Todd pressed his fingers into his temples, angering Meagan even more. He was behaving as though she was the one missing the point. His question shouldn’t be why was Meagan suing but why wasn’t he? If anything, he should be leading the charge.

‘Meag, I’ve breached company confidentiality sending you that draft. I could lose my job,’ said Todd.

‘You’ll lose a lot more if you don’t get on board, mate,’ Meagan hissed.

‘Meagan?’

‘We are going to make this book toast,’ she said jabbing a finger into his firm chest.

‘Meagan,’ he said moving her hand.

She pushed him aside and began a maniacal circuit of her empty office.

‘Once Hudson Hicks hear about this, they’ll drop her like a rubber brick in a swimming pool,’ she cackled.

Todd stepped in front of her. ‘Meagan, stop.’

‘What?’ she said looking up at him. ‘Look, this has “settle out of court” written all over it.’

Todd stepped aside, pushing his hands deep into his pockets.

‘Don’t worry. Hudson Hicks won’t fire you. They’ll thank you for saving them the embarrassment,’ Meagan scoffed, hobble-pacing even more manically.

‘Think about what you’re saying.’

Against her will, Meagan’s hand began to contract into a fist.

‘What do you want me to think about? The betrayal or the theft or both?’

‘How about me? My job,’ said Todd.

Meagan felt that same burning sensation in her eyes she had that night outside Bruno’s and at Jemima’s yesterday morning. Despite her best attempts to quell them, tears came. But she knew better than to give in to them. They were just a bodily function like coughing or having a wee. As the hardness in Todd’s expression fell away, her upset was replaced by anger.

‘Don’t you dare pity me. My eyes are crying but I’m not!’ she said as a huge sob burst from her without permission.

Todd took a step towards her but she put her arm out, locking it at the elbow. He wasn’t using this as a way in.

‘Meagan,’ he said, moving her hand from his chest.

‘No,’ she sobbed, squeezing her eyes as though trying to wring the tears from her body.

‘My God, do you have to do everything yourself? You won’t even let someone comfort you,’ said Todd. ‘Right, I need to go. I’ve got my Monday team meeting – if I’ve still got a job that is.’

‘What do you want?’ Meagan wanted to yell. Whatever it was, she couldn’t give it to him.

Todd buttoned up his jacket and looked towards the door.

‘Have a nice life with your new girlfriend!’ Meagan scoffed as another sob burst from her.

‘It was a date, Meagan. It was just a date,’ he said reaching out to comfort her.

‘Well, good riddance anyway.’

Todd pulled back.

‘Wow. Okay, you know what, good luck,’ he said before heading to the lift.

Meagan hobbled after him, scrabbling for something to say. Before she could think of anything, the elevator doors closed behind him and the noise of computers and conversation from the other offices seeped into her awareness. Once again, Meagan was on her own. She limped back into her office and leaned against the wall sliding down until she was seated on the floor. Feeling the coarse carpet tiles under her hand, she slipped further until she was lying in the foetal position and she wept. Meagan wept like she had never wept in her life. She wept for herself, for the loss of her friends, her heart, for the betrayal, the deep betrayal, and out of sheer fatigue.