welcome to stepford

trust issues

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would now like to introduce a god in our industry. She's kept our viewers at the edge of their seats for a total of three years! Please welcome the blonde bombshell herself, the goddess of television! Pearl Liaison!" The small little red-head turned her head towards the side of the stage and smoothed the creases in her navy blue business suit. She grinned from ear to ear as Pearl strutted on stage. The slim ginger woman hobbled off the podium and whispered in the blonde's ear. 

"Good luck out there." she patted Pearl on the back as she smiled in appreciation. 

"Thanks Jinx, I'll need it." She filpped strands out of her blonde ponytail out of her face and walked up to the podium. The sound of pumps echoing through the entire room; It sounded like she was a stereotypical frightening school principal that haunted nightmares. She had on a grey, figure hugging yet conservative dress and just the slightest hint of nude lipstick and brown eyeshadow. She was slender and not particularly bony, she had long false nails, painted black. 

"Hello Everybody!" She had the most sultry voice; she sounded like what you'd think Aphrodite would sound like. Everyone in the audience stood up and applauded her, some even chanted her name. She chuckled and beamed; showing off her pearly whites. "That feel's amazing! I am so passionate and proud of what i'm about to show you!" She made some exaggerated hand movements as she spoke. "Let's hope it gets me that Christmas bonus!" That earned her a few laughs. She wasn't known for being funny but when she came out of her shell she shone. 

"On Monday nights you'll get to watch a show involving a man, a woman and a few questions!" She turned around as a program came on screen, the show she mentioned. It showed a title card with the words 'Trust issues' in a deep, rich gold. It showed the host. A woman with dark brown hair and an off green square necked top with a dark blazer on above it. She was sat in a brown swivel chair. 

"Two couples enter this room and find out the truths and the lies in their relationship. Are you ready?" She had a stern voice and dark, soulless eyes. She spun around in her chair ready to face the contestants. The name badges on their shirts read Brian and Karen. Brian was bald and looked like a country star whereas Karen had a full head of hair and looked like someone who worked at a bank.

The presenter began reading out the questions. 

"Who left the house for a month and used the excuse they were on a business trip?" 

Karen slammed the red button in front of her. "I did!" She sounded almost frantic.

"Who has been calling numbers unknown to their spouse and causing the phone bill to sky rocket?"

Karen attacked the button and looked up at the presenter, her eyes bulging and slightly red."Me! I've been doing it!" 

"Who wishes they were married to a sexy, blonde Russian prostitute?" 

This caused Karen to practically break the button. "I do!" The presenter shook her head and announced loudly. "It's Brian!"

Pearl turned back round to the crowd in front of her and licked her bottom lip, a sparkle in her eyes. "What do you think? You like it?!"the crowd cheered and she did a makeshift curtsy

"You ruined everything!" an Australian voice came from the back and a woman stood up. 

"Look everyone! its Karen from Trust issues! How are you darling?" Pearl smiled slyly and gazed at the larger woman. 

"Oh i'm fine! I have an idea for a show." she said as she skipped up to the stage.

"Tell us sweetheart!" The blonde's eyes followed Karen like a a predator watching its prey. 

"It's called fire Pearl!"

"That sounds stupid." she said blankly and she chuckled a little. 

She squirmed and yelped once Karen pinned her to the glass surface, the audience gasped and all ran immediately as Pearl screamed for security to help her.  

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The day after  Pearl was called to her boss' office. She made her way and sat down giving Jinkx a grin.

"Pearl are you alright?" Jinkx put her hands on her shoulders and she nodded, still with a big grin. 

"Never better! The security and officers were sensational!"

 Jinkx sat down and frowned, furrowing her brows. "You haven't heard." Pearl tilted her head as she sat opposite her boss. "Heard what?" Jinkx sighed."Before Karen assaulted you Pearl She...She assaulted her ex husband and the relatives that were there."

 Pearl gasped and swallowed a lump in her throat. "What about Katya?"

 Jinkx examined Pearl as if she didn't think her shock was genuine. "She's fine...Unharmed. She wasn't there. The relatives are in critical condition and Brian is receiving treatment for bruises, among other things." 

Pearl raised an eyebrow and stared at the ginger across from her. "What's this gotta do with me?" She had a curious tone in her voice. 

"The point i'm making is...We have sponsors...If they found this out they'll boycott us and...We can't keep you just in case that happens. You're killing this station."

 Pearl felt her jaw drop and knew her mouth was agape. "W-What?" 

Jinkx nodded sympathetically. "I know you'll move onto greater things." 

Pearl stood up swiftly and before strutting off angrily like that of a toddler she gave Jinkx a sarcastic smile. "See you soon!" 

Long, white acrylic nails swiped papers off a nearby desk and they also pushed over a chair and some more paper. 

"Fuck all of you! I never even wanted this fucking job in the first place!" This was the beginning of the young woman's tirade  as she stormed off to the elevator and mashed the buttons. Pearl growled as she ran into the elevator, her knuckles white and her teeth gritting. Once the door closed she made a frustrated noise and hit her head against the wall multiple times. 

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The door slammed as Pearl slumped onto the couch and kicked her legs in the air, covering her face with a multitude of pillows. She acted more than half of her age. A concerned Jason ran down the stairs, he just got out of the shower and threw on a pair of black silk pyjamas he got for his birthday last year. He had his dark black hair in a messy bun on top of his head. It wobbled as he walked. 

"What's up Pearly?" Pearl looked up at her significant other and made a little whining nose, half of her makeup now smudged. 

"My asshole of a boss fired me! I hate that hag!" She wasn't even legible, you could barely hear the woman through the sobs. 

"You know I left that job weeks ago don't you?" Jason crossed his arms and frowned a little. 

"You what?" She croaked as her throat went dry from crying and screaming at the top of her lungs. She sounded like a fox mating when she did that.

"Yeah...I left. You know what I was thinking?"

Pearl pouted and wiped the last remaining tears with her finger. "What?"

"We move. We start anew."