Chapter 267

"Erik, what is going on?" Pearl asked.

Erik looked afraid. He hesitated and poured a drink. Pearl was slowly becoming impatient.

"Erik... seriously. Please tell me what is going on."

Erik took a drink of bourbon and closed his eyes.

"I'm not a good guy, Pearl." Erik said.

Pearl looked at him and saw the pain in his face, and she immediately began to feel ill. Something was wrong.

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked, holding her stomach.

"There are two women from my past that I have kept from you." He said, shakily.

"Kept from me?" Pearl asked.

Erik nodded. "Yes." He said. Pearl waited for him to continue.

"You know about my dark side, my need for punishing women, sexually, because of my childhood trauma." He began. Pearl felt the fear rising and moving throughout her body. She nodded.

"There was an incident were it went... too far." Erik said.

"Too far?" Pearl asked.

There was silence between them. Eerily terrifying silence.

Erik exhaled and closed his eyes again.

"One had to be hospitalized and the other... "

Pearl felt her heart pound inside of her chest. She already knew what he was going to say.

"... she died." He said.

"What?" Pearl asked, confused and in shock.

"She died. It was asphyxia, erotic asphyxiation. She was tied up and wanted to be choked, strangled. Both of them did. I was with both of them at the same time." Erik said.

"Oh my god." Pearl said, gasping and covering her mouth.

"The woman that recovered told the police it was an accident, verified my story that they both agreed to the strangulation. They both signed an agreement and they didn't press charges against me. But the family of the woman that died wanted to sue me. I settled out of court so it would never reach the press." Erik said, finishing his drink and pouring another.

"You, you killed a woman?" Pearl asked.

"Yes. It was completely accidental, I swear to you and I was celibate for four years after, until I met you." He said.

"I need you to leave. I need to process this and I need to talk to someone. I need to find out more. How could you not tell me this? I'm not doing well right now. Please leave." She said, taking steps backwards, subconsciously creating space between herself and Erik, still feeling ill.

"Pearl, please believe me. It was an accident. I was out of control at the time. My obsession was out of control. It went too far and I changed. I was waiting for someone to help me. For you." He said, pleading with her.

"Please leave." Pearl said again, almost in a whisper.

"Pearl, I would never hurt a woman without her consent. I hate the thought of it, you know that. This just went too far." He said. Pearl shook her head and opened the door.

"Get out or I will ask Jim to come and show you out." Pearl said.

Erik nodded and walked to the door. "I love you." He said as he hesitated and then left. Pearl closed the door and slid down to the floor.

"Why?" she whispered to herself. "Why?" She said louder. "WHY?!" She screamed with tears falling.