We have no doubt about the ways your relocation to the Antwerp office would positively contribute to the intellectual life of the institution, and as such please find enclosed the terms of our offer of employment here, which we are confident you will find favourable.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out. Otherwise, we look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

I flicked through the terms of the offer, scanning sections about the relocation fee they’d pay to help me ship my stuff and get me settled, including covering six weeks in a central Airbnb while I found somewhere to live. They were offering me what was basically a thirty-five per cent wage increase, two return flights annually to get back home, and twenty-five vacation days.

‘This is incredibly generous,’ I said, once I’d finished reading everything.

‘I’ll be sorry to see you go,’ Chen agreed, putting her phone back down on the table.

I shook my head. ‘But I’m not saying yes.’

She blinked. ‘Of course you are.’

‘I don’t want to live in Antwerp,’ I said. ‘It’s beautiful, but it’s not for me. I have too much here, in London.’

She blinked again. ‘Aren’t you at least going to use it as leverage to get a salary increase here?’

‘I’d like you to match the terms in the letter for the position I have here, yes,’ I said. Adzo had made me promise I’d bargain with her, giving me a pep talk about how to ask for what I needed.

‘You want a promotion.’

It wasn’t a question.

‘No,’ I said. ‘I want my loyalty to this office taken into consideration when it comes to my yearly compensation review. I won’t be leaving for Antwerp, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t look for something else here if I don’t feel valued.’

I surprised myself with how confident I sounded – exactly as matter-of-fact as Adzo had instructed me to. It wasn’t about me, it was just a contract. That’s all.

‘If there’s no fiscal wiggle room,’ I carried on, ‘I’d consider the option of a nine-day fortnight. In fact …’ I was warming to my theme. Asking for what I wanted was fun! ‘That would be preferable. I’d prefer to stay at the London office, in the position I am in, and in lieu of a wage increase I’d have every other Friday off. I’m pursuing some extra study, you see.’

I couldn’t be sure, because her face barely registered what I was saying, but I swear there was a flicker of amusement that pulled the corner of her mouth upwards, just a little.

‘And you don’t want to take some time to reflect on this? Once I email them your refusal, you won’t be able to change your mind.’