I Regret Almost Everything

McNally reflects on his and Alina’s time in the English Cotswolds, where they bought their dream house in 2017. After an extensive renovation, they moved into the home. Despite the idyllic setting, their marriage soon fell apart. The two never shared a room during their time here. Their relationship was especially strained after McNally’s stroke. Sometimes, he’d study the tan line his watchband had left on his arm and reflect on the devolution of his marriage. Even the Christmas season seemed to aggravate the tension between him and Alina. Then one night, Alina came into McNally’s room and lay in bed beside him. They didn’t touch, but McNally wondered if she was trying to make peace. However, she served him divorce papers the next day. McNally soon hired Baroness Fiona Shackleton as his divorce lawyer. He wanted a marriage counselor, but Alina would only agree to meet with a “Civilised Separations Specialist” named Nick Arnold. Over the course of their meetings with Nick, McNally realized Nick and Alina were having an affair.