Karla had been fine that morning, despite their argument last night. Everything was seemingly back to normal. She hadn’t seemed to mind him coming in to work on a Saturday – again – even though his efforts were surely doomed to failure without the dubious help of her father. There’d been a troubled look in her eyes though, he’d noticed, when he’d leaned in to kiss her cheek before leaving.

‘It is only the office you’re going to?’ she’d asked him.

Noting her expression, which had been almost guarded, Jason had looked at her, puzzled. ‘Yes,’ he’d answered. Where else would she think he was going? He’d long since abandoned playing rugby at the weekend, and he barely had time to see the inside of the gym. His life had been all work and not a lot of pleasure lately. ‘Why?’

‘No reason,’ she’d said, searching his face. ‘I just wondered.’

‘I’ll be there all day,’ he’d assured her. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can. Call me if you need me to pick anything up from the shops.’

Karla had nodded, her gaze flicking briefly down. Jason had felt his chest constrict for a second as she’d looked uncertainly back at him, something akin to fear flitting across her eyes. She’d dismissed it when he’d asked her if she was all right, mustering up a smile and saying she was fine. Jason hadn’t been convinced. She was as worried as he was. Obviously she would be, with things the way they were.

Was he being selfish? He pondered it as he parked up and walked towards his office. He desperately didn’t want to be beholden to her father; the thought of him being involved in his business, having access to his employees, one of whom was female, young and pretty – exactly the sort Robert Fenton liked to prey on – was intolerable. Then there was the small matter of his pride, which wouldn’t allow it. Was he prepared to risk his marriage, though, his family’s future, for the sake of his dignity? He had his kids to think about, their education, as did Karla. Didn’t she have some say in this, when all was said and done?

Feeling conflicted, as he permanently seemed to lately, Jason let himself through the security door and headed for the main office rather than his own small office, where he found Mark already seated at his PC. Jason was surprised. He’d expected him to come in later, given that he’d hinted his hot date might be an all-nighter.

‘How did it go?’ he asked him, dropping his laptop on the desk facing Mark’s and shrugging out of his jacket.

‘Phenomenally.’ Mark blinked blearily at his screen, one hand groping for the paracetamol to his side.