page3 (1/2)

It didn't take long for her to spot Burt standing on the other side of the counter He had shot out of the kitchen at the sound of Earle's yell, and at the sight of the crass but loyal regular covered in ketchup, his face turned as red as Earle's freshly-stained shirt

Slowly, she put the spent condiment bottle doalked to the counter, and looked at Burt apologetically as Earle rushed off to the bathroom to clean himself up the best he could Burt leaned towards her and pointed to the door

“Out,” he said in a low voice “Get out before I throw you out, and don't come back You hear me?”

She said nothing Angry tears elling in her eyes as she hurried to the back roo with every pair of eyes in the diner locked on her She pulled off her apron and

“Leaving already?” Melanie asked with a sarcastic smile She had just arrived and was about to start her shift

“I got fired” Jessie stopped just in front of her, but didn't maintain eye contact

“I guess Burt finally realized you were too big for your britches,” Melanie sneered “Maybe now you can get the job you deserve”

“And what's that supposed to mean?” Jessie shot back

“Well, everyone thinks you're John Harwood's irl You need the uy like hirin

“Get out of ed past her bea as she watched Jessie's proud figureout of the diner Jessie walked past Burt without saying a word, trying hard to nity as patronson what had just transpired

The ravity of the situation What the hell was she going to do now? For as often as Burt threatened it, she never quite believed he'd see it through Fired? She needed to pound the pavement and look for a new job or she'd have no money to pay her rent, let alone buy food

Soer and worry, though Jessie was sick and tired of her new unjust association with John Harwood, a man she hadn't even met She wanted so much to look him in the face and say, “Hey, look what you and your crazy bitch of a wife have done to ruin my life!” She wondered if a man of his wealth and stature would even care Hell, maybe his psychotic wife had fabricated all of this just for the publicity and had chosen Jessie's name at random

Why should she allow these rich elitists to bully her in this way? Without giving it a second thought, she ju to the busy banking district, straight to John Harwood's office, to see how he liked his life intruded upon by a total stranger

Upon reaching the impressive skyscraper that housed Harwood Finance, Jessie looked up at the seventy-four story building took a deep breath She had been incensed just twenty minutes earlier, but now that she was so close to the person she held responsible for her losing her job, she wasup at the tower, a wo, looked her up and down, and entered with an air of superiority Jessie's blood began to boil once again She rushed into the enormous marble lobby, made a beeline for reception, and demanded to see John Harwood

“Do you have an appointht black hair and olive skin, her coral lipstick applied thickly to very thin lips She was quite beautiful and seeh Jessie tried to calm herself so she wouldn’t take her frustration out on the woman

“Yes, tell him his mistress is here” Jessie casually instructed

“I beg your pardon?” The receptionist's dark eyes widened in shock as she glanced around the lobby to gauge if anyone had overheard the request

“I said, tell him his mistress is here Don't you read the papers? I'm Jessica Drew I'm his mistress, and if he won't see me, I'll screaritted teeth while retaining her fake smile