Carla opened the door to her flat and was startled to see Frank sitting on the couch opposite her. Frank looked angry and Carla was scared as to what was going to happen.

'Frank.' She said quietly.

'You look surprised I do live here.' Frank replied his mouth curling into a small smile.

'Have you come for your stuff or?' Carla asked as she closed the door behind her.

'No.' Frank stated resting his head in his hands.

Carla slipped her bag off her shoulder and placed it on the table in front of her, she sighed she didn't know what Frank wanted he wasn't here to collect his stuff so what did he want. She was scared, she knew just what he was capable of he'd hit her more times than she could remember and she was scared that he was going to do it again.

'No, I've been thinking things through, and urm we can make this work.' Frank said standing up.

'What?' Carla quizzed laughing slightly.

'I still love you. I know you say you don't love me but you're fond of me aren't ya? We've had some brilliant times together and I've seen the way you look at me you weren't putting that on.' Frank explained walking towards Carla.

'No I wasn't but..' Carla replied.

'Well then you don't have to love me sometimes these things take time it doesn't happen right away..'

'No' Carla said over him but he wasn't listening he carried on anyway.

'..sometimes you love someone but you just don't realise it.' Frank said.

'Frank please.' Carla said but she couldn't get a word in as Frank kept talking over her.

'What I'm saying is I still want to be with you..' Frank continued.

'But I don't wanna be with you.' Carla said tears falling down her cheeks.

'Is there someone else?' Frank asked.

Carla shook her head, no of course there wasn't someone else she'd already explained to him why she didn't want to be with him. He abused her physically and emotionally. Every time he laid his hands on her.

'No? Well then we CAN make this work, I know we can Carla.' Frank said his voice rising slightly.

He was now stood right in front of Carla, only inches apart. Carla was crying, she really didn't want to do this right now, she didn't want to have this conversation with him, all she wanted to do was get a bottle of wine out of the fridge, drink it and go to bed.

'I think we need a clean break, the factory and all.' Carla said wiping the tears from her eyes.

'You really hate me that much?' Frank asked pacing back and forth.

Carla was now lent over the kitchen worktop her head in her hands.

'No.' Carla cried.

'Frank I don't hate you at all, Frank I'm tryna make things easier for you. You can't want to work with me after this? Carla said frustrated.

'Look I've spoken to my solicitor and she reckons she can come up with an arrangement, something satisfactory that would suit us both.' Carla explained.
'You've spoken to your solicitor already..?' Frank asked.
'Like I said she can sort something out.' Carla said.
'So is that where you've been? How long have you been planning this? Planning to get rid of me but saving your own skin.' Frank replied starting to get angry.

'I haven't been planning..'

'Is that why you stuck with it all this time? Keeping me sweet whilst you checked it all out?' Frank growled.

'Stuck with it? You think I stuck with all of this just so I could get the factory off you? You think I put up with the beatings and all the negative remarks just to get the factory off you. I stuck through all of that because I loved you and I thought you were sorry. Every time you hit me you'd apologize and say it wouldn't happen again. If I just wanted the factory I'd have left long ago.' Carla screamed.

'You really are a hard faced cow.' Frank shouted back.

'Okay I want you to go now.' Carla said, starting to get scared.

She walked past Frank to the door and opened it slightly but she didn't get a chance to open it any further as Frank came up behind her and slammed his hands against the door either side of Carla's head. He gripped hold of Carla's shoulders and spun her around pinning her to the door. The fear was evident in Carla's eyes. Her eyes grew wide and her pupils dilated as she looked Frank in the eyes and she saw the anger like she'd never saw before. She wasn't just scared; she was petrified she'd never ever saw him like this before. She was frozen in fear Frank pressed up against her she couldn't move she couldn't speak, she could barely breathe.

Frank turned taking Carla with him and threw her to the floor, Carla lay motionless on the floor terrified of what was about to happen, nothing was registering in her mind all she could think was if she kept still it would be over soon. She jumped slightly as she heard his zip on his pants go. Thoughts raced through her head but she couldn't make sense of anything. Suddenly she felt a weight press down on her as Frank lay on top of her. Carla closed her eyes and willed herself to think of something else, the tears crashed down her face as her husband, the person who was supposed to love and protect her, raped her. Carla lay shivering on the cold floor, for a moment she didn't know where she was, she just lay there staring ahead of her. She didn't even know anyone was in the room with her until Frank spoke.

'It's your fault, you made me do it.' Frank said looking down at Carla.

'Carla.' Frank whispered leaning forward slightly towards Carla.

Carla curled in towards herself bringing her knees up towards her stomach, flinching away from Frank. Frank looked down at Carla, he almost looked confused. He turned and ran out of the flat leaving the door open behind him. Carla shuffled towards the door closing it, moving forward to sit on her knees she reached up and double locking it to prevent him from coming back in. She collapsed back down on the floor and shuffled backwards until her back hit the kitchen units. She turned around and reached up for her bag rooting around until she found her mobile phone. She took the phone and slid back down onto the floor bringing her knees up and pulling her skirt down to cover herself. She scrolled through her contact list, her hands shaking as she did until she reached M and clicked on her name, she knew she'd be there for her.

'Hello.'
'Michelle'
'Yeah'
'Its Carla.'
'What's up?'
'Can you urm come here?'
'Are you okay, what's happened?'
'Please.'
'Yeah okay I'll be right over.'

Carla hung up the phone and sat there. She'd never felt so lost and alone ever. Her whole body was shaking, her skin felt cold. The tears were crashing down her face and she made no attempt to stop them, she just didn't have the strength to do anything.
Carla jumped as somebody knocked on the door.

'Who's there?' Carla asked her voice breaking.
'It's me Michelle the door was open downstairs.' Michelle replied back.

Carla shuffled forwards and unlocked the door before shuffling back to where she was sat. Michelle poked her head around the door and was shocked at what she saw. Carla was sat curled up on the floor, her blouse ripped open, bruises on her wrists and legs. She looked a mess; she didn't look like the Carla she knew. This woman in front of her was broken.

'He did this didn't he.' Michelle whispered.
Carla nodded her head.

'He raped me. He raped me.' Carla cried.

Michelle wrapped her arms around Carla and just held her whilst Carla cried.