"You're coming with me" Nick said as he pulled on his coat.
Carla shook her head. "No. I'm not coming with you and you're not going either. I'm not going to let you give that share to him."
"We're not going to see Robert. We're going to the police station." Nick said, taking Carla by the hand and leading her out of the flat.
"Nick, they won't do anything. Trust me, I know" Carla said as they sat outside the station in the car.
"They have to. He can't and won't blackmail us" Nick said.
Carla sighed. "Are you forgetting that you hit him?!" she said, getting angry.
"That was provoked" Nick argued.
"Yes, but it's still assault." Carla said as Nick got out of the car.
"He's been threatening and blackmailing my fiancée for a while now. He grabbed her a few times and he's now blackmailing us both into giving him half of my business. I also strongly believe that he was behind the attack that hospitalised Carla" Nick explained.
Carla was sat next to him. She looked around the interview room. She hated police stations. She had been sat in rooms like this many times and every single time, it wasn't her fault.
"Could you explain to me exactly how Mr Preston blackmailed you?" The police officer asked Carla.
She was still sat in her own daydream and it wasn't until Nick nudged her slightly that she realised she was being spoken to.
"Sorry.. Erm, it was all verbal to start with. He was horrible. Then one night I was walking along the street and he grabbed me and said he could make life very difficult for me. Then a few nights later, I was on my way home from work and he pulled me into an alleyway and threatened me again by pushing me against a wall.." Carla said.
The police officer nodded. "And the night of the attack?"
Carla looked at Nick. "That was the night I told Nick about the afternoon I spent with Robert. Later on that night, I got a text from Robert ordering me to go to The Bistro. We argued as he demanded a 50% share and then he left. Minutes later, the masked men came in..." Carla trailed off.
"And today, we were arriving home and he turned up. He grabbed Carla again and then was threatening us again and winding us both up" Nick explained.
Carla turned to look at him, wondering if he was going to say anything about how he hit Robert.
She was playing with the rings on her hand and Nick noticed this, taking her hand in his to try and reassure her.
"I'm going to say this now because it's best you hear it from me. Today, I hit Robert. It didn't cause him any harm or injury but he was touching Carla. She's pregnant too and he was putting his hands on her stomach. I was only protecting my fiancée" Nick explained as Carla looked at the ground.
"Okay, well.." The police officer started but was interrupted by Carla. "He was only protecting me.. Please"
"Thank you for taking the time to come and report this to us" the officer finished, showing them both the exit.
"See I told you, it's going to be alright now" Nick said once they were both outside as he took Carla into his arms and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Later on that night, the couple decided to go and have something to eat in the pub.
"Hello you guys" Michelle greeted them both with a smile. "I'm so glad to see you out and about" she said as she hugged Carla.
"Can we get two hotpots please Michelle?" Nick asked as they both sat down at the bar.
It wasn't long after their food had arrived when the door swung open and Robert walked in. He smirked to himself when he saw Nick sitting there with his arm wrapped around Carla.
He walked up behind them both. "Now would be the perfect place to tell everyone, don't you think?" He whispered in their ears.
Just then, the police walked in and arrested Robert.
"What?!" He shouted. "That cow slept with me and I'm getting arrested when I've done nothing wrong?!" He argued, pointing to Carla.
Carla sighed and put her head in her hands. He had just told everyone in the pub. The pub fell completely silent and everyone's eyes were on her and Nick, wondering if he knew about this and wondering if he was going to kick off at her any minute. Carla felt the tears forming in her eyes as Robert was taken away. "Nick, can we go please?" She whispered as they both stood up to leave. Nick reached down and took her hand as they walked out, leaving all the local gossips to speculate.
They were walking along the street, heading back to the flat, when Nick noticed Carla try to discreetly wipe a tear away from her face. He stopped walking and turned to face his fiancée. "Hey.. Shhh" he soothed her, taking her into his arms.
"Everyone knows Nick. Everyone.." She sobbed into his shoulder. "I've done to you exactly what Peter did to me"
Nick ran his fingers through her hair. "But I love you and I've forgiven you and all that matters is that we're together with this little one on the way" he said, softly.
Carla began to cry a little more. "When everyone realises I'm pregnant, they're going to think the same as Robert. That it's his baby" she cried.
"But he can't hurt us anymore. Now we can focus on us and this baby." Nick said, as they began to walk hand in hand back to the flat. "Robert's gone now"