Can I trust him?

Can I trust him?
PEARL’s POV

Nora agreed to join Nana and sleep over at my house, and I was really glad, but at the same time never really thought it through, because what would I say to Nana if she ever found out that I wasn't home, that I didn't sleep at home? 

I was in the bathtub with a glass of wine on the little shelf.. It was so relaxing and made me feel so amazing. I had completely forgotten about everything else, I was just focused on relaxing and spending the night with Zade. 

He was playing some music in the room and I was also vibing along with the song. I stared around the place and it was almost as big as my room. Zade has always been ambitious, and always ready to work, he is a workaholic too. On so many occasions we almost broke up because he kept ignoring me all because of work, but the truth is that Zade has never completely ignored me before, I just never want to end up like my mum, so I don't wait around for it to get too long before calling it out. I want to be as blunt as possible and call it out immediately when I notice a single change. 

“Babe! Are you done?”

He called out from the room but I didn't say a word, I was just deep in thought.

He barged into the bathroom and I pushed my head back and smiled lazily at him.

“Hey, are you okay?”

He stood next to the door, wearing only a black pair of pants, and my eyes were stuck on his chest tattoos.

“Yes, I am good, Zade. I am just trying to inhale all the good things I know you are about to do to me.”

We both scoffed and chucked. He walked towards me and sat at the edge of the tub staring down at me, though he couldn't see any part of my body except for my face and hands.

“Babe, I know that we haven't been the ideal couple, and I haven't really been there always, and.. What I am trying to say to you is that.. Regardless of anything.. I love you, Pearl, and I never want you to forget that.. I really love you, babe.”

I shook my head and bowed. My stomach made some funny sounds, and he held one of my hands softly, I looked back at him and I was speechless. 

“Pearl, say it back to me, please, babe. Huh? I know we are not as strong as we were right now, but I badly need to hear it from you too, please?”

“Zade.. Oh, my love. This isn't entirely your fault. I know I don't and have never given you space for a little error or mistake, I always expect perfection from you and I forget that no one is truly perfect.. The trauma of watching my mum pass through all she did.. Every..”

I coughed, and he immediately handed me a glass of water. I stretched my head forward for a kiss and he gladly accepted it without hesitating. 

It was a rather short kiss and he sat down again.

“Pearl, I understand you, babe. I really do. It's never easy after watching your mum go through all that. You know I am not trying to play you, right? This isn't the first time I've said this to you, right? You know it too.”

I nodded and he did too.

“Go away, so I can hurry up and come out.”

He tilted his head and walked away.

When he left I finished up, put on the white robe he had placed on the table for me, and I walked back to the room. He wasn't there, but there was red wine, two glasses, and some soft music. I poured myself a glass, walked over to the balcony, stared up at the sky, and the streetlights. In my house, we hardly get a view like this.. The placement of the balcony is the issue.. You just get to view the woods, which is fun during the day, but scary at night. I sighed, took a quick peek in the room, and Zade still wasn't back.

“For someone who couldn't hold on to strip me off naked, he sure is taking a lot of time to join me.”

I said and grinned. 

I sat on the couch out on the balcony and I kept noticing a shiny piece of wrapper or nylon. I wasn't sure, but I didn't let it bother me until I became curious and wanted to know what it was. It was just behind a flowered vase close to the couch I sat on. The lights were so bright, they made the wrapper reflect in my eyes.

Carefully I stood up, walked, and pushed my hand behind the vase and yanked the wrapper from the back. It was a brown, shiny nylon.. At first, I wasn't sure what it was, but it had a lady and a guy in front of it. As an Ad, I put 2 and 2 together and I got it. 

“Why, is there.. This wrapper.. This is a.. No way..”

I smiled, I was in disbelief. No way! I thought in my head and I walked back to the room waiting for Zade to arrive.

“Zade is everything but not a cheater.. He wouldn't, right? He would never do that to me.. No matter how long he was away, I always stayed loyal to him, so he wouldn't dare.”

He came into the room and I immediately deepened the wrapper into my robe pocket. 

“Are you okay, babe? You look like you have just seen and fought a ghost, huh?”

“No.. I.. I'm good.. More than good. I just.. I..”

He walked over to me, wrapped his hands around my waist, and kissed my forehead. I shot my eyes and looked up at him.

“Zade.. I need you to tell me the truth, babe, please.”

“Truth? Truth about what, Pearl?”