Chapter 348

"What is on the itinerary today? I am so happy to see you that I can't remember." Sebastian asked over tea the next morning.

"I have a meeting at the studio with Fi and the rest of the production team." Pearl said. Sebastian nodded. "And Rhys." She said, sipping her tea and looking away.

"Ah, yes. The slimy little bastard that I despise almost as much as Erik." Sebastian said, looking at Pearl and smiling.

"I saw him the other day. I took a drive and he was outside. He offered me a drink. I was cordial but brief." She said.

"And how is the Pontifical Twat?" Sebastian asked.

Pearl laughed. "He seems to be alright. Not sure." She said.

"I can't hate him entirely. His little Sherlock Holmes stunt put us on the right path to figuring out Erik's true self. But god I hate his face." Sebastian said.

Pearl rolled her eyes and laughed. She felt the same. She kissed Sebastian's cheek and went to her ready. After her shower, she came out into the room and saw Sebastian, in a suit, checking his watch.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Why, with you, of course." He said.

"Oh no. No way. I don't trust you around Rhys. You are a king. You can't pull him out of his chair and slap him in front of people just because he looks at me." Pearl said.

"I would never do that. That offends me greatly." Sebastian said, putting his head down. Pearl was just about to apologize when he said, "You don't slap a man. Ever. I would closed fist knock his teeth out." He said and looked at his watch again.

"We are going to be late. Better get on it."

She shook her head and got dressed.

********************

Fi greeted them at the door and walked them into a large conference room.

"Your majesties." A man said, bowing. He introduced himself as the head of the studio and offered them something to drink while showing them to their seats.

"Thank you for coming. As you know, this project means a lot to me." Fi began. "It's an opportunity to tell a story that should be told. Pearl is a courageous and incredible woman."

"We are excited to share this with the world as well. It may help to clear up confusion regarding how we are perceived in the public eye. Especially how my wife is perceived." Sebastian said. There were always questions about their life, their romance, even though they were so well respected for what they did regarding Erik.

The door opened and Rhys walked in.

"Sorry I'm late. My first meeting ran a little over." He said, interrupting. "Pearl. Fi. King." He said, greeting them.

Sebastian ignored him completely. "So, Fi, tell us all about this." He said.

Fi explained what she was working on and what she was trying to have the movie convey. It basically began with Pearl's music career taking off and Erik's behind the scenes stalking her and meeting her and where it went from there ending with her falling for Sebastian and how they took them all down.

"Sounds like you should call it "Martyr Monarchy." Just kidding. Just kidding. Seriously though, it doesn't sound like I am a part of it at all. Why am I here?" Rhys asked.

"You lying to her about the marriage and your lack of care for her feelings is where the movie will start. You are in the first 10 minutes. And a few other places." Fi explained.

"I didn't lie to her about the marriage. The marriage was real to me. I lied about the legality of it. And who will be playing me? Have you thought about casting yet?" Rhys asked.

"Not yet. But we will keep you in the loop, Holden." Another person at the table said.

"Ok. Well, I know the truth is the truth. And I've decided I'm ok with it so far. I'll want to see the screenplay and would ask to be involved in the scenes that I am written into." Rhys said.

"That's fair." Fi said.

"Well Pearl, what do you think?" Fi asked.

Pearl sat there for a moment and processed it all.

"When the screenplay is completed and we have a more definitive plan, I would like to sit down again with this." Pearl said. She wasn't completely on board yet, but she wasn't opposed, either.

"I think it's important the Pearl realize what this actually means, what it will do, what it shows the world." Rhys said.

"And what's that?" Sebastian asked.

"Her." He said. "It shows them all her. Open and raw and vulnerable. Things about herself that even she didn't realize until she saw it played out in front of her. Mystery is gone when you let the world see you stripped down like that. If you were mine still, I wouldn't allow it. I'd talk you out of this the best I could." Rhys said.

"I think that's for Pearl to decide." Sebastian said, raising his voice slightly. "Why are you doing this anyway? Need some money since you're not wanted in this business anymore?"

It was a cold and shitty thing to say. Pearl felt slightly embarrassed that he had said it.

"I took some time off to work on me. To get better after the trauma of being a child actor in this shit town." Rhys said, standing up. "And I'm doing it for her." He said as he turned and walked out.

Fi looked at Pearl. "He told me this is his last project. He bought a ranch in Wyoming, I guess. He's retiring from acting." Pearl looked at her and then down. She was surprised by this. Very. His whole life was this town, these people, this career. It had taken his soul and was the reason he had been such an ugly person inside when she knew him. Him leaving it all behind was an incredibly brave thing. She got up and followed after him.

"Rhys, wait." She said,catching him by the elevator down the hall. He looked up at her.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm proud of you." She said, smiling. She hugged him and let go, looking at him and smiling again. He nodded. He knew why she said it. She turned around and headed back into the conference room.