His surrender shook my resolve to break up with him.

Indeed, she was just a stalker, so why should I be afraid of her?

Why should I be afraid that she would steal Maurice from me?

I shouldn't dwell on it.

Maurice made my favorite breakfast and repeatedly coaxed me to eat more.

He seemed to be willing to get busy in the kitchen as usual just to make me eat a few more bites.

11

Tina didn't show up for the next few days. I thought she had given up.

But that night, when it was pouring rain outside, she turned up on our doorstep.

She got drenched, pale. She seemed miserable, but there was nothing miserable about her.

"Is Maury here? He is here, isn't he? Maury, why didn't you answer my call?

"It's raining heavily outside. Maury, can I stay at your place for a while?"

Every word she said was about Maurice, but she never even spared a glance at me standing in front of her.

She even attempted to barge past me and enter uninvited.

From her confident provocation, I could tell that she must have been well-prepared before she came.

I grabbed her hand and pushed her outward, saying, "I'm the owner here, but you are not welcome.

"Please leave."

"Maury, you are here!"

Maurice arrived behind me and said, "Ree, it's raining non-stop outside. Let her in."

I looked back at him, incredulous.

The rain was not as heavy as the day I was on the mountain. I couldn't even hear the sound of the wind outside.

Tina walked past me triumphantly, bumping her shoulder against mine.

"Maurice Shannon, you let me down."

I uttered in a choked and quivering voice.

"She is sick, Ree.

"She can't get wet in the rain."

In the warm light in the hallway, I couldn't see Maurice's expression clearly.

He stood in front of me without moving, but his words showed that he opposed me.

I recovered from the shock. By constantly saying that she was sick, he only intended to indulge her.

"Fine. I'm not sick. I can go out to get wet in the rain."

I rushed out into the rain.

I ran aimlessly outside, but Maurice didn't even come out to stop me.

This was the third time. This girl's interference made the five years of harmony and love in our marriage seem like a dream.