Chapter 4 My House

It was almost nine at night when she arrived home and Pandora felt like she would die from exhaustion. She let herself into the house and dumped the bags near the door. She kicked off her shoes and dropped them down to the floor beside her luggage.

She was just about crawl to the stairs when she heard a knock on the front door. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that," she muttered to herself and went towards the staircase.

"Pandora!" She frowned when she heard Derrik yelling from outside the door. He began to pound on it, making her groan.

"Nothing important, it seems. Just a lunatic knocking at an odd hour," she said to herself and moved to the door, knowing Derrik wouldn't leave without seeing her face.

She only managed to pry the door open when Derrik pushed it open and barged in. Pandora stumbled, shocked by the force he had used.

"Finally came home, I see!" he yelled and crossed his arms over his chest. "You look like a slut with that hair color. What? Are you trying to look good now? You're already divorced and nothing can help with that face of yours." He snickered sarcastically.

"What I have been doing or how I look is no longer your business. Cut the crap and tell me what you want."

Derrik glared at her before rolling his eyes. "Did you get the eviction notice I sent you? You need to move out immediately; I need the place."

Pandora pressed her fingers to her forehead, hoping the headache would lessen. She didn't have the energy to fight with him. "Not going to happen. This is my house... the court gave it to me. Go cry to someone else because I ain't complying with your void eviction notice," she said firmly. She opened the door, needing him to get the hell out of her house. If possible out of her life, too.

"Still as stupid as ever," Derrik spat out so harshly that Pandora was sure he had hated her for all the years they were married. "Don't you flaunt your money all the time? Use some of it to buy a place of your own. This is a family home where a couple who will have kids should live."

Pandora scratched her forehead, trying not to respond to him as she wished. But mincing words was not good for her health. She had wasted enough time on this man.

"The doctor told me I could get pregnant if I tried. It seems part of the problem is also with you... and what mistress of yours? Take care..." She stopped with a grim look. "This is my house. Now leave."

Derrik laughed incredulously. "You're right. This shitty house and you go together. I deserve a much better place where I can raise my children. How about we sell the house and go our separate ways." He waved between the two of them. "We will never see each other ever again."

"Even if I sell the house, you won't get a dime from it. This is my house. That I bought with my money. The money I spent a lot of effort making... of course, you wouldn't know what that feels like, would you?"

Derrik snorted. "Ah, if only you had put in as much effort into our marriage as you did your work and house... Maybe we could have actually lasted."

Pandora rolled her eyes. "If you actually loved me and not the money you are drooling after right now, we could have been happy," she corrected quickly.

"Wow. How did you expect me to like you when even your parents abandoned you? I'm not a saint, Pandora."

"Out," she hissed through her gritted teeth. "Get out this second!" she yelled louder this time.

"You'll do well handing the house over before I drag you back to court. Mackenna and I are trying for a baby and we need a house to raise our family," Derrik responded angrily, knowing he was getting on her nerves.

'Please leave. Why isn't he leaving?' she screamed internally. She was already drained from the trip, she couldn't handle a fight right then.

"Then get a job like a normal man and pay for a house," she sneered.

"Well, I can't because I have to look after Mackenna. We need all the help so that the baby is safe." He stopped talking and looked at her menacingly. "Oh, I understand now, you don't want me to have children because your broken body can't have any."

She shook her head, having enough of his nonsense. She pushed him against the chest and toward the door.

"You are pathetic, you know that? You can go around telling your sob story to everyone, but at the end of the day, I will be getting this house. I promise you," he said before storming away.

Pandora slammed the door shut and locked it. She sank to the floor and tears started to drip down her face without her permission. It was strange how a year of her life could completely change how she felt about the man she thought was her soulmate.

The love she had felt for Derrik had slowly morphed into hatred. A hatred so deep that the tears were short-lived and it gave her the energy to get off the floor, head upstairs and change for bed.

"This house is mine. I gave him ten years of my life and I won't let him take away another moment of happiness from me."

With that mantra in place, she closed her eyes and dreamed. Her dreams were plagued with taunts from Derrik and Mackenna. She tried to push them away, but she tumbled instead. She waited for the fall to hurt but two strong arms wrapped around her protectively.

"Hey, I've been looking for you," the voice said. "Why did you leave me without saying goodbye?"

Pandora turned to look at her face, but she couldn't see him. She recognized those piercing grey eyes of his. She looked down and saw a swirl of tattoos on his arms.

"Wh-who are you?" she whispered.

"Did you forget me? It's me, Dora... Nemo." Even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he was smiling. "Don't worry. I'll find you," he promised before disappearing.

Pandora awoke feeling rested and happier than she had when she went to bed.