Carla Connor, a woman you either loved or hated. For most she was a woman they envied, she had it all, the flash cars, money in her bank account, nice clothes not to mention the doting husband but for one person only half of that was true. For Carla her husband was far from doting. Looks can be deceiving and Carla knew more than anyone just how deceiving her perfect looking life was.

Carla woke up to the sound of her alarm clock, quickly glancing over towards the figure lying next to her she turned it off. She sat motionless for a while not daring to breathe in case her husband woke up. Slowly she climbed out of bed and tiptoed out of the bedroom, leaving her sleeping husband in bed. She continued to tiptoe downstairs and only when she got to the safety of the kitchen did she let out a sigh of relief. Relief that her husband hadn't woken up to the alarm, and relief that she hadn't angered him. She filled up the kettle with water and flicked the switch before going to retrieve the milk from the fridge. She prepared her cup and went into the living room whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.

She stood in the doorway looking at the mess on the floor, the smashed glass, the scattered cushions and tipped over coffee table. She decided her cup of tea could wait, she needed to get this cleaned up before Frank woke, and more importantly before his temper woke.

Carla knelt down and gathered the broken glass pieces in her hand, throwing them into the small bin beside her, she then picked the cushions up and placed them neatly on the couch. Next she fixed the coffee table and picked the bin up to empty it into the larger one in the kitchen.

She emptied the bin and took it back into the living room before returning to the kitchen and making her cup of tea. She lent gently against the island in the middle of the kitchen, thinking back to last nights events.

She blamed herself. She repeatedly heard Frank's voice in her head telling her it was all her fault, it was her fault he smashed the glass, her fault he threw the coffee table and her fault that he'd pinned her down on the couch by her throat. He'd told her that he was sorry, it wouldn't happen again, and even though she'd heard it before she believed him every time. She hoped he would change, and then when he'd do it again, she reasoned with herself that if she hadn't angered him he wouldn't have done it, every time she blamed herself.

She walked over to the mirror in her kitchen and examined her neck, gently running her fingers over the purple bruises around her neck; the fingerprint marks were clearly visible.

She stared back at her reflection in the mirror, she hated what she saw. She was once confident she once had strength, she was once someone who could defend themselves, now she was broken. She put herself down after hearing Frank do it so many times she started to believe it. Frank had told her she was fat, that she was ugly, that she was lucky to have him and that no-one else would find her attractive, he'd beaten down her self confidence, made her totally reliable on him. She'd distanced herself from friends, from the only family she had left. She never left the house anymore without Frank's permission unless it was to go to the factory. He told her what she could wear, what she couldn't, he'd told her that she wasn't allowed to wear make up unless he said so. He controlled what she did, and when she did it. She was a prisoner in her own home.

'Carla.'

Her body froze before he even finished saying her name. His voice goes through her like nails on a blackboard. She could tell he wasn't to be messed with by the tone of his voice. Carla ran up the stairs to her bedroom to see what he wanted, she knew that if she didn't hurry she'd be sorry. Many times before she thought she could ignore him but everytime it was the wrong thing to do.

'Where were you?' Frank asked, his eyebrows narrowing as he looked Carla up and down.

'I was just cleaning the mess up downstairs...sorry.' Carla replied.

She didn't know why she'd said sorry it was purely out of habit these days. Sorry was never good enough ironic really considering all he had to do was say sorry and she'd forgive him straight away.

Carla looked down at her feet and nervously bit her bottom lip waiting for Frank to reply, she hated how much she was terrified of him but she couldn't leave him, she depended on him for everything plus she didn't have anyone else, there was no-one she could turn to, at least that's what she thought.

Frank revelled in the fact Carla was scared of him, he loved to control his wife, he'd spent so long stripping down her layers until nothing was left but a cowering woman at his beck and call. He controlled her and that was how he liked it.

'I'm going into the factory soon, you need to show your face sometime today but make sure THAT is covered up first' Frank stated gesturing towards the bruises on Carla's neck.

'If I had my way you'd be staying at home but I have an important contract that needs signing and it needs both of us to be there.' Frank told Carla.

Carla nodded and quickly left the bedroom, she couldn't bare to be around Frank any longer than she had to. She went back downstairs and started getting ready for her meeting.

Carla parked outside the factory and stayed motionless for awhile just trying to regulate her breathing, she was nervous. She hated being around Frank in public because she was scared of saying something wrong in front of people. She always thought people could see straight through her into her soul and everyone knew exactly what went on behind closed doors. Several times she'd walk into a room and people would stop talking leaving Carla more paranoid than she was before.

As she went to leave the car she glanced in the mirror to check that the scarf around her neck covered the bruises that were still visible through the layers of makeup she'd put on. She pulled the scarf tighter around her neck and put on her best fake smile and left the car.

She walked into the factory and greeted everyone with her best fake smile.

'Morning you lot' she said, her fake smile threatening to crack her face. She could have sworn she saw Sally glance down at her neck.

'Morning Mrs Foster' they all chimed in unison.

Just before entering the office Carla stopped outside the door, her hand on the door handle her palms sweaty she knew she'd have to face him sooner or later and she knew it would have to be soon or she'd be in trouble, Carla took a deep breath and entered the office.

'Carla I'd like to introduce you to our new client Michelle McCarthy.' Frank said no sooner had Carla entered the office.

Carla knew who it was before she even looked in the brunettes direction, although she was slightly confused by the name she was using.

'Hello Carla, lovely to meet ya.' Michelle said standing up offering her hand for Carla to shake.

Carla took hold of Michelle's hand gently shaking it, her eyes narrowing as she tried to think up a reason as to why Michelle was acting like she didn't know her, and why was she using a false surname.