Professional conflict of interest aside, there would now certainly be an emotional one. Shackling herself to Ward as a client would be like putting her heart in its own self-made prison. Though she didn’t tell his agent that.

Now as she walked through the front doors of the building, she knew exactly what the next item on her to-do list would be – move out of Courtney’s apartment, figure out what her next step was … and determine where exactly she would land after.

Thankfully, she had a little money saved to last her a bit before she thought about what to do career-wise, but really what she craved the most right now was peace and solitude. She wasn’t sure where she was going to go, but she knew that wherever it was, it needed to be away from New York and from Ward McKenzie.

Maybe she could head home for a bit and see her parents – it had been ages since she’d crossed the Atlantic for a long overdue visit. No place like home, after all?

Or Vegas, like Zoe had suggested. ‘We’ll go to Caesars, blow it all on black seventeen, lay by the pool for a day and then go see Mindfreak. Ask Criss Angel if he could maybe shove a razor blade down Rob Kendrick’s throat.’

Hannah was tempted, mostly because she’d love the opportunity to reunite with her friend, but also knew Zoe was busy with her own life and work commitments, and in truth had already spent more than enough time holding Hannah’s hand in the aftermath of her last crisis.

Before she could think any more about any definite course of action, she spied Julie behind the reception desk, sorting through some papers. Hannah approached the building supervisor and delicately cleared her throat, making her presence known.

The other woman looked up and gave her a kind smile, her eyes softening in sympathy and Hannah winced inwardly. Clearly, she too had seen the news coverage and put two and two together.

‘Hannah, how are you doing? Honestly, Bruno’s still completely inconsolable that he let that … well you know, upstairs unannounced. More so now. Never meet your heroes, I guess. You doing OK?’

Unable to pretend, she grimaced. ‘To be honest, things could be better. I’ve … been laying low. And I’ve already told Bruno that I don’t blame him. At all. Completely honest mistake. He wasn’t to know.’

‘Pretty wild though, huh? Anything I can do to help?’ Julie asked genuinely, her concern evident.

‘Well, now that you mention it … ’ She took a deep breath and exhaled. ‘I’m going to be leaving soon … ’