The sound of arguing voices stopped Jade, as she was about to walk past the open door. She distinctly heard the
voice of Josh’s manager Mike yelling something at Josh. And what she heard made her heart clench painfully, as the venom-laced
words reached her ears.

"Josh, I’m telling you, you need to get rid of her! She’s nothing but career suicide if you keep seeing her.
What’s so special about her anyway? Is it the sex? You can get that anywhere, Josh, from a number of willing women who won’t
expect anything from you! You have to think about your career first!”

Jade bit back a sob as the tears welled up in her green eyes. Please Josh, she prayed silently. Please
defend me. Say something! But the only sound that she could hear was the breaking of her heart, as silence spread over the
room, its icy grip tightening around her heart, and making her come to terms with what she hadn’t wanted to know. Jade backed away
from the door as if it was a monster come to life to torment her and ran back to her hotel room. Reaching for the phone, she
dialed the number for the airport.

“Avis Airlines.” The voice on the other end of the phone said in a cheerful voice. “How may I help you today?”

"Is there a flight leaving tonight for Louisiana?” Jade asked, as she struggled to get control over her emotions.

“Yes, ma’am. It leaves in an hour. Would you like to make a reservation?”

"Yes.” Jade replied firmly. She gave the necessary information and hung up the phone. Luckily, she didn’t have
much to pack, as she’d put her stuff into her suitcases so she wouldn’t lose her things. First things first, she thought,
as she grabbed some sheets of the hotel’s stationary and a pen.

Dear Josh,

By the time that you read this, I’ll be gone. Josh, don’t bother trying to find me. I’ve learned the truth
of what you feel for me or the lack thereof, and it’s time that I quit deluding myself. I should have known that I’d be nothing
but cheap entertainment for you, since that’s all the emotion that you feel you should invest in a relationship. I thought that
you felt something for me, but as I’ve learned, your career comes first. Well, don’t worry about me, Josh. I’ll find someone who
appreciates my worth and won’t consider me to be “career suicide”. I just hope that your “precious” career will be able to keep
you warm at night when you’re all alone in your bed, because I sure as hell won’t be there! Good-bye, Josh, and please stay out
of my life. I think that I’ll be better off without you.

Jade

Jade wiped the tear that trailed a lonely path down her cheek. It was time to sever all ties with Josh and move
on to a new and better life. She folded the letter and slid it into the envelope. Making sure that it was sealed from prying
eyes, she wrote Josh’s name on the front of the envelope.

She looked around the hotel room to make sure that she hadn’t forgotten anything. Her fingers automatically went
to the necklace she wore at her neck. The necklace Josh had given her. She reached behind her neck and undid the delicate gold
clasp. She held it in her hand, thinking of when he had given the necklace to her; they had seemed so happy in that one moment,
but it had all been a lie, a gift to his little mistress. She unsealed the envelope and let the necklace drop gently into it.
She quickly resealed the envelope, as though the act itself would wipe Josh’s memory from her mind.

Jade gathered her purse and carry-on bag and walked out of the hotel room, not looking back as she softly closed
the door behind her. She made her way to the front desk to check out, grateful that she hadn’t encountered Josh or anyone who was
with him. “I need to check out,” she said to the young-looking clerk sitting behind the desk.

“And your name is?” The clerk asked politely.

“Jade Rhodes.” She replied.

The clerk quickly typed the information into the computer. “You’re all set, Ms. Rhodes. Your bill’s been paid
for.”

Jade asked who had paid for her bill, since she knew that she hadn’t yet paid it.

“Mr. Chasez paid the bill, ma’am.” He replied.

Jade’s hazel-green eyes darkened in anger as the clerk’s words registered in her mind. What was he doing,
making sure his little “groupie” was paid for? We’ll see about that! “Please credit that amount back onto his credit card,”
Jade replied coldly. “I can pay my bill myself,” she finished as she pulled her credit card out of her wallet.

“Yes, ma’am.” The clerk replied nervously as he took her card, not wanting to upset her further. He quickly ran
the card through and handed it back to Jade, who deposited it in her wallet. “Just sign here, ma’am.” He replied in a calming
voice as he slid the charge slip to her, hoping that she wouldn’t get angry again.

Jade signed it and returned it to the clerk. “One more thing,” she stated, “please see that Mr. Chasez gets this
letter.”

“I will, ma’am.” He answered. “Please visit us again soon!”

Jade smiled bitterly at that. Not a chance in hell, she thought to herself, but she refrained from saying
so as she bid her farewell.

She walked out the hotel’s doors and she saw a taxi cruising up to the curb. “Taxi!” She called as the car drew
closer to her. She opened the doors and deposited her luggage into the back seat. She settled into the backseat and closed the
car door. “Avis Airport, please.” She replied to the driver’s unspoken question as she brushed a lock of brown hair out of her
face. As the driver put the car in gear, Jade gazed out of the window, looking at the hotel entrance, part of her wishing that
Josh would come running after her. But no one walked out of its doors and she sadly drew her gaze away. All too soon, she was at
the entrance to the airport.

“Thank you,” she said to the driver as she paid her fare. She gathered her luggage and walked into the airport to
the ticket counter.

The ticket agent looked up and smiled as she saw Jade approaching the counter. “How may I help you?” She asked,
her smooth Southern drawl a match for her sunny smile.

Jade couldn’t help but smile back at the agent, despite the internal war she was fighting in her mind. “I have a
reservation for a flight to Louisiana that leaves in a few minutes.” She answered. “It’s under the name Jade Rhodes.”

The agent entered the information into her computer. “All right, Ms. Rhodes, you’re all set! Here’s your
boarding pass. Your plane is scheduled to depart in five minutes.”

And not a moment too soon, Jade thought silently to herself. “Thank you.” She replied as she took the
pass and went to wait in the waiting area. She had barely sat down before the words she so wanted to hear were announced over
the loudspeaker. “Flight 871 to Louisiana is now boarding!”

Jade gathered her belongings and walked determinedly to the boarding ramp, intent on leaving this place and Josh
behind her.