‘No.’ I make myself a coffee, willing myself not to give in to the tears that are now perpetually close to the surface. ‘I didn’t feel too well, strangely. I have a pain… in my chest.’ My voice catches. I inhale sharply.

He doesn’t speak for a second. Then, ‘I’m sorry, Karla,’ he says quietly.

Breathing shakily out, I face him. ‘For?’

Jason scans my face and then drops his gaze to the floor. ‘Everything,’ he says, his tone ragged. ‘This. I can’t do this any more, Karla. I’m so sorry.’

An icy dagger pierces my heart. ‘Do what?’ I ask, because I have to. I have to hear the words spill from his mouth before I can process the enormity of what he is telling me.

‘Us.’ He looks up, his expression anguished. ‘It’s not working, Karla. Things have become… too complicated. I think we should take some time. Take a step away from each other.’ He pulls in a tight breath and waits, as if for the onslaught.

Take a step away? How far a step, Jason? How huge a step away from me is fucking other women? My anger simmers dangerously. I stare at him, too shocked by his calm announcement that he’s about to end our marriage, destroy my life and our children’s lives, to respond.

‘Complicated,’ I repeat eventually, my voice choked. ‘I see.’ I stifle a ridiculous urge to laugh.

Jason says nothing. His eyes fixed to the floor, he pinches the bridge of his nose instead.

‘Are you seeing someone?’ I force the words past the shard of glass in my throat.

‘No.’ Jason looks quickly up. ‘I wouldn’t do that, Karla. I…’ Averting his gaze again, he trails hopelessly off, as if realising the absurdity of that statement.

Liar!

I stamp down the furious voice in my head, nodding instead as I assimilate, struggling against the urge to fly at him, to hit him, to keep hitting him until my strength fails me. ‘So’ – I take another deep breath in and try to contain the emotions warring inside me – ‘are you leaving?’

I see his reluctance, his hesitancy, and I know what his answer will be. ‘Because if you are, it might be an idea to discuss how we’re going to explain to your children that they’re about to become fatherless suddenly.’ Holding his gaze, I short-circuit him, as he makes my worst nightmare a living reality.

Jason closes his eyes. ‘I… don’t know.’ Emitting a heavy sigh, he moves away from the door at last, where no doubt he remained poised for flight should things turn ugly. ‘Do you want me to go?’ he asks, stepping towards me.

He looks tentatively at me, and I realise this ball is in my court, for now. ‘You will eventually.’ I swallow hard, force the tears back.