As a project manager she led her team of developers to write and code, designers to create the look and feel of the user experience, analysts to research the market needs, software engineers and architects to deliver the project on time and to gain a competitive advantage. She often felt like an orchestral conductor, guiding her group to be cohesive and in tune with one another.

Ellie and her team had been working on the rollout of a big new program for a major network, and today was D-day; she was going to present the final project to senior management. On her way to work, her colleague Sophia had sent a text telling Ellie to come to a meeting the moment she arrived. Like Ellie, Sophia was also a project manager, but new to the firm and obviously determined to make it to the top, Ellie thought. Ellie hadn’t warmed to Sophia. She was five years younger than Ellie but was always patronising, treating Ellie as if she were a junior.

Without a word to her team, Ellie put down her bag, collected her notebook and pen and headed to the boardroom to meet with Sophia and Roger Gladstone, a senior director. The abrupt text had unsettled her, but she didn’t want to worry her teammates, whom she had worked with for years and who trusted her judgement. She knew they would have guessed that something wasn’t right, as she usually greeted them when she arrived and checked in to see if they had any questions for her before she started her own work.

‘Morning, Sophia, Roger,’ she said as she walked into the room.

‘We need to talk.’ Sophia sat down at the long table and nodded for Ellie to do the same. ‘Roger has something to tell you.’

Roger Gladstone tossed a newspaper and an industry magazine on the table. ‘Just in case you haven’t see them, there’re stories in here about your project. Online as well. Evidently the product is not fit for purpose. There is a flaw in it.’

Ellie’s stomach dropped. ‘What is this about?’ she asked, as calmly as she could.

‘We’ve been sabotaged. It’s bad press,’ said Roger. ‘Got our clients running scared.’

‘About what?’ demanded Ellie. ‘This project has been under wraps. If there’s a flaw, and I don’t believe there is, my team could have fixed it.’ She looked at Sophia, who shrugged.

‘Bit late now for a post-mortem,’ said Roger. ‘There’s so much doubt about the efficacy of the project now, you’ll never be able to convince the clients to back it.’

‘But how is that possible? Someone must have deliberately told lies about the project, although I don’t understand why. Anyway, whatever has happened, it wasn’t done by any member of my team,’ snapped Ellie.