Chapter Text
Dani Clayton had never believed in the honeymoon phase, at least not before she had been married. The first few months had been pure bliss; there hadn't been a moment where they had been apart. They had spent the beginning of their marriage practically wrapped around each other, constantly. Then the business began to grow quickly, so fast that they couldn't keep up with the demand. Dani's head spun with the amount of work they gained in such little time. She had wanted to take things slow, take on small jobs, save up to buy a nice house and spend more time with each other before committing to bigger jobs. Jamie, however, had convinced her that if they started the bigger jobs first, they could build up their reputation and eventually put themselves on the market. That way, she thought, they could achieve more in a shorter amount of time. Dani enjoyed designing the interiors for the large builds, which is what eventually won her over to Jamie's idea. And it worked.. For a short while at least.
The problem was they started taking more than they could handle, more clients with larger jobs, which started to take up all the time they had. Dani made sure to pace herself, giving herself time to relax. But Jamie, on the other hand, did not. She was completely absorbed in their work and managed almost everything all of the time, rarely taking time for herself, let alone leaving time to spend with Dani. The forgetfulness started off small, a dinner here, a few movie nights, there but nothing serious. Jamie was still spending time with Dani, just not as often. Dani understood that, their work was stressful, it was easy to get lost and lose track of time. Only over time it started to get worse. Jamie stopped coming down for dinner full stop and would appear late in the evening to grab something to eat before disappearing back upstairs to work more. Dates became rare; they very occasionally spent time together at home, let alone go out for nice dates. After a year and a half of being married, they barely spent any time with each other.
It hadn't bothered Dani at first, she knew how Jamie could get when they had deadlines to catch up with, rooms to design, and clients to keep happy. But after a while, the lack of affection began to take its toll on her. Most nights she was falling asleep alone and most morning she was waking up alone. She would poke her head into Jamie's office and rarely get a full sentence response to her questions, if she did they would be delivered with a lack of eye contact or acknowledgement. She had tried to talk to Jamie about all of this. About how she was feeling, the loneliness, the sadness, the fear; but every time she attempted to talk to Jamie she always ended up getting distracted, a work call, an emergency email, anything other than what she was saying. After a while, she gave up trying to talk. There was no point in wasting her breath just to not be heard by the one she thought would always listen. She started to think that she was the problem. She wondered whether she had driven Jamie away, whether Jamie didn't want to be around her anymore. She would lay awake at night, waiting for Jamie to come to bed yet never seeing her do so. For a few months she out up with it. She dealt with it in her own way, silently crying herself to sleep of a night to make up for the lack of warmth she would usually have when Jamie used to lie with her. She found ways to convince herself she was okay when she clearly wasn't but didn't have Jamie there to help her like she used to. She did this until she eventually couldn't handle it anymore...
Dani takes a deep breath as she stands to the side of Jamie's office door in the upstairs of their house. She had been dreading this moment. She didn't want to do this. But she knew she had to for her sake, she couldn't handle the loneliness anymore. She gently knocks on the open door of Jamie's office and steps into the doorframe, waiting to be noticed.
Jamie quickly glances at her wife before looking back at the screen of her computer. "Hiya Love, did you manage to get those designs done for me?" Her voice was soft but serious, she was too focused on what needed to be done.
"What?" Dani asks, confused for a moment before realising. Of course the first thing she talks about is work. "Oh um, yeah I'll bring them up in a bit... Jamie we need to talk.."
"Perfect, right on time as always, Love." Jamie smiles to herself, still not looking away from the screen of her computer. "Oh yeah? About what?"
Dani takes a deep breath. "It's a conversation I need your full attention for Jamie."
Jamie sighs and finishes something on the computer before slowly turning in her chair to face Dani. "Then you have it. What's up, Love?"
Dani looks down, thinking about what she had to say.
Jamie knew that look. She knew something was wrong. She sits up and leans forwards, her eyes trained on her wife. "Dani?"
Dani takes a deep breath and bites the inside of her cheek before speaking. "I want a divorce.."
Jamie freezes. Had Dani really just said that? She couldn't have.. Jamie couldn't believe it, she wouldn't believe it. She goes to speak but nothing comes out. She takes a minute, her eyes not leaving Dani's face, before finally speaking. "Y-you what?"
"A divorce Jamie- I want a divorce.."
"B-but why? What's going on? Dani talk to me please.. We're a team, you and me- Why do you want that?" Jamie stumbles over her words, her heart racing at a million miles an hour.
"I'm not happy Jamie.. I barely see you anymore and I spend most of my time eating or sitting alone and I can't take it anymore Jamie.." Dani wipes a tear away before it fell, she needed to stay strong during this. She had had her time to cry about them, now she needed to carry on.
"Why haven't you come to me, Love? We- We could have talked about it and fixed it-"
"I tried Jamie! You didn't hear me! You spend all your time up here talking to anyone but me! A-and when I came to you, when it got to much, you were to busy to care!" She takes a deep breath. "I've had a lot of time to think about this Jamie. This is the only thing left for us to do. I'm sorry but I want a divorce."
A tear runs down Jamie's cheek and she looks down at her hands to collect herself. She looks back up at Dani. "Dani, I'm so sorry. We can fix this I promise. I can take a step back, slow things back down, take more time.. Be like we used to be. I promise."
"It's too late Jamie.. You've broken too many promises to keep this one. Please don't make this harder than it already is." Dani finally makes eye contact with Jamie, pleading with her eyes.
Jamie's breath shakes as she inhales. She didn't know what she could do to stop this. She wanted the ground to swallow her whole right then and there. "Dani.. I love you."
Dani sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "It's too late for that Jamie.. Please.."
For a moment, neither of them speak, or move, or breathe. Everything they had worked for flashes before Jamie's eyes as she sits there. She also thought about them before. How happy they had been in those first few months, how much she loved seeing Dani so happy. Where had that all gone? Jamie looks everywhere but at Dani before letting her eyes rest on her. Hesitantly she nods, as much as she didn't want this, she didn't want Dani to suffer. "If it's what you want. Then it's what we'll do."
Dani lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. A part of her didn't want that answer, somewhere deep down inside her longed for Jamie to fight. But the rest of her thought she needed this, a new start. A chance to find happiness elsewhere. "Thank you Jamie.. I- I won't move out straight away.. I need some time to find somewhere if that's alright. And my half of the business will go to you when the divorce goes through.."
Jamie rubs her eyes before picking at her hands. "Of course, I wouldn't just throw you out.." She doesn't respond to the second part. She didn't care about it anymore, her entire world had just crumbled before her.
Dani nods and didn't know what else to say. She takes one last look at the woman she once loved before retreating back downstairs to give Jamie some time alone.
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For over an hour or so, Jamie stared into space. The time she would usually use to get ahead of deadlines, contact clients, and manage the business was spent grieving what she had just lost. She had tried to make sure they had everything; now she had nothing. She had lost her everything and she had no way to stop it. Her mind kept replaying Dani's words over, and over, and over until they were practically burned into Jamie's brain. Her computer screen had gone blank, shut down from the lack of activity. A picture of her and Dani on their wedding day sat on her desk, she picks it up and stares at it. She remembered that day like it was the most important event in history, she smiles as it come back to her. She remembers waiting for Dani at the alter, the relief of watching her walk down that aisle, hearing her heart beat whilst listening to Dani's vows before finally sealing it all with a kiss. But all of that was gone now, permanently engraved in history. Her thoughts are interrupted before she could dig herself any deeper by the sudden ringing of the phone.
Jamie looks at the phone for a second, debating whether to let it go through to voicemail or not. On the fifth ring, she picks up the phone, bringing it to her ear and playing with the cord and she speaks. "Jamie Taylor speaking."
A deep, masculine voice came through the phone. Something in it's tone was odd, almost desperate. "Are you the person who runs the renovation programme?"
"I am yes, is there something you need?" She sits up in her chair, listening.
"I've recently inherited a family property. I do not plan on keeping and I thought it might be in your interest."
"Right, okay. How big is the property? Just so we know how much we're dealing with."
"Um, I'm not sure of the land size, they haven't really told me anything. But the house has 5 bedrooms and is like a labyrinth if that helps at all?"
"It does to an extend.. Could you give me the address?"
The voice over the phone gave her the full address fairly quickly. She searches it up on her computer and he jaws drops when she sees it. The house was absolutely massive with a large amount of land around it and beautiful scenery. A dream for any architect who could even come close to it. She clears her throat before speaking. "And how much do you want for it?"
"I'm not looking for much.. £500,000 perhaps?"
Jamie's jaw drops wider, that much that cheap? This had to be a joke. "Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious.. It's old and needs a lot of work."
Jamie thinks for a second. She wouldn't be able to manage a property that size on her own.. "Let me consult with my partner and I'll get back to you." She writes down his number before heading downstairs to find Dani.
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Downstairs, Dani sat on the sofa reading a random books she bought ages ago but never got around to read, she was having some down time after everything. Dani turns her head at the sound of someone coming down the stairs. She turns away when she sees Jamie's face, not wanting to make things more awkward when they already were.
Jamie sighs and sits on the other end of the sofa, giving her space but close enough to have a conversation. "Darl- Dani, can we talk for a sec?"
Dani pauses before slipping her bookmark into her book and holding it in her lap. "Jamie, if you're trying to change my mind-"
Jamie cuts her off. "It isn't about that.. I've just had a call from a man selling a family property. I searched it up and it's absolutely massive. He's selling it for cheap and we could make a lot off of this Dani. Enough to both be comfortable when- when you go.."
"How much is he asking for?" Dani slowly looks at Jamie.
"£500,000. But this house is huge. He says it needs some work which is why it's going for cheap." Jamie nods.
"£500,000? There has to be something wrong with it.. Jamie it can't be good if he's letting it go for that much.." Dani bites her lip nervously, something didn't feel right about this.
"That's why I need your help, just in case it is that bad.. Dani I can't do this on my own. Do this, one last time, and then you can go. You can be comfortable with the amount of money we can make off of this. And we'll split it evenly, to the penny."
"Jamie.. I'm not sure. Something's not right.." Dani messes with her book in her lap nervously.
"Please Dani.. For me, one last time then you don't have to deal with it anymore and then you can move on freely." Jamie begs, making eye contact with Dani. This would give them a little bit more time and set them both up for the divorce.. As much as Jamie still didn't want that to happen.
Dani looks at the woman in front of her and takes a moment to think. A bit of money would be ideal. But something still didn't feel right. "Alright.. I suppose one last time won't hurt.."
Jamie smiles slightly and goes to hug Dani before stopping herself and pulling away, not wanting to push unset boundaries. "Thank you Dani.. Thank you so much." She heads back upstairs and slumps into her office chair. She picks up the phone and dials the number she had written down earlier.
"So?" The voice from earlier answered.
"We're in."