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The front door crashes open and she’s suddenly gone fro at ony I see her back disappear into the kitchen, and thenHe’s run up the stairs, and his fist is visibly swollen His frantic eyes are running all overwith sweat and his face is a er It takes hiather hi towith the crazy woman who’s broken into our ho at hi him to shake further then break into a full on sprint into the kitchen My feet instinctively fly into action, and wisely or not, I follow him Now everyJesse standing across the room, then I quickly locate Ruth across the breakfast bar fro heavy, all flicking eyes to each other, but Ruth is the only one brandishing a knife My phone drops fro loudly, but it doesn’t draw her attention The huge blade glimmers as she turns it casually in her hand It’s pointed in ht of the evil, razor sharp metal doesn’t just make my fear rocket It also makes my eyes fall onto Jesse’s abdomen in horror

‘Oh my God,’ I whisper, so quietly I know that I’ve not been heard over the distressed rush of breaths co from all three bodies in the room He said that it happened in the car accident That’s what he said I search forto locate the exact words, but I don’t find theh, is the silent conclusion that I drew myself I’m horribly ed the real reason--the reason that is standing here now, playing threateningly with a knife--a knife I know that she’s prepared to use I don’t think anything else I could face will terrify er

‘Nice to see you, Jesse’ she spits, steadying her stance by shifting her feet further apart She’s getting ready to pounce

‘No, it’s not’ Jesse replies cal ‘Why are you here?’

She smiles coldly ‘I was happy to let youin misery, drink your life away, and try to fill the void that you created byabout, but then you went and fell in love I can’t let you have happiness when you’ve destroyed mine’

‘I’ve paid tenfold for myfrom the shiny blade to Jesse’s sweaty face Lauren? ‘I deserve this’ It’s alhto convince hi approval froet about the dull ache in er si

‘No you don’t You took my happiness, so I’ll take yours’ She waves the knife atover toback on Ruth--or Lauren I don’t even know

‘I didn’t take your happiness’

‘Yes!’ She screaconstantly between ,to co instantly fro ‘You didn’t know? Well, there’s a surprise It ness tea can break us’ My words travel through the air and wipe the smile from her face, but they also aze and deterrees My head starts shakingof , but the look on his face isn’t His eyes fall from mine to my navel and a wave of desperation travels slowly across his face

‘I’m so sorry,’ he murmurs ‘I should have told you’

He really has saved the best shocker till last, but I don’t care Ican break us ‘It doesn’t matter’ I try to assure hi hi both of our attention away fro, psychotic bitch who has invaded our lives ‘She knows nothing, does she?’

I hope she’s mistaken I hope Jesse nods and explains that I know everything The Manor, the drinking, now her… everything, But his head starts to shake, quadrupling hter?’ The roooes tothe knife to hiet toon the spot as I try to let that infor here and now That tips the iceberg of shocks fro to compensate for his lack of involvement in her life

‘Yes, ere nant’ she spits