He grabbed her hands and shouted back angrily, ‘I know this much, lady: you need to remember that I am your husband and I fucking love you more than you know.’

Sharon pulled her hands from his and said quietly, ‘You didn’t answer my question, Ray.’

They stood there like antagonists, both trying to stare the other out. She was aware that Ray was stronger than her in these situations, but she was determined not to back down. She had always backed down; all her married life she had moved away from what had been a worry.

‘You are, and will always be, the love of my life, Sharon.’

She laughed with complete disgust, and he was more than aware of what she was really thinking.

‘Fuck you, Ray. Fuck you and your little girls. If I am too old for you, don’t you think you might be too old for them? And this new baby. Are you going to tell Kathy or shall I?’

‘There is no fucking baby, Sharon. Take that from me.’

She could hear the fear in his voice and it hurt because she knew that he was more worried about Kathy’s reaction to his adultery than he was about hers. But that was him all over. The Big fucking I Am. He acted the big man to his daughter but Sharon knew that Kathy was not as gullible as her husband believed.

‘That’s not what I heard. That skank has been broadcasting it to all and sundry. So I say again, Ray – congratulations. Now get the fuck out of my house.’

Ray laughed and, grabbing his wife by the neck, he said angrily, ‘I think you will find that this is my house, darling. If there is any throwing out to do I will be the one doing it.’

‘Oh, really? So I have no say at all then, Ray? No say over the house I have taken care of for years, the home that I made for you. That means nothing? Is that what you are telling me?’

Ray was so angry he looked like the Antichrist and he was screaming at the top of his voice as he said viciously, ‘You, Sharon, may be my wife but I tell you now, you will get fuck-all from me. It’s benefits for you, lady. You will not fucking ever get the better of me. Never forget that. I will never let you go. You are my fucking wife! I gave you my name.’

He was so angry, Sharon knew then that if she was ever going to go it had to be now. This was the man who professed his love for her day and night – yet he was quite happy to threaten her like this.