Chapter 4

She worked as a stripper for months trying to get money to bail him out, but everything didn't go as expected, as Juan Aguirre refused to pay for her work and kept her captive.

It was the most devastating time in her life. She never had enough sleep, and neither did she go a day without getting hit by Juan. Every day was treacherous, but no matter how much she tried to avoid Juan, he would always find her and hit her.

"I did that for you." She yelled.

"That wasn't because of me. You held on to his business card for weeks, Drizella, and you say you did that for me? Have you forgotten that you even went to be interviewed by him?" He spat on the ground and scoffed at her.

Pandora's eyes brimmed with tears. Every piercing gaze of Rodrigo's made her tremble

"I did that for you." Her voice was quivering. She tries to reach for his hand

"Don't touch me." He yelled. "You did what for me? I told you we were fine. I was going to figure a way out of jail.

"You were locked up in jail and beaten daily, Rodrigo. Blood was dripping from every hole in your body. You wanted me to sit and watch? To wait for you to die?" She sobbed. Her cheeks glowed red, and her lips were squeezed in pai

"And did you come back? Two months Drizella, you stopped visiting, and you stand here telling me you became a whore so that you could bail me out of prison

"Rodrigo, I couldn't come." She muttered in pain.

"Couldn't? Or you enjoyed being a whore." He couldn't get the image off his head.

When he got bailed by his foster father, Rodrigo first searched for Pandora. He was in jail for three months, and she stopped visiting after the first month.

He was worried sick, thinking something terrible must have happened to her. Only to be told that she had started working for Juan Aguirre. He was so furious that he rushed to the club, wanting to rip Juan Aguirre apart. But he was left startled when he was welcomed by the sight of Pandora kissing a man who seemed to be in his seventies in front of the club with no shame.

For years he tried to forget, but the image only kept recurring in his eyes.

"You have no idea what I went through just cause I wanted to bail you out of that hell hole. You have no right to stand there and judge me." She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"So that was why you left?" Pandora shot him a death glare. "I can't believe I've been looking for you." She slides her hand through her hair, and for the first time, she regrets ever crossing parts with Rodrigo.

She has always felt guilty, knowing that Rodrigo went to jail because he wanted to gift her a birthday present.

"Detective Maximilian." The man from earlier walked to where they were. He could feel the tension between them, but he ignored it and gave the file he was holding to Rodrigo.

"That's the picture of Jose Del Lacoste's fiancee."

Rodrigo opened the file. He was shocked to see that Jose's fiancee was no other than Drizelle.

"You can as well tell me you are getting married to Jose so that you can find me. What's your excuse this time?

"I down her cheeks instantly. Every thought of Rodrigo made her recall those days she stood in front of the police station, waiting for him. Despite being told by the other officers that Rodrigo had left the city, Pandora would still go back daily to wait for him. In the rain, and even at the highest temperature of the sun, she hoped he would return, but he didn't. Without telling her what she did for him to abandon her-he, he disappeared.

"I loved him so much that I gave up my dignity just for him, and what did he do? He abandoned me. From that day till now, my life has been a nightmare. Now the only thing I feel for him is hate. I hate him so much." She screamed in agony, raveling her hair and stomping her heel on the floor. She felt empty, her heart ripping into shreds. Betrayal was something that Pandora was accustomed to, but Rodrigo's betrayal left her wholly crushed. She was shattered, and for the past eleven years, her hate for him engulfed her, making her the woman she is now-a wealthy vicious woman.

"Then why? Why die because he is dead? Why murder his killer? I don't understand you, Pandora."

"Because I badly want to know why he abandoned me." Pandora wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks.

She was no longer sober but instead spiteful. Rodrigo was her childhood love, a man she met when she felt suicide was the only option. He came to her and coloured her world, and just like how quickly he came, he disappeared like that leaving her to her fear.

"Then give me more time. I will meet with the doctor that performed the autopsy for the deceased. They must have compared the DNA. Let me confirm first." Antonio pleaded.

"It's been two months since I've been putting up the charade with Jose Del Lacoste. If that man kisses me anymore, I doubt I can withhold the urge to slit his throat and watch him die." Pandora grunted.

"A week, just a week. After that, if I still can't prove Rodrigo is alive, you can kill Jose Del Lacoste. But until then, you will do everything he wants." Antonio gulps his saliva. He wasn't scared of dying, but he was scared to watch the woman he admired die most without a chance at happiness.

"A week?" Pandora could see Antonio's effort, and because of him, she agreed.0s.t.d.s.s.."n.d.?"a.."o.t.o.  s.e.h.d.n.?"n.."d.e.r.d.r.ould see Antonio's effort, and because of him, she agreed.