I cant understand where your jealousy comes from. I just cant. Every single day since we started dating, all I hear are accusations. Theres always suspicion in your eyes.
“Max, whats this?” the girl asked sharply, holding up a shirt. “Whats this pink stain? Someones lipstick? Is it? So this is why you were late from work?”
“Emily, what are you even saying?” the young man sighed, sorting through his work things. “I was on shift. What lipstick? The only woman in my department is Nurse Margaret. Honestly Im exhausted.”
Emily pursed her lips, crumpled the shirt, and walked to the bathroom. Max let out a heavy sigh.
For over six months now, Emily and Max had been together. And while everything in their lives seemed perfect, there was one problemEmily was intensely jealous. She found reasons to doubt him even where none existed.
“Look at this,” Emily groaned, holding out the shirt to her sister, arms crossed. “Hes definitely cheating. Just look.”
Charlotte, Emilys sister, examined the stain, sniffed it, and then laughed.
“Whats so funny?” Emily huffed.
“Its jam. Strawberry jam.”
Emily snatched the shirt back and sniffed it herself. Confusion and embarrassment flickered across her face.
“You need to calm down. I cant understand why youre so paranoid.”
Emily sat down opposite her sister.
“Its not like we just started dating normally. I I took him from someone else,” she admitted, avoiding eye contact. “He cheated on his ex with me. And at first, I thought hed never leave *me* but then I realisedhe will. He absolutely will. And I just”
“Thats no excuse to accuse him now. You need to learn to trust.”
“I *do* trust him,” Emily protested. “I just Im scared of losing him.”
Charlotte shook her head, at a loss for words.
“Where were you?” Emily demanded, arms folded. “Its one in the morning.”
Max sighed wearily.
“Emily, *you* were the one who said I could go out with the lads. We watched the match, had a few drinks. Whats the problem?”
“James got home hours agoI called Lily. Where were you the last two hours?”
“James left early because he promised his wife. Simon and I stayed. Emily, please. I just want to sleep.”
Max walked past her to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. He wanted to forget, to escape her constant jealousy. He just wanted peacethe way things used to be. But once again, Emily had ruined it. Like always.
Emily stepped out of the shop and headed home, eyes glued to her phone. When she glanced to the side, she froze. Across the street, Max stood with a blonde woman draped over him, laughing as he held her close.
A wave of fury blurred Emilys vision. She dropped her shopping bag and stormed towards them, grabbing the womans arm and yanking her away.
“I *knew* it!” Emily shouted. “I knew you were cheating! You liar! All this time, youve been lying to meno, no, I *was* right! Youyoure disgusting!”
Max stared at her, hands clenching in anger, his expression torn between frustration and pity as the blonde woman beside him looked on in shock.
“Emily”
“Dont you *dare* speak to me! I know what youll sayI dont want to hear your pathetic excuses!”
“Thats my *cousin*,” Max cut in sharply. “Aunt Helens daughter. Youve met her. Victoria and I grew up together. You need to go home. Well talk there.”
Emily recoiled, muttering a quick apology to the bewildered woman before stumbling away.
Max came home late that night, furious. His jaw was clenched so tight it might as well have been locked, and he refused to even look at Emily.
“Max”
“Im done,” he admitted. “I cant understand where this jealousy comes from. Every day since we started dating, its been nothing but accusations. Youre suspicious of *everything*. Youve accused me of cheating with patients, nurses, doctorshell, probably lampposts. And Im just exhausted.”
“Max!” Emily cried. “Are you breaking up with me? PleaseI love you! Ill do better, I *promise*! I dont know whats wrong with me, but Ill fix it!”
She practically dropped to her knees, clutching his hands, pleading with her eyes. Max pitied herhe truly loved her. Hed ended a five-year relationship for her, something he never thought hed do. She had his heart. But now now doubt gnawed at him from the inside.
“I love you,” he whispered, squeezing her hand. “But this isnt healthy. I cant live like this.”
“Ill never do it again,” Emily sobbed. “Just stay with me. I cant lose you.”
Max exhaled heavily and pulled her into his arms. He couldnt leave her. Even after all this.
For months, things were perfect. Emily didnt accuse himor at least, she didnt show itand Max finally felt at peace. But when flu season hit, work overwhelmed him. He was exhausted, coming home late, barely staying awake through dinner.
And Emily? She started suspecting the worst again.
“His shirt smells like perfume,” she muttered to herself. “But its a hospitalmost of his colleagues are women. Its fine.”
But the doubt festered. She checked his clothes, tracked his movements, even followed him once.
Then one evening, after Max showered, he walked out to find Emily scrolling through his phone.
“Emily. What are you doing?”
She flinched, tossing the phone aside.
“Just needed to make a call.”
Max nodded at her pink-cased phone on the bed.
“And yours was what? Dead?”
As if on cue, Emilys screen lit up with a notification.
“*Really* dead, huh? Or are you just lying now too?” Max raised an eyebrow. “Anything else I should know?”
“Im sorry,” she whispered.
“Find anything, Sherlock?” he snapped, sharper than he intended.
Emily shook her head.
Without another word, Max walked to the wardrobe and started packing. Emily leapt up, grabbing his arm.
“Pleaseno! Dont do this! I trust you, Max! *Please*!”
“No, Emily. I forgave you once. I wont make the same mistake twice.” His voice was calm but final. “I just want to live without walking on eggshells. To trust and be trusted. *This* isnt love.”
Thirty minutes later, Max left, ignoring Emilys sobs as she curled up on the bed.
“I love you,” he said quietly at the door. “But I cant do this anymore. And you? You wont change.”
Distrust always destroys relationships, no matter how strong they seem. And often, we judge others by our own fears. Maybe Emily feared Max would betray her the way he had betrayed his ex. But *she* chose him. *She* picked this man. And without trust, there can be no love, no friendshipno true connection at all.
That was her biggest mistake.
