I think I got a little carried away with this one and it's a bit longer than I realised but it sort of wraps things up for the next chapter. And I'd like to say thanks again for all your wonderful reviews. It really means a lot and they are definitely all appreciated heaps! :)

Chapter 26

Stephanie watched her daughter push her fork around on her plate. Strands of spaghetti fell off the edge landing on the crisp white tablecloth and the tomato sauce stained the material. Sighing, Stephanie put down her own fork and picked up the offending pieces of pasta, placing them on the napkin. "Stop playing with your food, Ellie."

Ellie's brown eyes were sad as she looked up towards her mother. "But I'm not hungry Mommy."

"But you have to eat sweetie."

Her eyes automatically drifted towards her mother's untouched plate. "Why? You're not eating your dinner." she observed, her button nose scrunching up as she scowled.

"Never mind me." Stephanie looked at her daughter sternly.

Ellie frowned as she twirled a strand of pasta around her fork. "Daddy doesn't make me finish my dinner."

"Well Daddy's not here, is he?" Stephanie snapped back.

She instantly regretted her harsh words as Ellie's bottom lip began to quiver. She reached out and smoothed back her hair on her forehead. God knows she never meant to take any of this out on the kids. They'd been through enough as it was what with their father leaving and it broke her heart every time she remembered the look on her daughter's face as she came running into the bedroom, crying her eyes out that Daddy was gone. Paul's promise to call every day had done nothing to appease her either and why would it when all Ellie wanted was her father home, here with her. She doted on her daddy and she loved him so much. She hated every single second he was away from home. Stephanie hated it too. Part of her still couldn't believe that Paul had done this, that he was actually gone. But he was and she would have to find some way to deal with that. They all would find a way. Her, Jake and Ellie. They had to because quite simply, she refused to let this family fall apart.

"I'm so sorry Ellie." she told her little girl. "Mommy didn't mean to shout at you like that."

Her daughter sniffed and her brown eyes filled with tears. "I want Daddy to come home, Mommy. I miss him."

Stephanie's heart broke as she pulled her daughter to her chest and hugged her close. "I know you do baby. And I miss him too."

She bit down on her lip as she felt her own tears well in her eyes. Paul had only left this morning but it felt like he had been gone forever. There had been a horrible subdued atmosphere in the house all day. Ellie had been miserable ever since she had come home from school. Jake had been oddly quiet and clingy all day. He obviously could sense something was wrong despite his inability to understand what was going on.

She heard a clatter and looked across to see Jake's favourite toy car fall to the ground. Her son's head lolled backwards as he fell sound asleep in his chair. His tiny lips parted and she felt a pang in her chest. His perfect features were the spitting image of Paul. She blinked back the tears as she kissed her daughter's hair. She couldn't allow herself to break down again. She had to try and stay strong for her children's sake.

"Mommy, can I call Daddy and talk to him?"

"Of course you can."

"Can I call him now?"

Ellie lifted her head and Stephanie could see the hopeful look in her eyes. She reluctantly nodded her head. The last thing she wanted was for her daughter to get upset again but at the same time, she knew it wouldn't be right to stop her from talking to Paul. And maybe if he heard the pain in his baby girl's voice, he would realise the damage he had done by walking out on his family the way he did. She knew she was being harsh but Paul wasn't the one having to pick up the pieces. It was hard to see her children struggling to cope and not feel bitter. Never mind the fact she was struggling to cope herself.

"You can talk to Daddy while I put Jake in bed." she agreed.

Stephanie saw the first real smile on Ellie's face that day as she jumped up from her seat and ran through to the living room. Paul's number was on speed dial so thankfully she was capable of calling him herself. Stephanie didn't want to talk to him. Not when the sound of his voice would only break her heart in two. God knows she'd shed enough tears this morning to last her a lifetime.

She lifted Jake carefully from his seat and he stirred a little as his head rested on her shoulder. Stephanie rubbed his back soothingly as she carried him into the living room where she instantly heard the sound of Ellie crying. Alarmed, she immediately went across to the sofa where her little girl sat holding the phone in her hand. She sat down beside her and resting Jake down on her lap, she pulled Ellie towards her cradling her head of curls in her hand. "Ellie honey, what's wrong?"

"Daddy has his phone switched off." she explained, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.

"He must be working sweetie. You can call him again later."

"B-but he promised Mommy! He p-promised he'd always be there for me." A fresh onslaught of tears rolled down her face. Her sobbing caused Jake to wake up and suddenly in a show of solidarity for his big sister, he began to cry too.

Suddenly it all became too much for Stephanie. Her own tears began to stream down her face as she listened to her babies cry. She cursed her husband as she held both her children close to her.

"Damn it, Paul. Can't you see what you've done?" she whispered as she hugged them even tighter. Her family was falling apart and she didn't know if she had the strength to cope.

"Stephanie, it's only me."

Her mother's voice filtered through from the hallway. Stephanie gulped back her tears as she rocked her children in her arms.

"I knocked but you didn't answer….." Linda's voice trailed away as she saw the look of utter devastation on her daughter's face. The sound of her grandchildren's sobs broke her heart and she rushed over towards them. "Stephanie, what is it? What's happened?"

Stephanie swallowed the lump in her throat. "P-Paul's gone Mom. He's left to go to Europe and I'm so scared. What if he never comes back?" Her voice broke as she burst into tears again.

Linda wrapped her arm around her daughter who was holding Ellie and Jake tightly. The sound of their tears caused her own to well up in her eyes. She couldn't take in the fact that Stephanie could even think Paul wouldn't return home. What made her think that way? It was only yesterday that they had been here celebrating Jake's birthday. Paul and Stephanie had been so happy. In fact her daughter had even let it slip that they would be trying for another baby. It was hard to believe it had it apparently all gone so wrong in such a short space of time. But what on earth had happened and why had Paul gone to Europe? Vince had never mentioned anything or even told her Paul was on the tour. But as she brushed back her daughter's hair, Linda decided she would ask questions later. Right now Stephanie needed her and that was her priority. She wasn't going to let her daughter down. She was going to be here to comfort her one way or another.

Paul's finger lightly traced the glass covering the framed picture he held in his hand. His heart ached as he touched the four faces smiling back at him reminding him of happier times. He could remember the exact moment the photo had been taken. It had been the evening of his birthday and they had held a barbecue out in the garden. His family along with the rest of the McMahons had been there. Stephanie had of course been her creative self decorating the outside garden with balloons, streamers and strings of lights hanging them from the house and the trees. Jake had been fascinated by the twinkling lights put up around the trellising so he had taken his son to sit on the bench to watch them, pointing out the various colours to him. Stephanie and Ellie had joined them not long after and that had been when his mother had shouted "smile" and snapped the picture. Looking at it now, it was amazing to see how much his children had grown in the past few months, especially Jake. He was definitely losing his babyish features and looking at Ellie, she had practically sprouted since then too. Her hair had also grown and her corkscrew curls were tame in comparison to recently. God, he missed them. He felt a pang in his heart every time he thought about them or wondered what they were doing at that moment in time. He also thought about Stephanie and of course those thoughts of his family had prompted him to dig out this photo from his luggage. The only visible reminder of the family he had left behind.

Paul sighed as he placed it down on the nightstand next to the bed and resting his arms on his legs, he looked around the lonely hotel room. It sucked but he knew he had no right to sit here and feel sorry for himself. After all, leaving this morning had been his choice. But still that didn't mean he wasn't sad. In fact fucking heartbroken was a better description.

Glancing at the phone on the bedside table, Paul raked his hand through his hair before tentatively reaching out for the receiver. He wanted to call her. He had wanted to call her all day and he was becoming almost desperate to hear her voice as if somehow that could make him feel close to her. That somehow he could magically make the distance between them disappear. If only it were that simple for them.

Paul quickly pulled his hand away resisting the overwhelming temptation to make the call. Because despite needing to know Stephanie was okay, he couldn't listen to the pain in her voice knowing he was the one responsible for putting it there. Because he knew he had hurt his wife terribly by walking out on her. He had seen it in her face when she had ended their conversation last night. He could tell by her actions this morning when she had refused to say goodbye to him and opted to hide out in the bedroom instead. Stephanie hadn't wanted to talk to him then and chances were, she wouldn't want to talk to him now.

Rubbing his big hands over his thick thighs, Paul quickly stood up from the bed. He had to get out of here. Being inside these four walls was driving him crazy and just sitting here definitely gave him way too much time to think. Grabbing his gym bag from the corner, Paul decided a workout in the gym might just be the perfect distraction. God knows he could use one of them right now and maybe if he was lucky he just might forget his whole world had fallen apart for just a second or two.

Picking his key card up from the dresser, Paul made his way out of the door. It clicked softly behind him as he began to walk down the hotel corridor and he had only just reached the elevator when the voice behind him stopped him in his tracks.

"So it's true then?"

Paul briefly closed his eyes letting out a slow breath. Shane. He had been the last person he had expected or wanted to see tonight.

"You're really doing this?"

His eyes slowly fluttered open as he regained his composure knowing he was about to face the music whether he liked it or not. And it was a confrontation he had hoped he could avoid, for now at least. That's why he'd decided to stay away from the arena tonight. He hadn't been scheduled for RAW so he was going to stay at the hotel instead hoping to quietly sneak on the flight to Germany tomorrow morning. The McMahons weren't scheduled to fly out until next week. It was a week that he hoped would buy him some time before facing them and facing their questions. Because honestly, they would be questions he just didn't have any answers to. If he did, he wouldn't be here right now in some sort of tortured limbo shedding tears every time he thought about the family he had left behind.

"I couldn't believe it when Mom told me. At first I thought it was some sort of cruel joke."

Paul swallowed thickly and ducking his head, he slightly turned in Shane's direction gazing at the floor when he finally answered. "Oh it's no joke. Believe me." he said thickly and feeling unexpected tears prick his eyes, he blinked them back angrily. But he wasn't quick enough to disguise his pain. Shane must have noticed something in his expression because Paul could hear the concern in his voice when he eventually spoke.

"How are you holding up anyway?"

"How the fuck do you think I'm holding up?" Paul shot back but he instantly regretted his words and turning to face Shane, his apologetic brown eyes sought him out. After all, it wasn't Shane's fault he was in this mess. Oh no. He had himself to thank for that one. Himself and that rat bastard across the street that couldn't keep his fucking dirty hands off his wife.

"Look I'm sorry, Shano." he said sighing as his big hand lifted to rub his beard. "It's just been a long day, you know."

Shane nodded and smiled sympathetically as his worried eyes scanned the weary face in front of him. Quite frankly Paul looked like shit. His eyes were red and bloodshot and his skin was pale. It was obvious he hadn't slept at all recently and his heart went out to him. Because despite the fact Stephanie was his sister, he couldn't be angry with him. Paul obviously wasn't happy with his decision to leave which begged the question why he was going on this tour in the first place. It wasn't going to solve anything and judging from what his mom had told him this evening Paul was playing right into Mark's hands too. No doubt the little fucker would be rubbing his hands in glee knowing he was gone. He didn't remember much about the guy but he could remember he had been absolutely infatuated with Stephanie in high school and by the sounds of things, he was still as infatuated. Only this time his infatuation had consequences. Consequences he couldn't quite get his head around to be honest because no matter what Mark's intentions were, Stephanie loved Paul. The very idea that she would cheat on him was absolutely ludicrous to him. But for some reason it wasn't ludicrous to Paul. But why? That was the part he couldn't quite get his head around. Something had obviously happened to make Paul think something was going on between his sister and Mark. Something serious enough to go half way round the world in an attempt to run away from it.

"Listen why don't we go downstairs and have a drink? And if you feel up to it maybe we can talk." Shane offered as he reached out, gently patting his brother in law on the shoulder.

"Talking isn't going to change anything, Shane." Paul replied giving him a wry smile.

"Maybe not but it might help."

"I don't think so." he said lightly shaking his head as his eyes darted in the direction of the elevator. He could feel the tears that had threatened to shed so many times today catch in his throat and he pushed them back suddenly needing to get away, to get away from Shane who was nothing but a constant reminder of Stephanie. And right now, he just wanted to forget. He wanted to be alone.

Paul began to slowly back away and felt a wave of relief wash over him as he heard the elevator doors slide open behind him offering him an escape route.

"Look, I need to get to the gym. I'll catch you later Shane."

"But Paul, wait!" Shane called but his shout fell on deaf ears. The elevator doors closed over drowning him out.

Shane raked his hand through his hair in frustration. Everything was such a fucking mess. Paul was going through hell and judging by his mother's phone call this evening, Stephanie was a wreck. God only knows the effect all of this was having on Ellie and Jake. But one thing was certain. He needed to try and help sort this out and to achieve that, he had to get Paul to talk. It was the only way to try and make him see sense about the whole situation because the truth was running off to Europe wasn't going to solve anything. It wasn't going to fix this mess and it wasn't going to fix his marriage either. And while he very rarely liked to interfere in other's people's business, it was pretty clear he needed to get involved. God knows Paul and his sister could be as proud and stubborn as one another. But he could be stubborn too which is why he was going to catch Paul when he got back from the arena tonight and force the issue with him. After all Paul was married to a McMahon. He was bound to know that he wasn't going to get away from him that easily.

Linda sighed as she lingered in the doorway of her daughter's bedroom. Concern was etched in her motherly face as she watched Stephanie lying on the king size bed, hugging a pillow to her chest. Her cheeks were wet and still glistened with the tears she had shed earlier this evening. Her daughter had obviously cried herself to sleep but at least now she was resting. Stephanie had been exhausted being she hadn't slept since the night before Paul left.

Absently frowning, Linda was about to close the door over when she heard Stephanie call out her husband's name. It looked like her pain haunted her even in her sleep and Linda felt helpless knowing she couldn't even take that pain away. As a mother it killed her to see her daughter so heartbroken and as a grandmother, even more so because it wasn't only Paul and Stephanie that were affected by all this. Her grandchildren were too.

Linda stood in the doorway for a few seconds longer before closing the door over behind her and she made her way downstairs to check on Ellie. She had left her watching a movie while she had put Jake to bed. When she walked into the living room, Linda saw Ellie already standing waiting on her.

"Is Mommy asleep?"

Linda nodded and smiled. "And it will be your bedtime soon. You've got school in the morning."

Ellie nodded causing her curls to bounce on her head. "Can I call Daddy before I go to sleep?"

Linda smiled as she ruffled her hair. "Of course you can. You know Mommy said you could call him whenever you liked. In fact, why don't you call him now and I'll make you a nice cup of hot chocolate for afterwards."

Ellie grinned. "And can I have it like Daddy makes it?"

"And how does he make it sweetie?"

"He puts marshmallows and cream on the top."

"Then marshmallows and cream it is." Linda smiled as she watched Ellie run over and pick up the phone. After a few seconds of waiting, her little face erupted into a huge grin.

"It's ringing Grandma." she exclaimed as she sat down on the sofa waiting patiently for her daddy to answer. She didn't have to wait for long. As soon as he said hello, she beamed down the phone. "Daddy, it's me!"

Despite the lump that gathered in his throat at the sound of his daughter's voice, Paul managed his first genuine smile that day. "Hey, Miss Ellie! How's my favourite little girl?"

"I'm your only little girl, silly." Ellie giggled down the phone.

"I know but you're still my favourite, toots. So, how's school?"

"Fine." Ellie sighed down the phone. "I didn't want to go but Mommy made me."

"You know you have to go to school, Ellie."

"But I felt sad and Mommy and Jakey are sad too." her little voice informed him as it wavered at the other end.

Paul closed his eyes as an immense feeling of guilt washed over him. The very idea of his children being anything less than happy killed him inside and even more so knowing it was his fault. The whole mess was his fault. Why the hell couldn't he believe and trust his wife because if he did he could be at home right now reading his daughter a bedtime story. He could be holding her in his arms breathing in her familiar smell and feeling her soft hair tickle his nose. Instead he was stuck in this hotel room listening to her at the end of a phone. It was a poor substitute for what he really wanted.

"When are you coming home, Daddy?" Ellie asked him.

Paul swallowed hard and furiously blinked back his tears. He refused to break down and cry. He didn't want to and the truth was he had no right to. "Soon, sweetheart. Soon." he told her as her tiny whimpers echoed down the line breaking his heart all over again.

"But I miss you Daddy. I want you to come home now." Ellie demanded as those whimpers suddenly turned into shaky sobs. Paul's vision was blurred as his own tears welled in his eyes, tears he quickly sniffed back.

"Ellie honey, please don't cry." he asked in an attempt to soothe her. "You know Daddy has to work."

There was silence for a moment as his daughter's sobbing eventually petered out and she eventually spoke. "Well work sucks Daddy."

"Ellie!" he warned as he sat down on the bed and Paul's shoulders slumped forward as he pushed his hand through his hair before leaning his forehead against his palm. "Look it's not forever sweetie. The time will pass by really quickly and Daddy will be home again before you know it."

"But when Daddy? Because I wanted you to take me to the zoo. Will you take me to the zoo? Please?"

"I promise I'll take you to the zoo." Paul smiled.

"When?"

"When I get home. I'll talk to Mommy and get her to circle the date for you on the calendar."

"You promise?"

"I promise." he told her as he lifted his head and his brown eyes were sad as he stared at the picture that he had placed on the nightstand earlier. "I love you, short stuff." he smiled.

"I love you too."

"Give Jake a kiss for me will you and tell him I'll see him real soon, okay?"

"Okay and I'll kiss Mommy too. Bye Daddy."

"Bye sweetheart." Paul replied hearing the click of the phone as Ellie hung up. His brown eyes remained fixated on the picture and in particular Stephanie. The woman he loved more than life itself. The woman he would do anything for except trust in her and trust in their marriage.

Pressing his lips together, Paul bit back his tears as he quickly stood up from the bed. The receiver made a loud clunk in the four walls of the room as he tossed it back in place and Paul had only one destination in mind as the room and made his way down the hotel corridor.

It was a few hours later when Shane found Paul slumped over the bar. It had been his first port of call after trying his hotel room and his relentless knocks went unanswered. He could see a group of girls hovering next to where his brother in law was sitting and it didn't surprise him. No matter where he went, Paul always got attention much to Stephanie's annoyance sometimes. But Shane could tell he was oblivious to the longing looks being thrown his way tonight. Either that or Paul just didn't care. He saw the girls back away as he approached Paul at the bar and he smiled, greeting him. However that smile quickly turned to a concerned frown as Paul's glazed eyes looked up at him.

"Hey, Shano! Coming to join the party?" Paul asked as he lifted his hand to summon the bar tender. "What can I get you to drink McMahon?"

Shane smiled cautiously at the bar tender. "I'll have whatever he's having."

Paul held up his glass and smiled. "Make it two."

He tilted his head back and finished the drink. Shane frowned wondering how many of those he had had. His voice was slurred and his cheeks were flushed with the alcohol. It didn't take Einstein to figure out Paul was drunk. It just surprised him that all because he very rarely saw Paul drink and even when he did, it was never more than one or two.

"You know I used to call your sister McMahon all the time." Paul snickered grabbing his attention once more. "I only started doing it because it bugged the hell out of her but I guess it stuck like one of those annoying little habits you develop."

Paul paused as he twirled the empty tumbler round in his hand before snorting with amusement.

"She used to get pissed off when I called her it after we got married. She would always tell me, "I'm a Levesque now, thank you very much." He lifted his head and smiled sadly. "It would actually make me kind of proud, you know."

"I know." Shane smiled back as he picked up his drink from the bar and took a sip. He made a face as the raw taste of the alcohol burnt the back of his throat. "What the hell is this stuff anyway?" he asked grimacing.

Paul grinned as he held up his glass as if to toast him. "I don't know and I really don't care." he told him as he took a large gulp almost finishing the drink.

Shane shook his head. "So this is your solution, huh?"

"Save me the lecture." he replied with a glare. "I don't want to hear it."

Shane sighed as he placed his drink back on the bar and turned to his friend. "Paul, I just want to help."

"Yeah well maybe I don't want your help. Maybe I just want to be left in peace."

"Why? So you can drink yourself into complete oblivion?"

"Well it's better than the alternative." Paul snarled.

"Which is?"

"None of your business Shane." he spat back as he tilted the glass in the air, finishing his drink. Paul wobbled slightly as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Paul, where are you going?" asked Shane, sighing impatiently.

"Back to my room. I'm not staying here to listen to you banging on at me."

As Paul placed his glass back on the bar, he tripped over his stool but fortunately managed to somehow stay on his feet. Shane stood up and reached out to steady him lifting Paul's arm and wrapping it around his neck. The solid weight of his muscle momentarily knocked him off balance. Shane steadied up as he turned to Paul. The guy reeked of alcohol and his eyes were rolling around in his head as they tried their best to focus.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." he announced as Shane carried Paul out of the bar and into the elevator. The doors slid shut behind him and as he waited to reach the sixth floor, he watched Paul's head roll forward and his body weight pressed down on him like a tonne weight. He was practically unconscious by the time they stumbled out into the corridor and Shane got him to his room. He had to rake in Paul's pocket to find his key card to open the door. As he sat him down, his body fell backwards on the bed. Shane struggled to remove his jacket and tossed it on the chair behind him.

"I miss you." Paul's whispered voice echoed through the room before he fell silent and his low, deep breathing signalled he was asleep.

Shane sighed as he grabbed the comforter and placed it over him. Paul was definitely in worse shape than he thought. Thank God he'd made the decision to find him after the show. Even Vince had been worried once he'd been filled in on the details. But why the hell was Paul doing this to himself? From what he could gather through his conversations with his mother, this whole mess was because of a photograph. A photograph that had somehow led Paul to believe Stephanie was having an affair with Mark. It just didn't add up and neither did the fact that Paul could potentially end his marriage because of it. And it was fairly obvious to him and anyone else with eyes in their head that Paul didn't want this. He didn't want to be apart from Stephanie which was perfectly plain by the drunken mess he'd found him in. So why had he done it? Why had he risked his marriage like this?

Just then Paul muttered something incoherent interrupting Shane's train of thought. He glanced over at the bed just in time to see Paul roll over and bury his face in the pillow. He was in no fit state to be alone tonight which was why he would reschedule his flight for the morning. He would watch over his brother in law and make sure he was okay. And after that, once Paul had sobered up, he was going to make him talk and get to the bottom of this because something just didn't sit right with him. And it was something he was determined to find out one way or another.

As Shane watched over Paul, he was completely unaware that hundreds of miles away his sister was determined to figure it all out too. Stephanie was sitting at the kitchen table staring at the picture in her hand. As well as making her sick to the stomach, it also confused her. She racked her brains trying to think when this had been. She couldn't remember any photo being taken let alone one where she was staring into Mark's eyes and smiling at him. There was something not quite right about it. Something that was beginning to creep her out the more and more she thought about it.

Stephanie sighed as she placed the photo down on the wooden surface. The clock ticked loudly in the silent room as she thought of her husband for the millionth time that day. How she wished she could get inside his head and try and figure out what he was thinking because from where she was standing, Paul was putting two and two together and coming up with a thousand. Although if she was being honest, she could understand why Paul was upset when he saw the photo and throw in her stupid white lies and her husband had a pretty good case. But that still didn't answer the question as to where the hell Mark got that fucking photograph from. It had literally appeared out of nowhere and she had absolutely no recollection about it.

Stephanie stood up and pushed back her chair. She walked across and pulled open the drawer where the photo had been and she began rummaging through until she found it. It was an envelope with no postage marks and Paul's name on the front. It had obviously been hand delivered to the house which confused her but it only confused her up to the point where she could admit it was pretty clear Mark was out to cause trouble between them. But why? Why would he send that picture to Paul unless of course Paul had been right about him all along. He knew Mark clearly had an agenda here, an agenda she hadn't seen or maybe didn't want to see because one of her biggest faults was giving people the benefit of the doubt. People she believed and she trusted. People who she thought she knew to some degree albeit it was a long time ago. The same people who were obviously playing some sort of sick game with her life. Why the hell hadn't she listened to Paul in the first place? He had warned her about Mark. He had asked her so many times to stay away but of course she didn't listen. Oh no. Stephanie Levesque always knew best even at the detriment to her marriage.

Stephanie sighed and her stomach twisted in anxious knots as she tried her best to fit the pieces together. There was something familiar about that photo despite being able to remember nothing about it. Having a flash of inspiration, Stephanie went to the other drawer where she found a pack of recent photographs. She quickly flipped through them but she quickly stalled and a lump appeared in her throat as she came across a picture of her and Paul. God, they looked so happy together. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder as she leant into his chest smiling. And he was smiling too. Paul had such an incredibly beautiful smile. Stephanie's finger reached out and she touched his face. God knows she missed him so much right now. In fact she missed Paul so much she physically ached for him. His leaving her had caused her so much despair and it had only been one day. How on earth was she was going to survive one whole month without him?

Blinking back the tears that welled in her ocean blue pools, Stephanie continued her search and her hands furiously flicked through the photographs. Finally she saw it and her breath caught in her throat. It was a picture of her and Ellie and her clothes, her hair, her facial expression, everything was exactly the same as it was in the photo Mark had sent to Paul. She remembered it now. They had been at the park with Mark, Jamie and Chloe. Ellie had made her a daisy chain and as she had handed it to her, Mark had snapped the shot with his camera. She remembered him showing it to her on the computer the next day and printing off a copy. It all started to make sense now. Mark had obviously rigged the photograph somehow and placed him in it instead of Ellie. And it wouldn't be hard for someone with his knowledge and the equipment he had. Mark was a computer geek. He always had been. Now all she had to do was prove that he had altered the picture. And she had to prove it. It was the only solution she could think of to save her marriage and convince Paul to come home.

Stephanie looked up at the clock. Even though it was two o'clock in the morning, she had a good mind to go over there and bang down his fucking door. But she wouldn't. She would wait if only for Chloe's sake. That and the fact she needed to get her head together.

Stephanie went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. She noticed her hands were shaking as she grabbed a corkscrew and opened the bottle. The cork gave a loud pop as she pulled it free. Stephanie poured the yellowish liquid into the glass and took a drink. She let out a shaky breath as the warmth of the alcohol settled in her stomach and she carried the glass and the bottle across to the table. She needed to remain calm and plan the best way to tackle Mark. There was no need to rush anything. She had the best part of the night to think things through. It's not like she would get any sleep anyway without Paul in bed beside her. And as soon as morning arrived, she was going over there to confront Mark. The bastard was due her some answers and she was going to make sure that this time, she got them.