My Everything

Prologue

Hannah POV

"Hey pretty, sorry I'm late. The engine upgrade on the Camaro got screwed up and I couldn't leave the guys to finish up alone."

I hear him toe out of his boots and his keys dropping into the bowl on the sideboard.

"So glad to finally be home. What a fucking day. You won't believe what happened..."

His voice cuts off, the sudden pause in his sentence can only mean he's spotted the suitcases.

"Why are there bags in the foyer?"

I clear my throat to ensure my voice will be clear enough for him to hear from the foyer.

"They're yours. I'd like you to leave please."

I hear rapid footsteps approaching the lounge room and curl my fingernails into my palms. My shaking hands folded in my lap. Attempting to use the pain to try and ground me in the present.

"What's going on?" I can't tell if there's genuine confusion in his voice or if he's just that good an actor. I obviously didn't know this man like I thought I did.

With the turmoil in my mind, his voice sounds like it's coming at me from under water. I hear his question and know he's staring at me, trying to seek out my eyes to work out what's happening. I can see his face in the reflection of the window. His eyes darting over me, looking for clues as to what's wrong. To him I probably appear calm, staring out into our back garden. When in fact I'm currently dying inside. My seams coming apart one stitch at a time.

Reliving the scene from earlier today over and over in my head. Hearing the sounds. Seeing the look on his face. Smelling her perfume. Reliving the moment that life as I know it ended. When we ceased to be an Us any more. My stomach churns as the memories flooded my mind.

I take a deep breath and turn to face him. After almost eight years together, six of them married, I know he's not going to leave without an explanation and I need to get this over with before my frayed stitches burst apart.

"You missed a signature on the loan paperwork for the new equipment so I called by the garage on my lunch break to see you."

I see his face pale and panic enter his eyes. I dig my nails into my palms even harder.

"Oh Pretty. Fuck!..." I cut him off before he can say anything else. I only have so much strength left and I need to get this conversation over with.

"I'll need a few days to get my things packed and moved out before I can leave. I'd appreciate it if you'd stay in the garage apartment until the weekend."

"Hannah god no. We need to talk. I'm so sorry. It's not what you think..." Why do all men once caught cheating roll out the same pathetic line - it's not what you think.

Ignoring his ridiculous comment I proceed with my planned speech.

"I've already contacted a lawyer. He'll arrange the divorce papers this week. I don't want anything from you but my share of the house deposit and my Jeep. Both things I had before we married. The garage is yours, as is the boat and all the other cars."

He's now seated on the coffee table in front of me, his large legs surrounding me on the sofa. His fingers desperately trying to get me to unfold my hands so he can try and hold them. No way! The pain of my nails piercing my skin is the only thing keeping me grounded.

"Jesus Christ will you listen to me for a minute. It was nothing. We are not done. What you saw means nothing..."

I swallow down the bile that fills my throat as his words remind me of exactly what I saw. It certainly wasn't nothing to me.