444 Chapter 444

"It's so beautiful here! The gardens are incredible!" Nora said as they walked around outside at Highgrove.

"Yes. They truly are a wonder." Pearl smiled but felt a bit sad at all the love and loss that had happened there.

After a tour of the home and a light lunch, they sat for tea on the terrace.

"Will I ever get used to all this tea?" Nora asked.

Pearl laughed heartily. "No. No you will not."

Nora smiled.

"Thank you Pearl, for being someone I can trust. And for this beautiful home. But most importantly, for accepting me." Nora put her head down.

"I've screwed it all up." She rubbed her belly.

"No, no my love. You haven't screwed anything up. I'm happy for you. And it will all be okay. If that's one thing I've learned, it's that. Life goes on."

Nora nodded as Pearl put her hand over hers.

"I was much like you, not that long ago. I love my son but I have a soft spot for women like us. I will be there for you, I promise." Pearl picked up her cup. "Now, for more tea!"

Nora laughed. They had a wonderful day of talking and getting to know one another.

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Erik paced the office while Christian signed paper work. Christian watched him as walked back and forth, over and over.

"Erik. I apologize for asking but is everything alright?"

Erik stopped and looked at him. He hadn't realized he was pacing.

"Yes. I apologize. Just a bit energized today is all. What can I help with?"

Christian laughed. "You can help by not pacing all over the room and running down the carpet."

Erik nodded. "Going to run to the loo."

"Ok." Christian said, shaking his head.

Erik walked out and immediately dialed his cell.

"Yes." Pearl answered.

"I miss you. I'm overwrought." He said. "I hate you being there, at that house. I'm insecure that it will make you hate me again." He had worked on honesty and talking about his feelings for so long that bottling anything up was just painful. He wanted complete transparency with her moving forward.

"If anything, it makes me appreciate what we have and are doing even more." She said. He breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Good. Lovely. Come back please. I want to hug you. God I sound like a sappy twit but I don't care." Erik ran his hands through his hair and paced some more.

"Afternoon Mr. Pilsen." Javier said as he passed Erik in the hall.

"Yes. Good day." Erik said, half listening.

"I'll be home before dinner." Pearl said. "And I miss you, too."

"Good. Fine. Yes." He said. "I miss you dreadfully." And hung up. He smiled and walked back into the office, settling into a chair finally.

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"Christian, I absolutely love that house! When can we move in and make it our own?" Nora sat down at dinner and smiled.

"Whenever you'd like. I would like to wait until after we are married to make the official move. And perhaps make it just a summer and holiday house after the honeymoon period, yes?" He said, beginning to eat.

"Yes. Sounds like a plan." Nora said, looking at Pearl.

He didn't know about the baby yet but after he did find out, it would be the home they were at for the first year. Nora had already planned it out. Palace life wasn't for her anyway but definitely not with a newborn. That house was much more suited for it.

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Pearl smiled as she pulled the sheets over her naked body. Erik held her for what felt like forever after dinner, twirling his fingers around her hair.

"We should get married again." He said.

"Erik! I'm married to Dylan. I can't even think about that until we settle all of this." She said, sitting up and looking at him.

"Fine. Settle it. But then we get married again." Erik said, smiling mischievously.

"You are still just as incorrigible as the day I met you." She said.

"I am." He said.

She became quiet again.

"What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing her back.

"Was it really the affair with Sebastian that pushed you over the edge? It seemed we were so good together before that." She looked off into the distance. "Tell me the truth."

He hesitated and sat up as well, putting a robe on and pouring a drink.

"Yes." He said. Her heart sank.

"I had no desire to be that way again. Not at all. You had made me so terribly happy. But I told you about my past. You knew it. That's not normal behavior. You knew I was completely fucked up. And you took the risk anyway. I appreciated you for that but I was honest about it." He said.

"Not completely." She said.

"Complete enough." He said. "You asked. I answered."

"You did," she said, "thank you."

The guilt and remorse swept over her like a blanket of shame.

"My god, I'm just as responsible if not more. For all of it! How can you still love me after all of that? After all of these years?" She felt awful.

He walked over and knelt down in front of her.

"Because real love isn't something you can turn off and on. Believe me. Loving you, the way I have, has been the biggest pride of my life. My most important accomplishment. And I do love you, god help me, I do."

He pulled her into his arms and held her.

"I have to go to Wyoming and tell him. I have to do it now. It cannot wait." She said.

Erik stood up and paced, finishing his drink.

"Fine then. Go. I know you have to. But please be safe and please come back to me. That's all I ask." He sat next to her and took her hand.

"Come back to me."