Chapters (60)
- Cover
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- Dedication
- KARLA
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Epilogue
- The Affair
- Hear more from Sheryl
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- A Letter from Sheryl
- The Babysitter
- The Second Wife
- Acknowledgements
How the mighty had fallen, Jason thought, a sour taste in his mouth as he recalled how he’d seen him in action that day at his offices. If he hadn’t been appalled by the sheer obnoxiousness of the man before that, there was now no doubt in his mind. The media had finally named him, thanks to Abbie’s courage in outing him. In so doing, other people felt encouraged to come forward, which had started a ball rolling that Jason guessed would only gather momentum, injunction or not. Naturally, Fenton was still denying the allegations, but while Karla and her mother had closed their eyes to his odious behaviour, Jason had been on to him for years. Even without knowing what he now did, he’d always thought Robert Fenton was a pitiless and ruthless bastard. People simply didn’t matter to him. If he had to trample them underfoot in order to preserve what he’d ‘fought for’, so be it, even if those people were his own flesh and blood.
Jason supposed he should be feeling some kind of satisfaction. Strangely, he still didn’t. All he felt was battle-worn. He simply wanted out. Closing the dishwasher door, he braced himself to make his announcement. He had no idea what her reaction would be. Apathy or anger? Relief? He just couldn’t read her any more. ‘I’m going,’ he said quietly.
‘And coming back when you feel like it, no doubt,’ Karla said, pouring coffee into her mug.
‘No.’ Jason pulled in a long breath. ‘I won’t be back, Karla,’ he continued carefully. He had to do this now. He’d searched his conscience over and over, but his mind was made up. He’d stayed home specifically to catch her and deliver the news. He hoped it wouldn’t destroy her, but this, being in a relationship that couldn’t survive, should never have been. She needed to be free of him. To be able to move forwards without him.
At least selling the business would leave her debt-free and with some funds in the bank, though he doubted he would get much credit for that. Jason prayed that his kids would understand, that they would realise nothing could ever diminish his love for them. But the raw reality was that he was about to turn their world upside down, no matter how hard he tried to rationalise what he was doing. It had to be better than them hearing the arguments, feeling the antagonism, though, didn’t it? With Karla seeming more unpredictable lately, determined to do her own thing, and him basically miserable, this environment couldn’t be good for them.
Karla put down her mug and turned to look at him as if she hadn’t quite registered what he was saying. ‘You’re… leaving?’ She laughed, her expression a mixture of disbelief and bewilderment.