Hannah was on her way to the man she loved, or rather, she was flying on the wings of happiness. At long last, their son had finished school and been accepted into university. Now, she and her husband could finally live together.
The very day she sent their son off to his studies, she bought a bus ticket and set off to meet Stephen. They had been married only two years, yet it felt as though they had known each other forever.
Their relationship had been anything but smooth—it had begun awkwardly, endured hardships, but soon fate had promised them a bright future together. At least, Hannah was certain of it.
She and Stephen had met eight years ago. Back then, she had barely recovered from her divorce with her first husband and had kept everyone at arm’s length—until Stephen came along. Even with him, she had hesitated at first. He had to work hard to convince her he wasn’t like her ex, Vincent.
They dated for half a year before moving in together. Stephen had come to live with her because his cramped one-bedroom flat wouldn’t have comfortably fit the three of them. Hannah had a ten-year-old son—a good lad, though it took time for him to warm to his stepfather.
After three years together, Stephen began thinking of making their bond official, but Hannah had no desire to marry again. She believed those formalities were outdated—no certificate could shield anyone from infidelity, neither a man nor a woman. She was content as things were.
Stephen had initially accepted her stance, but in time, he realised he needed more. He wanted to call Hannah his wife in every sense of the word. It reached a point where he gave her an ultimatum: marry or part ways.
Hannah disliked his insistence, and she decided to walk away. They separated for six long months.
In that time, Stephen moved to another town where an old acquaintance had offered him a lucrative job. He rarely returned home, only visiting his parents every couple of months. On one such trip, he bumped into Hannah again.
She had been strolling through the park, looking as though life treated her wonderfully—carefree and happy—until their eyes met. In her gaze, he saw the same emotion that burned in his own heart. She still loved him, and she couldn’t hide it.
They began seeing each other again, though now it was from a distance. Sometimes she visited him, sometimes he came to her. Their meetings were meticulously planned, yet each one brimmed with warmth and passion.
They usually saw each other once a month, sometimes twice. Stephen often asked her to move in with him—he had bought a two-bedroom flat there, though he was still paying off the mortgage.
Hannah longed for it with all her heart, but at that moment, she couldn’t uproot her life. Her son was still a teenager who needed watching over, and her mother had taken ill, requiring care. For two years, Hannah had worked to nurse her mother back to health.
“She’ll live a good while yet!” the doctor had cheerfully declared at the last check-up.
Though no longer bedridden, her mother no longer held her back—but then came Simon’s final school years. He begged her not to move until he graduated, so she relented.
That summer, before Simon started his A-levels, Hannah and Stephen finally married. Seeing the joy it brought her husband, she almost regretted not agreeing sooner—but there was no use crying over spilled milk.
Now, they weren’t just dating—though they could hardly be called a proper married couple with hundreds of miles between them.
Then, at last, Simon was accepted into university. Proud of her son, Hannah realised she could finally make her own happiness a priority. She didn’t tell Stephen she was coming—she wanted it to be a surprise.
Though he had likely guessed she would move eventually, he didn’t know the exact day.
Packing her suitcase, she boarded the bus to his town, imagining every little detail—how she would wear the lace lingerie she’d bought, scatter rose petals on the fresh sheets, cook a lovely dinner, and wait for him to return from work.
Lost in these thoughts, she was certain Stephen would be overjoyed—but it was she who was in for a shock.
Unlocking his door with her key, she froze in disbelief. A pair of blue eyes stared back at her—a pretty, ginger-haired girl, so young.
“Who are you?” Hannah demanded.
“Oh—you must be Hannah. Sorry, I’ll go!” The girl scrambled.
“Go? Who are you?” Hannah’s voice sharpened.
“Please don’t be upset. I’m Stephen’s—well, his companion.”
“What?” Hannah felt the floor vanish beneath her. “His companion?”
“Don’t worry—he’s wonderful, and he loves you so much!”
“Loves me? Then why is he living with another woman? How old are you—even twenty?”
“I turned twenty this year! We met by chance. I had nowhere to stay, and he took me in. We were just friends at first, but I fell for him. I know he doesn’t love me—he never could—because he has you. But you must see—it’s hard for him alone. He misses you. I just wanted to ease his loneliness for a little while!”
None of it made sense. Hannah searched her memory—had there been any sign of another woman? She had never found a trace—not once. How could this be?
“I’ll pack my things and leave. You mustn’t have told Stephen you were coming—he didn’t warn me to go.”
“You mean… you’ve been here before?”
“Yes. A year and a half. Every time you visited, I’d clean everything, not leave a hair behind, then stay with a friend. We were always careful—Stephen didn’t want to hurt you. He never let me touch your things, not even your shampoo or clothes, so you’d never notice. I was always so careful—until now.”
“You think the mere fact you’re here doesn’t hurt me?”
Why was she even listening to this girl? The words spilled out of her, nervous and rushed.
“There’s no point being upset—I told you, he only loves you!”
“Yet he shares a bed with you when I’m gone?”
“Don’t dwell on it. He doesn’t care for me—I know that much!”
Just then, the door opened—Stephen stepped in, grim-faced. The girl must have texted him when Hannah wasn’t looking.
“Hannah, darling, I’m so sorry—this doesn’t mean anything. I love only you!” He reached for her, but she shoved his hands away.
“A year and a half of lies! Is this your love?”
“What did you tell her?” he snapped at the girl. “How dare you?”
“I’m sorry, but you didn’t warn me she was coming!”
“I didn’t know myself!” he shot back, then turned to Hannah. “Sweetheart, she’ll leave now, and we’ll talk—please!”
“There’s nothing to explain. And you—Vera—don’t bother going. I won’t be staying!”
“That’s not right! You should stay. Stephen needs you—only you. I’ve always known that. Your place is beside him!”
“I decide where my place is!” Hannah snatched up her suitcase and stormed out, choking back angry tears.
The journey home was a blur. She couldn’t grasp how Stephen could do this—how he could divide himself between two women, one barely older than her son. Had it all been a lie?
For two months—maybe longer—she wrestled with the betrayal. She couldn’t settle, hated herself for still loving him.
One day, the doorbell rang. On the step stood Vera, holding a cat carrier with Buttons inside—Stephen’s cat. What were they doing here?
“Hello. Sorry for dropping in unannounced. I got your address from Stephen—before he passed.”
“Passed? What happened?” Hannah gasped.
“When you left, he fell apart. He barely ate. Last week, as he left for work, I asked when he’d be back. He said, ‘I won’t.’ I thought he was joking—then I heard about the accident. I think he meant it. He couldn’t live without you. I’m so sorry to bring this news—but I didn’t know who else to leave Buttons with. You loved her too, didn’t you? Will you take her?”
Hannah couldn’t process it—not until she saw the death certificate. She hadn’t even been informed. Vera had handled the funeral and cleared his flat.
Numbly, Hannah took the cat, cradling her with tear-filled eyes. The weight in her chest was unbearable. Suddenly—
“Miss, wake up—we’re here!” A hand shook her shoulder.
Hannah jolted awake to find the bus driver standing over her. She touched her damp cheeks and grimaced. “What a nightmare!”
Yet doubt crept in—what if it had been a premonition? She decided not to warn Stephen after all.
Unlocking his door with bated breath, she braced herself—but only Buttons greeted her with a cheerful meow.
Stephen came home thatShe hesitated for only a moment before deciding that some secrets—even those born of dreams—were best left unspoken.
