a nomad passing through?" Esme says, smiling at her childish behaviour.
"A passer-by wouldn't have left Bella's father alive." Rosalie points out.
Shelley drops her fork, losing her appetite, chilled by the thought and Esme wraps an arm around her just as the door bursts open.
Jasper enters. "His scent disappeared about five miles south of Swan residence."
"Someone's orchestrating this." Edward states and Carlisle looks at the twin with a certain look mixed with worrisome on his face.
"Victoria?"
"I would've seen her deciding." The pixie Cullen says.
"It has to be the Volturi." Edward tells.
"I don't think it's the Volturi either. I've been watching Aro's decisions, too." Alice responds.
"So what now?" Esdras asks, snapping out of his gaze once again. "We can't let this go. This is not just about Bella, it's about Shelley's protection as well."
"We keep looking?" Emmett says.
"We also take shifts, guarding Bella & Shelley at her house." Carlisle says, shifting on his seat.
"Another protection detail?" Rosalie asks, her voice lacing with annoyance.
"Rosalie." Esme says in disbelief at her rudeness.
