The Affectionate Player - Part1 (Editing Chapters 32-34)

Chapter 5

Global Private Clients Reception

My day began as every Friday should, with a lie in. Jen had granted me a few hours off in lieu of working tonight so needless to say my body's natural nine o'clock awakening was welcomed, instead of its usual 6.30am alarm call.

I didn't often get to attend work events like these and intended to look my best having booked a hair appointment for eleven. Kingston's GPC were the elite of customers. They were millionaires some of which in thrilling professions and this event would create an exclusive opportunity to impress.

One benefit since splitting from Andy was that I'd lost some weight and as a result I had a brand new wardrobe to choose from. New life, new job, new me.

Having arrived home last June from Scotland I'd found Andy's car packed and him ready to leave. Letting myself into our house I discovered him sat at the breakfast bar with his usual cup of tea, reading a copy of The Telegraph.

"We need to talk," he'd declared, and as I busied myself making coffee I listened as he finally confessed his affair along with the events that had led to his decision.

It had transpired he'd met a woman on a flight to Milan; a passenger with a broken ankle. All the crew had been waiting for her assistance to arrive before disembarking and Andy had struck up a conversation with her.

He and the crew had reached their plush Italian hotel and while they'd stood in the lobby making evening arrangements, Andy noticed the same woman sitting nearby and invited her for a drink.

Later, he'd apologised profusely for his infidelity followed by, "we didn't mean to fall in love - it just happened."

Naive as it may have seemed I had chosen to believe him. After all, hadn't I had a similar encounter the previous afternoon? I suppose if he'd confessed to all of his infidelities, certainly before I'd decided to approach a lawyer, then maybe I would have fought for us but strangely as he'd made his confession I'd felt nothing but relief.

I'd known deep down we'd come to the end of the road months ago, perhaps even years but neither of us had been capable of admitting to the other that our relationship had weakened to the point that separation was the only answer. And in those final months Andy had met Emiliana, fallen in love with her and was now leaving me to be with her.

"I won't pretend I'm happy for you Andy, but I think I understand. I'm not going to fall around wailing because I accepted a long time ago that our relationship was over. I've known for years about your affairs. Each time I hoped this one would be the last but it never was. Am I really so hideous that you sought the company of other women?"

"No, Grace," he'd sighed, rising to take my hand in his. "You were always lovely, but when Erin died..." Stopping, he draws a deep breath unable to discuss further the loss of our daughter. "I know how difficult that was for you."

"For us both, Andy."

"Yes. Both."

"Where will you stay?"

"I'm moving in with Emiliana. We have an apartment in Shepherd Market." He'd shrugged, almost apologetically. 'We have an apartment?' Clearly they'd been making plans for some time.

"In Mayfair?" My unsteady voice had been full of disbelief realising his pilot's salary wouldn't have stretched that far.

"Em is a catwalk model. That's how she broke her ankle. She's been working for years." A sudden wave of shock had spread over me like wild fire.

"Come again? You can't mean, Emiliana Nici? Tell me you don't mean her, Andy!" When he hadn't corrected me, I'd known it was her. He was leaving me for an Italian supermodel? He'd well and truly upgraded this time. Fortes Co. had named her as one of the top-earning models in 2013. Bloody typical! He'd always come up smelling of roses.