"Then why did you marry me?!" Jackson bellowed angrily across the kitchen island. His fist hit the counter top, shattering his cup of coffee. Harper's eyes widened as she looked at Jackson's heaving shoulders, his face red with the fury that had been building inside him.

Jackson thought back to the day when he first met Harper. Her large clear blue eyes mesmerised him right from the start. Her long dark toffee glossy locks lifted in the wind and were tossed around her delicate elfin features. Her beautiful ivory skin and cheeks that were quick to flush with a rosy hue whenever she got embarrassed or happy. She had been so shy when she'd first met him. It aroused him to no end and he had made a decision then and there to woo her and make her his wife. Now, look at her tearing his heart out with her affair and stomping on it with her Jimmy Choo stiletto heel.

"Uh..." She stammered, tucking her long dark hair behind her ear with shaking fingers.

"What?" He yelled at her, his body rising to his feet, his fists pounded the counter, punctuating each sentence. His anger was palpable. "What? Why did you fucking marry me Harper? It's not a hard question to answer!"

"How long have you felt this way?" He asked defeatedly, like he was slowly, finally coming to terms with what was happening around him.

"A long time now..." Harper's words trailed off, afraid to speak anymore. The skeletons rattled in her closet now.

"I get it Harper." Jackson quietly said, pulling her from her thoughts. "I get why you're talking to her."

"Do you?" she replied softly, the words sticking in her aching throat slightly. So many more words lay unsaid on her tongue.

"I do. She fulfils needs that I can't."

"It's more than that Jack. I'm attracted to her in a way that I've never been with you."

Jackson's eyes flashed a darker emerald with anger and pain. He watched Harper take a step back, her back resting against the sink. Her hands reached out to steady herself. It was only fair that she was still afraid of him, especially after the way he had behaved last night. He remembered only parts of it. Most of it was shadowed in an angry red haze.

Harper began backing away from Jackson, terrified of what might follow. Her hands fluttered around her neck, trying to bring his attention to the bruises around her neck. In a vague attempt to remind him of what he did to her last night. Jackson's eyes rested on Harper's neck briefly.

"I did what I thought was best at the time." She half whispered, her anxiety shooting off the scale, still trying to back away from Jackson's towering fury.

"Best for who?" His voice dropped to a dangerous, quiet even tone. Jackson's eyes narrowed into thin slits.

Harper swallowed nervously. She didn't know what to expect right now and very much regretting the skeletons rattling in the closet.

She never wanted to tell Jackson about how her parents pushed her into marrying him. How they thought it would be for the best for her to settle down with a man, instead of running after women.

Her father caught her at 15 with her first girlfriend, Alyssa, holding hands while walking in the park, as they were stared dreamily into each other's eyes. It was mere seconds after their first kiss, when her father had driven up and stormed up to the surprised couple and dragged Harper forcefully by the arm into his car. Then the angry tirade that followed all the way home, her mother stood and watched as he berated and screamed at her for hours. How she would be destroying the family, bringing shame and humiliating both of them. He forbade her to see Alyssa again. Her mother stood in somewhat silent support of her husband. Her face was steely but her blue eyes were compassionate, although she didn't offer Harper any visible support.

Harper and Alyssa both stayed in touch via email for a little while, occasionally sneaking out to see each other, but the strain of her father being vehemently against the union, meant that they eventually drifted apart. Harper still thought about Alyssa from time to time. But the memory was put on a high shelf in her memory place, only revisited rarely, as a treasure.

When Harper had met Jackson, her parents rejoiced. He came from a good family. He had just finished university and had started a good job. He was everything that they wanted for her. Someone who could provide and look after her. He ticked all the boxes that they wanted from a son in law.

In the beginning, Jackson was the perfect boyfriend, and then the perfect husband. He was kind and loving. Jackson adored his wife, the relationship made perfect sense to him. Her being the perfect partner, with her dark hair and pale skin complimented his blond hair and tanned skin perfectly. Especially when it came to company events, they were the perfect power couple together.

"Harper!" Jackson's testy bark snapped her out of her thoughts.

His breath was coming in ragged gasps. He couldn't even begin to fathom what was going on around him. Seemingly over night, his life crumbled. Before last night, he had a happy life and wife. This morning he had a wife that was ready to leave him for another woman.

Harper's mind was racing, thinking of the best way to defuse the situation, to calm Jackson enough for him to leave her in peace.

"I'm sorry Jackson." Her bottom lip quivered and tears started to fill her eyes.

"What are you sorry about Harper?" His fists still pounding the counter. "Are you sorry for what you're doing to me? Or are you sorry just sorry you got caught?"

"Both." She whimpered. "I never meant for you to find out like this."

"What?" He exclaimed incredulously. "How was I supposed to find out? When you had packed up all your stuff and were gone for good out of my life? Maybe a text message? Saying sorry I'm leaving you?" Spit flew from his lips as he bit out the words sharply.

Harper's eyes darted wildly around the kitchen looking for a possible way out. Her husband's large muscular frame blocked the main exit into the hallway.

"No, of course not. I would never do that to you." She implored.

"Then how Harper?" His fists stopped pounding on the counter and his anger seemed to subside a tiny bit. "How exactly would you have preferred to tell me? I mean, just how long have you been seeing this woman for?"

"Her name is Brooklyn," Harper whispered, feeling defeated. "I've been seeing her for about 6 months now."

"6 months..." Jackson repeated in shock. "Are you fucking serious?"

His body deflated in disbelief and he sank back down at the kitchen island, half slumped in his chair. He rested his elbow on the counter and rubbed his temples with his fingers, then ran his hand through his hair. He was trying to come to terms with her sudden admission of honesty. This time the affair was getting out of control.

Harper looked at her husband, feeling a wave of remorse wash over her. She never wanted him to find out this way. It was only by chance that he had gone through her phone looking for the number of a business contact that he'd accidentally deleted and saw the messages between her and Brooklyn. She wasn't ready to come to terms with how she felt about Brooklyn and how it would impact her marriage.

There had been flings in the past for both of them, but nothing that threatened their marriage and their facade of a life. For Harper, girls had come and gone in the past, but there wasn't anything that was so incredibly passionate and amazing that had rocked her world to its very foundation. Brooklyn was a breath of fresh air that had brought her new life.

"I have to go to work Harper. We'll talk about this when I get home." Jackson looked at his wife scathingly as he adjusted his tie and picked up his Armani suit jacket off the back of the chair. "That is if you're going to be home when I get back."

"Yes, of course, I'll be here." She replied ashamedly, her eyes turned to the floor.

Jackson moved towards her as if wanting to hug and kiss her like he usually did when he left for work in the morning but stopped short. He stood in front of her and they locked eyes. Harper could see the mixture of pain, and impotent anger that swirled on his face. Harper looked back at him, feeling a little lost before her gaze flicked downwards to the floor. Jackson's eyes searched her face for any clues as to how she felt.

Jackson sighed with resignation, leaned forward and kissed her on the side of her face as Harper remained pressed up against the sink. He paused for a moment as if to drink in her sweet gentle scent, the lilac and sparkling peach making him think of times past, the golden amber and patchouli undertones drawing him back into a swirl of memories. He turned abruptly and strode down the hallway, only pausing briefly to grab his briefcase and closed the door behind him.

Harper stood glued to the sink, the sound of Jackson's footsteps still echoing in her ears. Tears finally began to stream down her cheeks. It felt like her world was falling down around her. Her affair was now public, no longer secret. It was virtually certain that her stuffy parents would find out what had happened. The facade that she had worked so hard to build to hide her secret was cracking. It was time to stand on her own two feet and take responsibility for her choices and actions.

Harper's hands shook as she took her phone out of her pocket and started texting Brooklyn, not knowing who else to turn too. None of her other friends would understand what she's going through. There was only one soul who could soothe her now, that would understand everything that was happening to her.

Her fingers flew over the keys: It happened baby. He found out! Her fingers trembled as she hit the "send" button.

Her hands trembled as she anxiously awaited the reply.

Brooklyn's reply was quick: What? When? What happened? Are you ok?

Harper: Not really.

Brooklyn: How bad?

Harper: Bad enough. We argued again this morning.

Brooklyn: Ok. I'll be there soon.

Harper: xx

She heaved a sigh as a wave of relief washed over her. Brooklyn would be at with her soon. She would be able to help her deal with what was happening.

Harper surveyed her kitchen, picked up a cloth and began slowly mopping up the cold coffee and shards that littered the floor. She moved slowly, picking up the broken pieces of the coffee cup with her still trembling hands. It felt somewhat cathartic, like a metaphor for her life. Even though she couldn't piece everything together right now, she would be able to soon. All broken pieces would be picked up and the mess would be cleaned up, restoring her life to some kind of order. Even if it was no longer the same.

* * *

In a house, a few of suburbs away, Brooklyn stared at her phone. The screen glowed brightly in the dimly morning light that bathed the bedroom. Shit. She thought. This is getting real.

She looked over at the sleeping form of her girlfriend, Mia, all cinnamon freckled peaches and cream skin and long fiery curls. Her generous curves were hidden under the pristine white sheets. Brooklyn gently shook her shoulder.

"Mia?" She called softly. "Baby?"

Mia's violet almond eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Mmmm," She mumbled sleepily. "Yes honey? Everything ok?"

"There's been a problem at the shelter," Brooklyn explained tightly. "A woman's husband came looking for her and the police were called. They need me to get down there."

"Ok honey," Mia sleepily replied. "I'll be right here when you get back." She sleepily blew her a kiss and snuggled back under the white sheets.

Brooklyn gathered her clothes quietly and got dressed. She tiptoed out of the airy bedroom and into the dark hallway.

She hesitated at the door, wondering if she was doing the right thing by going to see Harper. Brooklyn sighed and closed the door behind herself, making her way down the path to her Jeep. As she started the car she thought about her situation, juggling two women at the same time. It won't last forever. She breathed deeply and made her way over to Harper's place.