章節 428: Chapter 428
"Are you sure you're ok?" Dylan asked for the tenth time as he turned down their bed. "You've never been this quiet. Do I need to find him and snap his neck?" Dylan was only half serious but the half that was wasn't one to be trifled with.
"I am fine. For the last time, nothing upset me. I just am not fond of speaking to him." She lied. She never lied, not to Dylan. But there she was, doing it. And easily. She was upset. Erik had upset her and she didn't know how to handle it. She wasn't angry. She was just… unsettled about it all. He had known about her and Sebastian all along. He knew when she didn't. When she couldn't even remember what had happened between them because she had been so intoxicated and stressed. But he knew the entire time. It's shouldn't change anything about the past. It shouldn't, but it did.
Erik was a bad man. He hurt many people. Threatened them. And he was punished for it. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling when she realized something. Found something, rather. Empathy. She found empathy for him.
She finally understood it. Here she was, following royal protocol. She had become ruthless and cold over the last decade in the pursuit of protecting the crown. The lineage. Her son. And she realized something important. Erik was conditioned as a boy, like her son, only for Erik, it was very much the lifestyle lead by a ruthless criminal for a father. She thought about how Christian always did the right thing. What he was told. What if he was told to do terrible things early on? Would he still be loyal? There was no way of knowing that. She had raised a good man. A stand up leader. But, she thought, how easily the tables would have turned if she wasn't the person she was. Sleep evaded her for some time as these thoughts came through to her. She closed her eyes and was just about to fall asleep when she remembered their embrace. Her heart began to pound as she remembered the smell of his skin. "Stop it." She whispered put loud, Dylan, unaffected in his deep slumber next to her continued his snoring. She closed her eyes tightly and forced herself to sleep.
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"Good morning, mother." Christian said as he kissed the top of Pearl's head.
"Good morning. You're in a good mood." She said.
"Yes. Nora is opening her shop in Camden today." He said with a smile.
"Ah yes. Quite the adventure." Pearl said, buttering her toast.
She wanted to ask if Erik was assisting but she stopped herself. It had been two weeks since the conversation between the two of them and he hadn't been at the palace since. He hadn't come to talk about their plan. Nothing.
"I'm happy for you, Christian. And I'm proud of the way you're handling this engagement." She said. He looked at her, a bit baffled.
She smiled and nodded. "I am." She said. And she meant it. Their interview on national television was the highest rated moment on tv that entire year. "And Nora as well." She said, taking a bite of her toast. Now Christian really was in shock.
"Th… thank you, mum." He said, stirring his tea. Nora was graceful and kind. And strong. She hadn't backed down from the interviewer when the tough questions were asked. She reminded Pearl of, well, Pearl.
"You should come, mother. To the opening." Christian said. "I would offer you ride with me but I am picking Erik up on the way. He is avoiding the palace for some reason. He must be busy with his practice. I know you despise him but he must attend. He arranged all the contracts." Christian explained. Pearl had an idea.
"Why don't you just go straight there. I'll have my driver pick him up for you." She said. His eyes lit up.
"Are you certain you are alright with that?" He asked.
"Yes. It's the least I can do to show Nora my support." Pearl said. He smiled and nodded.
"I will see your there then?"
"Yes. I will be there." Pearl said with a smile.
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