It takes an age to get dressed and I almost pass out from the pain. I can’t lift my arm and so I have to make do with doing up one of Will’s shirts without threading my arm through the sleeve, and then putting on a cardigan the same way.

Next, I move around the room. I can’t carry much, only a small bag, so I throw in some clothes and then I pause by the bedside table looking at the photograph of Will and me, emotion choking me. Focus, I warn. You’ve got this far. You can keep going. But I can’t leave the photograph, so I pack it in my bag. I need something to remind me of what I’m doing this for. I find my jewellery box is missing. The bastard. He took my engagement ring, as well as a bracelet and a Celtic cross necklace that Will gave me. I wish I’d killed him now when I had the chance, back when we were married. I wish I’d stabbed him in his sleep. Or poisoned him. A life sentence in prison would be better than this. But it’s too late for regrets.

An hour later I’m ready. I’ve gone through the house, every room except the living room, trying to figure out what to leave and what to take. In the end I can’t take much because I can only take what I can carry, and I can’t carry much as I’m too weak. At the back door, I pause briefly. This is my home; but it was my home with Will, and I can’t stay here now, not without him. I wonder when someone will come by to look for us. Probably tomorrow when Will doesn’t show up at work. I wonder what they’ll think has happened here. Will they open a missing persons enquiry? Or will they know a crime was committed? Or maybe they’ll think we’ve packed our bags and left for some mysterious reason.

People will tell the police my name – Mia Smith – but of course there will be no official record of me. No identity or birth certificate. They’ll try to figure out who I really am and they’ll fail, because in my old life I’m already dead. They will study the house and wonder what happened, and they will never solve it because Ethan has covered his tracks. I’m the only witness and I am not coming forward. I am going to take the law into my own hands. I’ll show him justice.