"I've come to pick you up. You've had enough to drink."

"No-I haven't finished yet," he grumbled.

"I'm not going anywhere. If you want to talk about something, it'll have to wait until later.”

His refusal kindled Erica's smoldering anger into an open flame. Before her husband could react, she snatched the glass from his hand and refilled it almost to the brim.

As the two men watched with some confusion, Erica sniffed the glass, then gulped it down in one go.

Matthew's face darkened. However, Sheffield's stunned Look gave way to a smile, and he gave a brief round of applause

“Rika, I had no idea you were so good at drinking. You really are a credit to the fairer sex!"

Gritting her teeth, Erica held down her frustration, refilled the glass, and downed it again and again until finally the bottle was empty. Practically throwing the glass onto the end table, she spat,

“Oh, look, there's none left. Can we leave now?"

Matthew slowly stood up from the sofa and put his hands in his pockets.

For a moment he could only take in his wife's blank stare.

"I didn't think you were such a good drinker.”

Erica said nothing. One could hear a pin drop in that room.

Unable to bear the silence, Sheffield came over and clapped Matthew on the shoulder.

"Well, look, Rika's come to pick you up. It's Late. Why don't you two go home now?"

Glancing at the drunk woman, Matthew grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.

The trip home was mostly quiet. Erica seemed her usual self, except that she was as silent as their driver.

They were almost there when Erica suddenly leaned forward and cried,

“Stop the car!"

Matthew had a look out the window. Outside was the East River, sparkling in the moonlight as it wound its way beside the Pearl Villa

District.

“You want to do something here?" he asked. By way of reply, Erica just looked at him and gave a serious nod.

At Matthew's order, the driver brought the Emperor to a stop on the curb.

Straightaway, Erica exited the car and hurried toward the river. Past a little tract of grass, a waist-high stone wall stood between them and a ten-foot drop into the swift current. Matthew followed his wife, who stretched her arms wide as if to embrace the cold gusts that swept over them.

“Balala, the fairies, transform!" she exclaimed, seemingly believing that she had come to transform into an immortal.