Q3
After leaving the hotel, Jerry had the delivery driver bring me my limited–edition bracelet.. I opened the package, only to find that the bracelet was clearly not the one I had bought.
I never expected he would go so far as to buy a fake for me.
I couldn’t help but question how I had been so trusting in the past. I thought, “How could he possibly think I would fall for such a cheap imitation?”
I casually tossed the bracelet into the trash. Just as I was about to get into the car, Jerry
rushed out.
He rushed to the backseat before I could even react.
He’d swapped into a cheap, ill–fitting denim jacket that he probably borrowed from some
friend.
“Feel better now?”
He turned to look at me, extending his arms as if to pull me into an embrace.
“I know you’re angry, but can’t you calm down now?” he said with a smirk, as though
everything was somehow okay.
“You’ve had your outburst, and I’ve undressed. Let’s just forget about it, alright?”
His disgusting expression finally broke me. I couldn’t hold back anymore and slapped him,
hard across the face.
to
The slap sent Jerry into a rage.
He jumped up, his head hitting the car roof. I quickly kicked him out of the car. “Get out! Jerry,
all your stuff from my place, or I’ll have it all thrown out!”
He glared at me with eyes burning with fury and cursed loudly.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Anger had clearly clouded his judgment. He spat out, “There are things I haven’t said to your just because I respected you!
We’ve been together for years, Valerie. You’re over thirty. Do you really still think you’re a teenager? Don’t you ever look at the wrinkles on your face? And have you thought about it? If we break up, who else would want you? You’re just some old woman!”
My body was trembling with anger. My eyes were wide with fury, but I remained silent, saying
nothing.
Jerry stood up,
1off his clothes with a derisive luck
“Fine, you want to break up? Whatever, I’ll agree. But don’t come crawling back to me later.
Do you know what they used to call women like you back in the day? Old virgins who couldn’t
get married!
You’d better not come crying to me later.”
I slammed the car door shut with a loud “bang“.
As I watched his figure recede in the rearview mirror, the weight in my heart refused to lift.
I knew I had to do something to let go of the anger that had been building up inside me.
07 Wed, 15 Jan A
I canceled all of Jerry’s credit cards.
I terminated the lease for the apartment he rented near his school.
I packed up all his clothes and prepared to send them back to him.
When I called him that day, Jerry hung up on me.
I didn’t call back. Instead, I had my assistant throw everything he owned into the trash. After the trash had been taken out, Jerry called me back.
He sounded smug. “What’s up, Valerie?
If you have something to say, hurry up. Sophia and I are at the amusement park.”
At that moment, a sharp pain struck my heart.
Jerry had said before he’d take me to the amusement park.
I’d hesitated back then. “I’m getting old. Isn’t it a little inappropriate for me to go to an amusement park?”
Jerry had laughed and said, “Aren’t you always young at heart?”
But now, on the phone, his tone was dripping with disdain. “You haven’t been to an amusement park in over ten years, have you? I mean, for people your age, going to a park is ju childish and pretentious.”
I gripped my phone tighter, my expression unreadable. “It’s nothing important. I just wante to let you know you can come pick up your garbage.
You didn’t answer my call, so I thought you didn’t want any of it. I just had my assistant thro it all away.”
“Valerie!” Jerry’s voice was filled with anger. He took a deep breath, practically growling, “You’ve got guts.”
Then a strange woman’s voice came through the phone.
It was faint, but I heard it clearly.
“Mr. Brewer, your card seems to be declined. Do you have another one?”
Jerry paused, then instinctively asked, “Valerie, did you cancel my card?” “Sure,” I responded coolly.
“I gave you all that money before because I had it to spend and enjoyed supporting you, But since you weren’t loyal while we were together, I guess I’ll just need to find someone
else.”
Before his rage could escalate, I ended the call.
A wave of satisfaction washed over me like never before.
