‘How can you say that to me? I love you all so, so much. You’ve got no idea, because you’re not a mother yet. I’ve sacrificed myself to keep this family intact!’

I risked a look upwards, convinced that Sophie’s face would have softened at my distress, but she was like a statue.

‘Just stop lying to yourself, Mum, okay? We don’t believe your bullshit anymore. You shouldn’t either.’

‘Why did Rachel even decide to talk to Esther?’ I said. ‘She’s always been so hostile to her.’

It should’ve been my first question, but I’d been fatally weakened. If I’d been stronger I would have found a way to trash them both before we got anywhere near to this catastrophe.

‘I don’t know,’ said Sophie wearily. ‘It’s not really the point, is it, Mum?’

Before I could dissect how this disaster had happened, Nick noisily threw open the doors into the garden. I quickly tried to rearrange my face.

‘We need to talk about this properly, Sophie,’ I hissed. ‘Don’t say a word to him until we’ve talked.’

Sophie scowled at me. ‘Don’t even bother trying to tell me what to do.’

‘You won’t fucking believe this,’ yelled Nick over the top of both of us, still oblivious to our distress. ‘It’s not a mistake. It’s Rachel. Rachel’s taken all that money!’

RACHEL

The sun was low in the sky when I climbed off the plane, the glare shining right into my eyes. I’d brought barely anything with me, but at least I had sunglasses – mashed-up brown ones with a wobbly arm. I’d coveted the rack of chicer options at the airport, but I knew there was no way I could risk the transaction.

I slipped them on. It was a relief in more ways than one: I had to hope they would make me invisible.

LILY

My life swiftly became unrecognizable, both practically and emotionally. Our own daughter had taken everything from us. She had exploited our trust in her – the fact she’d been trained and nurtured by the family business – to destroy everything that we’d built for all of us.

She’d called the bank as soon as the money for the sale had hit Nick’s client account, smoothly lying about where it was headed. The fact that it was a Friday, that we were off celebrating that very same deal, provided the perfect cover. She had it all worked out: there was a digit wrong; could they in fact transfer it to the following account for her? In the dark of the night, I often imagine the call. How charming and witty she can be, how beguiling that is. No wonder they didn’t ask any awkward questions.