Man, what's wrong with you?

"Honey, this is so kind of you!"

Jessie was elated, thinking that she had finally defeated Sherry. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around Jeremy. Now, at last, nothing could get in the way of their happiness. She put one hand on the back of Jeremy's neck and with her other hand tried to unbutton his shirt, wanting to embrace him skin to skin.

"Be quiet," he snapped.

His face had gone cold. He suddenly felt as though her touch burned him. He unwrapped her arms and pushed her aside, then turned and entered the bedroom. He slammed the door shut so hard that the picture frame on the wall rattled.

Jessie stood silently, her mouth open with shock. She thought about knocking on the door and trying to calm him down, but she didn't dare. She felt tears threatening to stream down her cheeks.

She enjoyed being with Jeremy because he was so wealthy, generous, and handsome. But he had such a bad temper! He would buy her the nicest things, but she never knew when his anger would flare up. She worried that if she said the wrong thing, he would throw her out.

Quietly, Jessie backed away from the closed door, deciding not to disturb him for now.

She went to the living room and sat on the sofa. After a while, she began to get bored, so she got up and began exploring the enormous villa. She thought smugly to herself that this villa could very well become her home soon.

However, even a cursory exploration of the first floor made her restless and uneasy.

The living room was strewn with items of women's clothing, such as shoes, earrings, and hats. There were pastel-colored toothbrushes and towels in the bathroom, as well as pots and plates in the kitchen that bore floral, feminine designs.

All of these painted the clear impression of a woman who had lived her and left her mark on the household.

She remembered how many times she had tried to persuade Jeremy to take her to his house. Now she knew why he always refused.

She knew she was not his only lover, but she had not expected this. He actually lived full-time with another woman!

again. She realized that Jeremy never stayed the night at her house because he had

herself to

on to the TV cabinet. She opened the door and peered inside, and then saw the vase placed on top of the

porcelain, and had an unusual, flowing shape. It was obviously handmade. Several verses had been inscribed on the surface of

a second to

vase from its perch and examined it carefully. There were three words on the bottom of the white porcelain vase:

inside her at Jeremy and at this woman.

they been in love with each

lip. Thinking about Jeremy in love with some other woman,

heard Jeremy leave the room. She was so startled by his sudden appearance that she lost her grip

she said automatically.

rage on Jeremy's face scared Jessie, and she trailed off, shrinking from

he yelled. He reached out, grabbed her by the arm, and began pulling her none

was a birthday present,

for several years. He couldn't believe Jessie had been reckless enough to mess with his personal belongings, and to break an irreplaceable

and closed the door behind her, ignoring her crying face. He heard her pound on the door and collapse to the

at the shards of the

the poem on the vase with her hands so he couldn't read it immediately, blushing because she was

picked up one of the white porcelain shards. He couldn't shake the superstitious feeling that the broken vase symbolized the broken, irreparable state of their

by the time Sherry

living room, where he had spent almost the entirety of the past thirty hours, leaving only to get food or to go to the bathroom.

coat and high heels that did marvelous things for

her hand, when she saw him sitting on the sofa in a mess with his black hair, she was a little stunned and