Lucas came home to something smelling absolutely delicious in the apartment. He smiled and thanked his lucky stars that he had been smart enough to marry such a good cook. Sure enough, Haley, apron tied around her, stood in front of several pots simmering on top of the stove. Lucas smiled as he removed his jacket and walked toward her. Her back was towards him so he snaked his arms around her waist. She flinched, then tensed.

"Hey you", he kissed the back of her neck. "Something smells good."

"Thanks", she said blandly.

He noticed a dinner of beans with pork and sauerkraut on the oven. However, two portions of each cooked separately.

"What's with the two meals?" he asked.

"Oh", she said casually with a huge, fake smile. "There's an easy explanation for that. See, one dinner is mine and one dinner is yours."

Lucas made a face.

"And you cooked them separately because?"

"Because I plan on lacing yours with arsenic later."

He studied his wife's mood. She wasn't joking. He took a deep breath. What had he done now? Or more importantly, what had he done earlier that he was just now getting caught for?

"Okay. You're pissed at me and you're planning my murder", he nodded. "I can dig that. You mind telling me why?"

Haley spun around so fast she nearly fell over.

"I'll tell you why, Lucas Scott", her face red with anger. "You lied to me! You lied to me and I'm pissed although I shouldn't be, right? Hell, given your track record, I should be pretty used to it by now."

"Haley, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't lie to you."

"You want to explain some stuff you left out about Charleston?"

He felt his pulse quicken. What did she mean? She didn't know, did she? No way. How could she possibly know?

"Hales…"

"Oh no. Don't you dare 'Hales' me. I don't want o hear anything but the truth!"

Lucas played dumb.

"And what truth might that be?"

"Who is she?" Haley folded her arms.

He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about", she shook her head in disgust. "Tell me her name, if you even remember. In fact, I want to hear all about it."

"Haley…"

"Or was there more than one girl? Two? Three? Ten, maybe?"

Lucas sat down and took a deep breath.

"How did you find out?"

She balled up a dishtowel and threw it across the room hitting him in his big, thick head.

"Does it matter? Is it true?"

"Yeah", he stared at the floor. "It's true."

"Get out!"

"Haley…"

"No! I don't want to hear it! Because whatever it is you have to say, I know it's just gonna be lies and the same old bullshit it always is!"

"Let me explain…"

"Explain what? Explain how you fucked someone else? And then lied about it?"

"I'm sorry."

"You always are."

"Listen, it was this girl I met that hung around at the tracks. She was a friend of one of the other drivers. We all used to go out drinking and stuff after races and all and one night I got hammered and it just happened. Then it kept happening."

Haley bit her lip, willing herself not to break down and cry in front of him.

"Are you in love with her?"

He adamantly shook his head.

"No. No. Of course not. It wasn't even like that."

His blue eyes seemed to plead with her.

"Then why did you do it, Luke? Why?"

What answer could he possibly give? Nothing could justify his despicable behavior. He had no reason. He never did. He just did things without thought of further consequences.

"I don't know why", he said quietly.

"I can't do this anymore."

"Haley…"

"The lying and the deceit? It just kills me, Lucas. And it isn't fair."

"I know."

"How many more times? I mean, how much can one person take? You're my husband. We took vows. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Yes, it means something. I love you, Haley."

She laughed bitterly out loud.

"Well, you have a screwed up way of showing it. You sleep with other women at will. You lie to me. You hide things from me. When the urge hits you, you just pick up and take off and you're gone for days and weeks, sometimes months at a time and sometimes without word. I mean, what am I supposed to think? What kind of marriage is this anyway? We're a joke, Lucas."

"We're not a joke, Hales. Look, I'm sorry. I know I've said that before but I've changed. I am changing. I mean it this time. All that stuff I said to you the other night? I meant it. I do love you and I want this relationship to work."

"Then why did you lie about what you did, Lucas? And more importantly, why did you even do it in the first place?"

He tried to touch her but she instantly recoiled. Her tiny body was shaking with anger, hurt and humiliation.

"I didn't tell you because I was scared of how you'd react. And I knew it would hurt you and I didn't want to see you cry. And mostly, because I was ashamed of what I've done. I don't know why I did it. I don't know why I do a lot of things. But I was confused back then about so much. I wasn't myself. I was running away from something, I don't even know what. But that's the past. And I can't change that. I can't apologize enough for that."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Trust me. Go on like we said we would."

Haley shook her head.

"How can I?"

"But Haley, we were doing fine", Lucas stood up. "Ever since we had our talk, things were better and we were getting alone. I just don't understand why that has to change. I'm still the same guy I was yesterday that you loved. What's the difference now?"

He didn't get it and that was the thing that bewildered Haley the most.

"It's a big difference, Lucas. Yeah, you might be the same guy from yesterday but when it comes down to it, you're the same dishonest cheat you've been for most of our time together."

"I love you."

"Do you? I don't know. It doesn't feel like it. I didn't think love was supposed to hurt like this."

"What do you want from me? Damn, baby, I'm trying…"

"I know you are", she nodded. "And I do believe you're sorry. But the thing is, it doesn't matter, Lucas. Because you can't help yourself. The indecisiveness, the recklessness, the disregard for other people's feelings…you can't help it. And that's why you don't change. Because you can't."

He felt like he was going to be sick.

"You took a chance on me, Haley. You knew everything I went through with my parents and my family…"

"I do. Unfortunately, I know Dan and Karen and Keith and Royal very well. I know a lot of the way you are had to do with how you were raised. I get that and you recognized the problem but it's time to grow up, Luke. You can't keep blaming all your crap on mommy and daddy. You're a man now and you have to take responsibility for your actions."

"I'm trying", he whispered.

"That's not good enough anymore."

Lucas shook his head.

"So you're willing to throw away what we have because I made a stupid mistake with some random chick?"

She just looked at him.

"No. I am walking away from something that obviously never existed in the first place. Something I wanted and thought was there. But whatever we had was once upon a time and it lost its momentum a long time ago. We were just too blind to see it."

"Haley…"

"You don't want to be married to me. And I don't want to be married to you either if it's going to be like this."

A lump formed in his throat. It had been slipping away for so long.

"Is it really over this time?" he asked.

She nodded sadly. It hurt too much to speak the words.

"It's been over for a while. This is just the first time we've been brave enough to realize it."

"I am so sorry. You have to know that. You have to believe me."

"Okay."

"Can we talk or something? Haley…"

She shook her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea. I think it's best that you go."

"Hales…"

"Please", she put her hand up.

Lucas hung his head. He had been busted and his worst fear had been realized. Haley was fed up. The marriage was broken. And there was nothing left to do but honor her wishes. So with tears in his eyes, he left their marital dwelling with nothing more than the clothes on his back.