Star is reporting Nicole Richie and Joel Madden�s relationship is on the rocks, mostly because they don�t seem to understand each other and Mischa Barton has gotten in the way.

After a bitter fight with Joel Madden, Nicole Richie packed her bags � and their daughter! � and headed to her mom�s. But things only got worse when she caught Joel with� Mischa Barton.

For months they�d been fighting over everything from marriage to moving, but Nicole and Joel�s strained relationship hit a new low when, during yet another battle, she screamed at him, �We�re through,� and fled to her mother�s home, taking their daughter, Harlow, with her, a friend tells Star. Although Nicole returned the next day, �This was her way of sending Joel a message,� says the pal. �Nicole loves him, but things need to change.�

Couples fight, so what?? It doesn�t mean they are breaking up or that Joel is gonna jump Mischa. Why would he do that? Nicole is much hotter� Mischa is a mess!

And despite his relationship with Nicole hanging by a thread, Joel partied like he didn�t have a care in the world � with Nicole pal Mischa! Days earlier, Mischa had broken up with boyfriend, Taylor Locke and that night she was front-row center at the show, dancing seductively for Joel, says a source. �He kept checking out Mischa and smiling at her.�

It�s probably nothing� by now they are happy, kissing and making up!

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