Page 6 of Bullied Pregnant Mate

I took a deep breath in. It was probably just a coincidence that I ran into him. There was no way fate would fuck me over this much in one lifetime, right? I'd done my time; wasn't my life supposed to turn around now? Wasn't this house a salvation to my miserable past?

I looked at the GPS and turned down a road. I took in trees and land that seemed bare. It was peaceful looking, with miles and miles of grass and silence.

I felt a tug in my chest and swallowed, feeling like my heart was beating quicker than it had a moment before. My palms were sweaty, and I took it. I was nervous. It was the only rational thing. I might finally have the peaceful life I've always wanted.

I took another turn and stopped the car as the GPS said I had arrived. I stared at a gated fence, flimsy and looking almost like it was going to fall over. In the distance was a white house with a large wraparound porch on which sat a porch swing.

The house had two floors. I remembered parts of the house. It had an open floor plan and large rooms. I had spent most of my time outside in the garden and the woods. I glanced down at the paper.

"Okay, it was abandoned about twenty years ago because no one wanted to live in it. It has four bedrooms and two bathrooms." I stared at the pictures on the page, but they were all smudged. Clearly, whoever had taken them didn't care how they turned out.

I shook my head, got out of the car, and opened the gate. The gate scratched as I moved it, sending a shiver down myentire spine. I shoved it hard against an overgrown bush and hurried back into my car.

I drove down the gravel road, noticing the high grass and overgrown trees. The closer I got, the more I could see of the house. Memories flooded my mind: sitting on the porch swing, running around the yard after Sasha Eddy’s dog, picking flowers in the garden, and hiding them in my room.

The house had brown shutters that needed work. The roof looked solid, but it needed to be reshingled. The windows were beautiful and brought character to the house, but a couple were broken.

I parked in front of the house and stared, my jaw hanging open now. The house desperately needed some tender love and care, but it had so much character, just like I remembered.

I shook my head, got out of my car, and headed up the porch. The wood was beautiful but worn, and as I walked down the porch, looking over the yard, I took a deep breath in, loving the silence. There was nothing but the wind and the sound of trees rustling.

I smiled, peering around the corner of the house and finding the narrow pathway that rounded it. I stepped off the porch and walked around it, which took me towards the back of the house. My eyes widened, taking in what had been a beautiful garden. The flowers that had been planted were overgrowing, crowding up the space, and a small metal table and chair set was still standing.

"Wow," I said, stunned. "Why was this place ever deserted?" I had wondered for years but never voiced it. I knew if I had any interest in it, Eddy would have gotten rid of it altogether.

I turned, heading back to the front to go inside. I looked back down at the paper, flipping through the pages. I only had a few. Most of it was just details of the house and what it was before it was left alone. But we all know what happens when you leave a house unattended for so long. It might not look anything like I remembered.

I stopped at the front door and swallowed. I pulled out the key I had been given and unlocked the door. I pushed the door open, and my eyes took in an empty space.

There was a grand staircase with built-in shelving below it, a glass chandelier hanging above, and a window somewhere that flooded the room with light.

I left the door open and looked to the right, finding a large space. There was an entire living room set up. A couch was set near a fireplace, and a grand piano sat on the opposite wall with a line of windows behind it. Built-in bookshelves were on the wall of the fireplace, and the entire room was covered in dust.

"Still stunning," I whispered, hearing my heels click on the ground. I turned, looking to the left of the entryway.

There was a large dining room with tables and chairs still set out. Inside was a large hutch with fancy china. Another glass chandelier hung above the table, and a large gray rug sat underneath.

My heart twisted, wondering how this beautiful home could have been left behind. It clearly had been loved by someone at one point. Someone had lived here and loved the space.

I turned my attention to the stairs and headed up them. The stairs creaked, but nothing too concerning. I took in the old wallpaper that would need to be removed and a ceiling that would need to be painted.

At the top of the stairs, I saw a wide hallway and a couple of doors. I was never allowed in the other rooms. I shared a room with my brother. I opened the first door, which had been Eddy’s, and there was a huge bedroom—a big canopy bed with green bedding still on it. The curtains were drawn, and the room was flooded with light from outside.

I flicked the light switch and looked at the light, but it didn't work. I took it as the electricity wasn't connected anymore.

Another smaller bedroom, with a simpler bed, was across from the first one. There was also a bathroom and a third bedroom. The fourth room was the one that I remembered. It was small, with two beds on each side. I stared at my bed, remembering how peaceful I had slept. Whenever we came here, everyone drank so much that they forgot about the kids. Even my brother was too busy to notice me.

After checking out each room, I headed downstairs. I walked into the dining room and found the door to the kitchen.

I scowled, taking in a very outdated kitchen. "Well…I suppose it couldn't all be good," I mumbled to myself as I walked around the counter. The kitchen was large, wrapping around the entire room. Like most of the house, the kitchen had windows on all walls, flooding the space with light.

I opened a few cabinets, finding dishes and glasses. There was even coffee in a canister still in the corner by the sink. Even though it was outdated, the kitchen had obviously been taken good care of before being abandoned.

I couldn’t help smiling, remembering just how much I loved the place. But how was I going to get it? I wasn’t married, and Chris would never go against Eddy's words.

I ran my hands through my hair and exhaled loudly. I suddenly felt tears build up. I had wanted out of the pack for years, but I had been so afraid of what might be on the other side. I believed everyone when they said the world was cruel. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I started questioning if they had all been lying.

Everyone saw me as a waste of space, and no matter what I did or how hard I worked, there was no way to prove them wrong. One night, when Eddy was coughing, I realized she was getting old and that her house and money would have to be distributed.

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