‘What the hell does that mean?’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said.

‘That’s not enough.’

She looked around the room at the expensive rug, the chandelier above the dining table, the artwork hanging from the walls.

‘I’m here to get my ten per cent.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’re blackmailing my father into giving you fifty thousand pounds at my expense. Because of you I have to move away and start a new life all over again. I want five thousand pounds. Tonight.’

‘I’ll get my cheque book.’

‘You think I trust you not to cancel it before I get a chance to cash it?’

‘I understand why you don’t feel you can trust me, but I’m a man of my word.’

Neena laughed. ‘A man of your word,’ she repeated. ‘What about your wedding vows?’

‘Neena, I am truly sorry. I promise you will receive the money. I’ll go and get my cheque book.’

Richard walked down the hallway and out of sight. Neena waited, taking in the house. The place was spotlessly clean, to the point where every surface seemed to gleam. The air was warm and smelled of something sweet. Richard had more money than she could ever dream of, but still, he wanted more.

Neena bit back the tears. She truly hadn’t meant anything to him, and wondered if this was how he had amassed his fortune, by destroying the lives of others. How many other women had fallen victim to his charm before having everything taken away from them?

Richard appeared again with a cheque in hand.

‘Here.’

Neena looked at the cheque in his hand. It had been written to her. The sum was ten thousand pounds, not five. She stared at the cheque for a while, as thankful for the money as she was hateful of the man who held it. Her heart was broken, but she would have never have collected such a sum had she never met him.

‘Why?’ she asked.

‘Because this wasn’t about the money. Not for me.’

‘You said this wasn’t your idea. Whose was it?’

‘That doesn’t matter.’

‘You don’t think I deserve to know who destroyed my life?’

‘I did.’

He was protecting someone, someone who actually had his heart. That in itself was almost worse than the betrayal. Richard didn’t love her or his wife, but someone else.

She couldn’t bear to look at him any more. His sympathetic look and passive demeanour made her feel cruel and pitying all at once. Tears rushed to her eyes.

‘I actually thought you loved me,’ she said as the tears fell. ‘I actually thought you were saving me.’

‘I am,’ he said and edged the cheque closer to her. ‘Take it.’

She snatched the cheque from his hand and stormed towards the front door.