Chapter 124

Pearl walked down a hallway to a large kitchen where a tuxedo clad bartender was serving drinks inside. "I'll have a Jameson neat." Pearl said. She looked over to her right and saw that Matt and Fi had arrived and they were talking to Amber and Vick. She waved to them and they waved back. Just as Pearl was getting her drink, she saw Carys come over to talk to them. Now is my chance, Pearl thought. She walked over and the mood changed to solemn. "Well, hello, Matt and Fi. Lovely to see you." Pearl said, smiling and hugging them. Carys rolled her eyes and looked as though she was forcing her mouth to remain shut. Pearl continued to antagonize. "I am so excited about the video shoot tomorrow. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate you offering to help." She said to them.

"What? You're helping her shoot a video? Of course you are. She has you all duped. A small town, money grubbing, thieving, white trash liar is duping you. I expected more from you guys." Carys said to Matt and Fi.

Just as Fi was about to open her mouth and lay into her, Pearl said, "Funny you should mention that. Thieving, lying, money grubbing. I'm pretty sure that's your way of deflecting. I think there's a better word for that...what is it? Oh yes. Projecting. That's what it is."

"There you are." Rhys said, putting his arm around Pearl. Everyone looked at him.

"Oh, hey love. Carys was just showing us how she is projecting the shitty qualities about herself onto me." Pearl said to Rhys. They all stood around, standing in silence, no one knowing what to say. Rhys looked embarrassed.

"Who do you think you are? You come to a party that you'd never be welcome at without you whoring around with a celebrity. Then you act like you are better than us, talking a big talk, like the trash you are." Carys said.

"I'm not acting like I'm better than anyone... but you. Because I am better than you." Pearl said.

"Come on Pearl, we should be going soon." Rhys said.

Pearl shot him an evil look. This is the problem with him, she thought. He's complacent with the drama and has no backbone. He never defends her.

Pearl took out the paperwork and handed it to Carys. She looked at the group that had formed around them.

"I'm tired of being made out to be the bad guy. You blasted me on national television. Your friend, David, found out the hard way what happens when you wrongly accuse someone. Now you know, too." Pearl began. "I knew you were a shitty person, I just didn't know how shitty you really were until I dug a little deeper." Pearl looked at Rhys. "She's after your money because she has none left. America's sweetheart has back taxes that have put her in a bad, bad place. Oh, and that pesky little husband problem she has been hiding this entire time has divorced her and is suing her for most of her assets, claiming multiple infidelities, including her barely legal stepson. And looks like no prenup either. How awful. If these things were to get out, who knows what would happen. Or maybe it already has and that's why she has not had a decent acting job for over 3 years." Pearl said.

Everyone looked at Carys. She didn't say a word. She looked at the papers in her hands. Her marriage license. The statements from her husband. Her accountant. The IRS file.

Pearl leaned in close, towards Carys. "I have copies of everything. Leave me, my band, my life and my husband the fuck alone or I will destroy you." She whispered to her.

"I'm ready to go now." She said to Rhys. She turned to the rest of the people standing by her, still in shock. "Thank you for the wonderful party, Amber. I look forward to your next one. I'm certain it will be much more peaceful." Pearl told them as she grabbed Rhys's arm and they headed to the door.

"Wow. I can't believe you did that in there." Rhys said, sounding angry.

"You can't believe I did that? Tell me you are joking." Pearl said to him.

"Those people didn't need to see that. You didn't need to behave that way. They are people that are influential and that I work with. It made you, and myself, look petty and bad." He looked out the window as they drove off.

"First of all, I had to do something like that because it's obvious I am on my own when it comes to defending myself from that vulture. I get no help from you." Pearl said.

"I thought we agreed that you would tell me what you had planned. You told me nothing about this. It's one thing to tell her off, but that was just childish and tedious." Rhys said.

"And this is why I didn't." Pearl said back, rolling her eyes.

The rest of the drive back to the house was silent. When they returned, Rhys watched her exit the car. "Are you coming in with me?" She asked.

"No. I need time. I'm going to a hotel for the night." He was leaving her again. After he promised he would never do that, after his big speech about having her back, wanting to be there for her, he runs away again. She closed the door and went inside as he drove off.

"I guess that's that." Pearl said to herself as she took off her dress. "I'll never have a husband that defends me, if he even comes back."

She put on a robe, poured a drink and walked out onto the patio. She started the fireplace and lit the candles surrounding the seating area. The lights in the pool lit up the lawn and the waterfall. It was peaceful and just what she needed to clear her head after the night's scene. She had no idea what she was going to do. She loved Rhys with all of her heart but this was not something she was willing or compromise on, her self respect and him having her back, no matter what. She didn't even know where he was.

"Hey." She heard someone say, startling her and interrupting her thoughts. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off dodgy and frighten you." A familiar looking young man with a British accent said, walking up the side of the yard, over to her.

"It's ok. Can I help you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'd love a drink." He said, sitting down on the patio. She looked at him and couldn't place how she knew him. She was apprehensive but assumed it was LA and maybe this is what Rhys and his friends did in the middle of the night, remembering the visit from another famous person the previous day.

"Ok. Beer? Wine?" She asked.

"Whatever you're having." He said. She looked down at her Jameson neat. "Whiskey it is." She said.

She came back out and handed him a glass.

"How do you know Holden?" She asked, still not sure if she should tell him she is there alone.

"I don't really. I mean, I know of him. Seems a good bloke and all. I bought a bungalow one house over. So I know he's my neighbor." He said. Pearl was confused. So this man just walked up to a stranger's house?

"I came here to meet you, actually." He said. "I'm Erik. Erik Pilsen-Chamberlain."

Pearl about fell backwards from her chair. She was sitting across the patio, having a glass of whiskey at 1 am with a world renowned photographer and the crown prince of England.