Chapter 133

The plane touched down in Pisa, Italy and Pearl breathed a sigh of relief. She was away from it all, alone and ready to take some time for herself. Her attorney called her while she was in the airport to let her know the probate part of the company was almost concluded and soon she would take full ownership. Iris had let her know they Paul was doing an excellent job with the bookshop and Pearl gave her the ok to inform him about the company she was soon taking over and what his role could possibly be. Things were covered there. John, Matt and Rhys were working on the video editing and the release would hopefully be the following week. Their next appearance was a late night show the weeks after Pearl returned from her trip. She had two full weeks for herself. Rhys had texted her and told her he was flying back to LA to stay until he needed to return to Canada to wrap the filming of his show. He didn't win the golden globe, which she texted and told him she was sorry for. It's amazing how quickly someone you love can become a stranger when pride is involved. Her trip was planned completely out by Iris, and the home she rented came complete with a driver, a maid and a chef. She had rented a home in the hills of Tuscany and the pictures she showed Pearl were breathtaking. She rented her the Villa dell'Angelo, a restored 18th-century Tuscan villa on the western slope of Mount Albano. Four bedrooms, an expansive saline pool and antique-filled interior with Persian rugs, fireplaces, a historic Italian kitchen and 18 acres of woods and olive groves. It was unbelievable. Pearl gasped as they pulled in through the gate outside. This was entirely more glamorous than the simple Tuscan farmhouse Pearl suggested to Iris. But, they were already making money off of their single and Pearl would soon be the owner of a Fortune 500 company, so she had the money to do this. It was worth it to her.

She walked inside and the maid and chef greeted her. Her luggage was brought in by the driver and Pearl tipped them all and thanked them profusely for helping her. The maid showed her to her room and Pearl walked out onto the balcony overlooking the hills of Tuscany, inhaling the smells all her and smiling to herself. This was exactly what she knew she needed.

After a day of getting familiar with the grounds and basking in sun, swimming and running on the treadmill in the home gym of the house, Pearl decided to head into town. She found a farmers market with fresh flowers and various foods. The architecture was unlike anything she had ever seen, as she visited the Piazza del Duomo and the Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte. She also visited the Palazzo dei Vescovi, an 11th-century palace housing a number of museums, which took up the greater part of her day. After the sunset, she grabbed a table outside at a cafe and had the most amazing Trippa fiorentina paired with the most delicious glass of wine she had ever drank. She arrived back to the villa and ran a bath in the giant tub of the master suite. Her mind was quiet here, she thought. There were no men pulling her different ways. No drama. No demand of her body or her soul. Just silence and peace. She had needed it for so long. She poured herself another glass of wine and stayed in the tub until her toes and fingers pruned. She spent the last hour of the evening sitting on the balcony, watching the hills of Tuscany in the still of the night.