Chapter 324

It took everything Sebastian had to not pull the car over and rip Erik with his bare hands. He went to Pearl. He put her in danger.

"Sebastian. This has gone far enough. Call my father. Let's get this figured out." Erik said.

Sebastian didn't respond.

They made their way back to the warehouse and pulled Erik in the side door and into the interrogation room.

"Write it down. All of it. What you know about your real father and your true lineage. What you know about the oil. What you know about his murder. What you know about Spain. What you know about Anna's murder. The other girls. And the one tonight. Also, make sure to add what the plan was when you found Auggie and Maggie. I want all of it or you'll die in this room or in a cell. And if you don't die in here, you'll have Pearl waiting to put a bullet in your head if you try to get out of this." M said. Rowan walked in. Erik looked at him.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I'm a local detective that is on this case. I am verifying this confession is legitimate." Rowan said. Erik looked at both men and rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I'll write it all down. But then I am leaving here to speak to my father and to my solicitor." Erik said.

"That's fine." Rowan said.

Erik took several minutes and wrote everything down he could recall. It's not like it will matter once father is involved, Erik thought.

Pearl arrived in the room behind the glass.

Sebastian grabbed her and hugged her. "I have never been more terrified in my life. Never." He said. Pearl hugged him back.

"I am alright." She said.

He tilted her face and looked into her eyes. "I know now I'll never be able to describe my feelings for you. They are so strong and so real." He said.

"I feel the same." Pearl said. "All I wanted was for you come and see how strong I was. To make you proud. Because of you, I'm not afraid anymore." She said. He smiled and handed her paperwork Rowan had helped with from the courthouse in Scotland. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"I am." Pearl said.

They watched Erik write and when he was finished, Rowan asked him to read it out loud.

Pearl felt her stomach drop as she heard his chilling words. There was more that they didn't know. Erik had been plotting the Spain deal with his father the entire time he had been with Pearl. And they were looking to do the same in Africa. And there were more girls, one was missing. Erik said that she would never be found.

"There. You know all my dirty secrets. I have said what I need to say and now you can cut me a deal." Erik said. "The first request I have is that you sit on this quietly until my father is notified along with my lawyer." Erik said. M laughed.

"What is so funny?" Erik asked.

"We can't cut a deal with you. We aren't even a real law enforcement team. Just a bunch of actors and special agents working together to find out the truth. We can't hold you, either. After Pearl talks to you, you're free to go. And we are going straight to the press the moment I leave this room." M said.

Erik looked at them and his eyes widened.

"It's all a lie then? So none of this will hold up in court?" Erik asked desperately.

"We aren't really sure about that. But in the court of public opinion, we believe you are fucked entirely." Rowan said. "But I am going to take this to my superiors as well. So is the American FBI agent we have working with us, since borders were crossed and multiple countries involved. Oh and we are going to let those countries know about all of this as well."

Erik put his handcuffed hands to his face. This was the worst possible outcome.

They walked out and Pearl walked in. She looked strong and confident.

"I married a man when I was twenty two years old. He abused and manipulated me for a decade. Prior to that, I had a father that liked to use my mother and I as punching bags. Then I thought I married a beautiful movie star. And he lied to me about it, humiliating me the in public eye and destroying my faith in human kind. Then I met a prince. Who told me it was ok to fall in love with him. He knew all about my past and used it to manipulate and control me. He lied to me, humiliated me again in the public eye, masking the monster he truly was underneath the kind words and chivalry. All an act. A good one, I'll give you that. And after all of that, I am still the lucky one here. What was done to me pales in comparison to what was done to everyone else you came into contact with." Pearl said. Erik's eyes began to well with tears.

"Oh please. Save it. Save the tears. You're going to need them. I'm not finished and your journey to hell has just begun." Pearl said. "I can't hate you, though. You gave me a tremendous gift. No, not Christian." She said. He looked at her quizzically.

"You taught me about who I am. Going through this has opened my eyes. I no longer will be making choices like I did before." She said, and then slid paperwork to him.

"What is this?" Erik asked.

"An annulment. On the basis of fraud." Pearl said.

Erik looked at her and then down at the paperwork.

"Sign it. Now." Pearl said. He did as she asked.

She nodded and gathered her things.

"I would have made you a queen. A QUEEN, Pearl. Now you're just back to where you started again." Erik scoffed.

"Oh but I will be queen. And soon. That's where you failed to see what's been going on. I have fallen in love, truly in love and I have never felt anything quite like it. He's strong and loyal and good. Erik, he is so good and kind. He makes me feel safe and doesn't ask anything of me. He just lets me be as I am. A brunette flame. A hurricane. A lover and writer. A mother. And woman. He never doubts my strength. He would never imagine hurting me. He is all the things you said you were, but will never be. I trust him completely. I am in love with his royal highness Sebastian Aodhán Chamberlain, the heir apparent to the throne. I am going to marry your cousin, Erik. And he will be king, the greatest king there ever was. And I will be right by his side. And we will legitimize our son." She said, standing up to leave.

"Our son?" Erik asked, confused.

She placed a copy of the the paternity DNA results on the table.

"Sebastian is Christian's biological father." Pearl said, smiling. She opened the door and walked out of the room.