Angelina had been unsure when Julian had initially suggested it, but when David had turned up at the house the next morning and broken a window, she’d been genuinely frightened. Julian had mentioned the assault charge again, adding an ASBO to keep David away legally. By then, she’d had no qualms about asking her lawyer to action it.

Angelina had originally assumed that when she left David, she’d have to sacrifice her beloved home. Then Julian had come up with the suggestion that he take on the mortgage with her, put up the money from the sale of his current home to pay David off and move in.

She’d been enchanted by the idea. And dropping the assault charge in return for a quickie divorce had enabled Angelina’s conscience to be salved. However much she wanted out of her marriage to David, giving him a police record for a crime he hadn’t really committed was a low thing to do.

She felt sympathy for David, but not enough to keep her awake at night. He was one of life’s losers and she was relieved she didn’t have to drag him along on her coat tails any longer.

Now she had a man who was as ambitious as she was. He wanted the best of everything, to celebrate his achievements spending the money he made through all his hard work.

They’d already discussed having a big party to celebrate their partnership and Julian’s fortieth birthday. Angelina had been on to marquee companies, caterers and band agents. Julian had given her carte blanche to spend his money and make a spectacular job of it. And she would have to go to London to buy a very special dress.

Yes, things had worked out perfectly for Angelina. There was only one fly in the ointment. And that was her son, Rory.

Angelina was a loving and devoted mother. She’d hated witnessing Rory’s pain as he came to terms with his parents’ divorce. She knew father and son had a special bond; she could recognise the similarities between them. When she’d told him Dad was never coming home again, Rory had cried all night.

Since then, he’d disappeared into his shell. When he was home from school at weekends, he rarely communicated with her about anything other than food and domestic arrangements.

She knew it was too soon to tell him about Julian’s presence in her life. It had been hard, but manageable, what with weekly boarding and Rory staying with his father every two weeks.

Then, a few days ago, Julian had announced he thought it was time to tell Rory. He was fed up, he said, with creeping around like a furtive teenager. He wanted to move into the house that was costing him an arm and a leg on the mortgage, come clean with Rory and the world. He had booked all three of them on a half-term skiing holiday.

‘Rory and I can bond on the slopes,’ he’d announced.

Angelina shuddered at the thought of Rory, never sporty, being taught to ski by the athletic Julian.