Chapter 222

"We can't alert the press yet. We need to get his body here safely. We need to make sure we have him back. And then I want to find out who took him. Who did this. And where I can find them to torture and burn them alive." Edward said. "Then, after it is finished, we will alert the media and announce his death. We will say it was something else. Illness. Accident. We are not going to let these terrorists win."

Pearl sat in the back of the room. She hadn't slept in two days. Her eyes were swollen nearly shut from sobbing. She couldn't eat. She could barely breathe. She didn't want to. She didn't care about revenge like Edward. She wanted Erik back. She wanted to feel his arms around her. His voice in the morning. Calling her his nightingale. She wept and continued to weep, she couldn't imagine going on without him. After all she had been through, this was something she didn't think she would survive. Her heart was so broken. It hurt so badly. It ripped her apart.

"Pearl. We need you to stay in town. To stay in London."Edward said.

Pearl didn't hear him. She didn't care anymore what anyone said.

"Uncle, in all fairness. Pearl is mourning right now. The palace isn't the best place for her, I'm certain. Can she go back to the states for a while? Or can she stay elsewhere here in London?" Sebastian said, trying to help.

"Fine. Take her somewhere else. But not out of London." Edward said.

Sebastian looked at her after hearing how Edward was speaking about her. She could see his face beginning to turn to anger.

"Excise me, uncle. But your son loved this woman. Loved her. Wanted to make her his wife. She saved him from certain death and while she is limp and destroyed sitting here on your elegant chair, you speak of her like a she is nothing more than a dog. A tedious responsibility you now need to 'deal with' until you can rid yourself of her. This is a sad thing to witness. Erik deserves better and so does she." Sebastian said. "Come." He held his hand to her and lifted her to her feet. Jim followed.

"We are getting your things and taking you where you can rest." He said.

They arrived at The Royal Lodge and Jim put her bags down in her room.

"What is this place?" Pearl asked.

"It's my family home. I grew up here. And my father is currently at his country home in Scotland so we can be here without bother. You can rest." Sebastian said. "I've taken the liberty of calling a private doctor here. He is very discreet. To help you with your nerves, help you sleep." He said. Pearl nodded. "I'll let you get settled." He said.

Pearl looked around the enormous bedroom. She saw pictures of children and a woman's vanity with brushes and perfumes. She realized then that this was Sebastian's mother's room. She looked at the side of the bed and saw the Lillies and roses she had ordered from the flower shop. It made her think of Erik bringing her flowers when she was recovering from the accident. "Now I've bought them for you." She said out loud.

"I've given her a mild sedative so she can sleep. She needs to rest. I will be back to check on her in a couple of days." The doctor said. Sebastian nodded.

Pearl eyes began to close and she felt the darkness of the medicine cover her like a blanket and pull her into a deep sleep.

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"She's been out for almost an entire day." Sebastian said to Jim.

"She needs the sleep." Jim said. Neither of the men knew how to handle her the right way. All they knew is they wanted to make sure she was ok and safe.

The next day, Pearl woke up early in the morning and felt nauseated. She walked to the bathroom and vomited, feeling like she might have the flu. She felt chills and feverish.

Sebastian went to check on her and found her in the bathroom.

"Pearl. Are you alright?" He asked

"Yes. I'm fine. I think I might be coming down with something. I feel ill. Like the flu. Better stay away in case I am contagious." She said.

"I'll ring the doctor." He said, leaving her there.

"I'm probably fine. My immune system is weak from not eating or sleeping properly. I've probably got a virus." Pearl said to the doctor.

"Yes. That's probably what it is but it doesn't hurt to check you out." The doctor said.

After an examination, the doctor took some blood and said he would return after some lab work. He was concerned about anemia, with her not eating right she could be iron deficient.

After a couple of hours, the doctor returned with a machine.

"Pearl. Are you aware that you are with child?" He said.

"What?" Pearl said. "No. I have an lUD. So I don't have a period. I'm not pregnant." She said. He moved the machine closer and she could see it was an ultrasound machine. He inserted the transvaginal wand and looked around. "I don't see an IUD. It looks to have been most likely expelled at some point. And it also looks as if you are about four or five weeks along. Pearl, you are pregnant." He said.

She couldn't believe it. She didn't know how to react. "Please. Don't tell anyone. Not even Sebastian. I need to process this for a bit, ok?" Pearl asked.

"Of course. I wouldn't tell a soul. It's against the law, even if I was a complete shit person. I won't tell anyone. I'm sorry you are going through all of this." He said.

She thanked him as he left and Sebastian came in. "Well?" He asked.

"The flu." She said, lying.

"We'll go back to that bed and sleep. I don't want to see you until you have rested properly. I'll have Estelle bring you some soup." He said.

She thanked him and nodded. He was so sweet, she couldn't believe he was looking out for her. He was the only one other than Jim.

She sat back down on the bed and picked up her phone.

"Dylan. I need you to come to London." She said. "And bring Iris."