Pearl didn't eat anything that night and spent much of the late
evening staring out one of the great windows in the sitting room after
everyone had gone to bed. She wondered if she had done the right thing.
Here, Bridget would have everything she ever wanted. It was like a dream
come true. But Pearl's feelings for Ryan were steadfast. She held on to
them like a floatation device in the sinking waters that was her life. She
dreaded the moment when she would again face Tom. Those were the only
moments that her loyalty to Ryan faded and she once again felt like a
schoolgirl, madly in love with Tom Riddle.
"Checking to make sure the world is still there?" Tom's voice startled her and she turned around to see him coming down the small staircase that led to the next floor. There was a master staircase in the foyer, but these stairs gave off more of a home feeling.
Without saying a word, Pearl turned back to the window, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. No matter what anyone said, this place was gorgeous. She was soon aware that Tom was sitting beside her, also staring out the window. She didn't look at him, for fear of the returning feelings.
"I know you hate me for leaving you, Pearl," he began, his voice soft. "And I really don't blame you. If I had known that you were pregnant." He stopped as though another thought had come into his mind. "Let's just say things might have been different."
"I'll bet," said Pearl, biting her lip to keep the tears from flowing.
"She is beautiful, though, isn't she?" Tom's voice was even softer now. Pearl lifted her head to look at him and saw that he had a dreamy far away look in his eyes.
"She looks exactly like you," Pearl retorted, angry that he could be so content with the situation. But it was true. The little girl shared many of the Riddle looks. The jet-black hair, the steely eyes. There was no mistaking that Bridget was Tom's daughter.
"Pearl, don't hate me for this. I didn't force you to come. You made that decision all on your own."
"Not because I wanted to be near you!" Pearl cried in frustration. "Because I want Bridget to have the best life possible!"
"And you know I can give that to her." Tom rose, standing high above her. He was wearing a black housecoat and Pearl had to fight the temptation to stand up and kiss him. She had always felt more attracted to him when he was taking on a position of power. And she knew that he could manipulate her any way he wanted. She just didn't want him to know that.
"Whatever." Pearl went back to watching the world outside and Tom stormed away. Pearl sighed, wondering what it was Tom wanted. Did he want power, or did he want a family? It was no secret that Tom had always liked Pearl because she had her mind set. She was strong-willed. But did he want her as a supporter, or as a lover?
"Checking to make sure the world is still there?" Tom's voice startled her and she turned around to see him coming down the small staircase that led to the next floor. There was a master staircase in the foyer, but these stairs gave off more of a home feeling.
Without saying a word, Pearl turned back to the window, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. No matter what anyone said, this place was gorgeous. She was soon aware that Tom was sitting beside her, also staring out the window. She didn't look at him, for fear of the returning feelings.
"I know you hate me for leaving you, Pearl," he began, his voice soft. "And I really don't blame you. If I had known that you were pregnant." He stopped as though another thought had come into his mind. "Let's just say things might have been different."
"I'll bet," said Pearl, biting her lip to keep the tears from flowing.
"She is beautiful, though, isn't she?" Tom's voice was even softer now. Pearl lifted her head to look at him and saw that he had a dreamy far away look in his eyes.
"She looks exactly like you," Pearl retorted, angry that he could be so content with the situation. But it was true. The little girl shared many of the Riddle looks. The jet-black hair, the steely eyes. There was no mistaking that Bridget was Tom's daughter.
"Pearl, don't hate me for this. I didn't force you to come. You made that decision all on your own."
"Not because I wanted to be near you!" Pearl cried in frustration. "Because I want Bridget to have the best life possible!"
"And you know I can give that to her." Tom rose, standing high above her. He was wearing a black housecoat and Pearl had to fight the temptation to stand up and kiss him. She had always felt more attracted to him when he was taking on a position of power. And she knew that he could manipulate her any way he wanted. She just didn't want him to know that.
"Whatever." Pearl went back to watching the world outside and Tom stormed away. Pearl sighed, wondering what it was Tom wanted. Did he want power, or did he want a family? It was no secret that Tom had always liked Pearl because she had her mind set. She was strong-willed. But did he want her as a supporter, or as a lover?