I opened my eyes to only shut them again. The sun was always unbearable in the morning but it was much worse this time. This is why I didn't drink like I did last night. I slowly opened my eyes and looked across the room. It wasn't my room, my windows were on the other wall. A sudden realisation hit me like a tidal wave. What had I done?

I rolled over and saw a figure next to me.

John.

Shit.

I watched his chest rise and fall and slowly slid from the sheets; finding my underwear and blouse, along with my trousers. I slid my clothes on, and grabbed a pen from my bag, scribbling a quick note.

"I'm sorry, but what happened shouldn't have.
I'm married, and have children that need me
Please keep what happened between us a secret,
Angela x"

I looked at his tousled hair, the memory was strong, and made my heart race, which made it so much harder to leave. I felt a strong pang of sadness for what I knew I had to do.

I crept over and gently kissed his head. "Sorry John." I whispered, before leaving the note next to him and walking away from the one good thing that had ever happened to me.

I held my heels in my hand and ran my fingers through my hair while I waited for the elevator. The memories played in my mind. Never had anyone made me feel butterflies like that before. I'd never been loved like that, to David I was just a person to push around and use to vent anger on.

XXX

I crept through the door, it was eerily quiet. I snuck up the stairs and into the bed room. My heart was racing, I half expected David to jump out at me. But he didn't.

Throwing my clothes in the hamper, I jumped in the shower. I stood under the hot jets for a while, contemplating the way last night had unfolded. I couldn't deny what he made me feel, but I could pretend that I didn't feel that way. As the hot water cascaded down my body I felt refreshed. I washed my hair, and I gradually pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.

I blow dried my hair and straightened it, putting on a comfortable outfit, I went downstairs. Flicking the switch on the kettle; I dropped a quick text to my mum.

The reply came through a few minutes later. "I took the children out to see a movie this morning, apparently you had promised to take them."

I sent back a swift reply. "Thanks for taking them, ended up crashing at the hotel as it was late and didn't want to wake the children."

Grabbing my work bag I pulled out my marking and busied myself. But my mind would not stop drifting. I touched my lips, and smiled.

A few hours later I heard the door open and slam shut again, I continued my marking, which by this point, had spread across the breakfast bar. I looked up as David walked in the room, his face was unreadable.

"What are you doing?" He questioned.

I shrugged. "Marking year 10 mock papers at the moment." I glanced up at the clock. "Would you like me to make you some lunch?" I smiled, hoping he was in a happy mood.

He cocked his head to the side, studying me. "That would be good, I've had a rotten morning, you wouldn't believe it." He sat on one of the stools by the breakfast bar.

I got up and grabbed a saucepan from the cupboard. "Is pasta okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, where are the kids?" He looked around. "It's oddly quiet." He commented.

I poured pasta and hot water into the pan. "Mum took them to see a movie." I replied.

He nodded. "I'm fed up of work, the constant court hearings, and especially the stupid bitch who keeps undermining me, her place should be at home having her husbands children."

David's latest pet peeve was a young girl called Holly, she had climbed into his ranks and was working along side him. In his eyes, women should not be allowed to work in the high league he was working in at the NCA.

"She only got there because she probably flattered everyone, that's all she seems to do." His face was stony.

I stirred the pasta, leaving it to simmer with the lid on. There was no point arguing with him, in his opinion women shouldn't even work, I was lucky to be where I was. I snuck off to college, and then continued on to university, which was much harder to keep hidden. When he found out, he lost the plot. It was even worse when I ended up finding a job, I was hospitalised for a month, and told there was a likelihood I would never have children again due to David's beating.

I grabbed my red pen and continued marking as David furiously typed away on his MacBook.

"How are you then darling?" His face was curious, yet I still felt as though he was trying to trip me up.

I sighed. "I'm okay, just fed up of marking to be honest."

Standing up, I turned around, pouring the pasta into a colander. I tipped it back into the saucepan and added sauce and some mozzarella for taste, I handed David the dish and he smiled; tucking in straight away.

I didn't expect a thank you, my job as a woman was to be the perfect housewife, cooking, cleaning, looking after the children.

XXX

Mum dropped the kids home at 7pm, she thought it would be nice to take them out for dinner, which alleviated some of my worries. She helped me bath and get Autumn and Xavier settled. Then she disappeared with David.

I stood in the kitchen, hearing my mums voice through the walls. Clicking the switch on the kettle I started making myself a cup of tea. I heard David's muffled voice and I heard the door shut. But I heard David's footsteps approach behind.

"I've had an interesting conversation with your mother." His voice was cold and sent chills down my spine.

I froze to the spot.

"Where were you last night Angela?" His voice was playful, but deadly.

I knew his game. But I was terrified. "I went out." I replied; I was treading on thin ice.

"When did you get home, Darling." He rolled the last word, I could feel the tension in the room.

I chose the truth. He probably already knew. "This morning." I whispered.

"Turn. Around." He seethed.

Never had two words frightened me so much.

The back of his hand slapped across my face. I gasped in pain. "How dare you undermine me like that!" He shouted.

"Please calm down David, you'll wake the children." I whispered.

His face shook with barley controlled anger. "DON'T tell me what to DO!" He spat.

Walking away from me he strutted around the kitchen. "Why didn't you come home Angela?" His intense glare made me shake.

"I-i-"

"Where you whoring around?" He shouted.

"No!"

He stormed over to me, shoving me back against the counter top. "How dare you lie to me!" He shouted, shoving me again.

I crumpled down to the floor, curling my body into a ball. Tears escaped my eyes as I whimpered.

"You disloyal bitch." He roared, his foot collided with my stomach.

Pain radiated through my body as his foot continually collided with my body. His words became jumbled, and blood swooshed in my ears. My vision blurred, and I felt myself losing focus. His foot kept ramming into my stomach as he grabbed me by my hair to look at his face.

"Look at me." He seethed. His face got closer to mine and I cowered slightly.

I could feel his hot breath on my cheek, but unable to move from his vice like grip on my hair.

"If you ever, ever cheated, I would kill you, and no one would ever find out." He laughed. "And no one would care either. You're dispensable Angela."

His grip on my hair loosened just enough for him to slam his knee into my chin.

Blood splattered out of my mouth as I bit my tongue. My jaw radiated with pain.

David rammed his foot into my stomach again and I rolled up into a ball. Air was shoved out of my lungs as his foot collided with my chest.

I couldn't take much more. The pain consumed me in the end.