The other women whoop excitedly and my heart sinks. Today is launch day for Shades of Autumn, the new cosmetics line for the upcoming season we’ve spent the last five months working on. There will be a full day of publicity ahead, calls to beauty editors, Instagram chats with bloggers and influencers, calls to the major stores that stock Luna London as well as online meetings with the US suppliers as Anne decided a joint UK/US launch would create a big buzz. With a sick feeling I remember the missed calls from Anne these last few days, the emails piled up in my inbox that I chose to ignore in favour of curling up in the foetal position. I thought Anne had been calling to check how I was. It was rare for me to call in sick so I just assumed she was concerned. How could I have forgotten about the launch? As I stand with my hand poised on my office door handle, I hear someone call my name. I see Claire rushing towards me, holding a glass of champagne.

‘We’re so glad to have you back,’ she says, handing me the champagne. I politely refuse. ‘There’s been such an amazing response already. Ruby Tiller has just put up an Insta story showing herself wearing the complete range. That is a fucking brilliant endorsement. Anne is over the moon.’

‘That’s great,’ I say, remembering that it was me who had connected with Ruby Tiller, a London actress starring in a big US Netflix series, and sent her the full Shades of Autumn range. ‘Where is Anne now?’

‘On the phone to New York,’ says Claire, her eyes gleaming. She’s only been here a few months but she’s extremely ambitious. I should see her as a threat but I just feel numb.

‘Okay,’ I say, pushing my office door open. ‘I’ll catch up with her in a moment.’

‘Are you not going to join the party?’ says Claire, looking at me expectantly. ‘Damian’s loosened his purse strings and bought us pastries from Daylesford. You must come and have one.’

‘I will,’ I say. ‘Just give me a few minutes and I’ll be right out.’

‘Awesome,’ she says, smiling a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

I close the door, take off my jacket and sit down at my desk. This is one of the biggest days in the Luna London calendar and it had completely slipped my mind. I should be out there rallying my team, getting stuck in, promoting this product I’ve put my heart and soul into, but I can’t move. I feel empty, devoid of any emotion, whether good or bad. What is happening to me? Then a cold shiver courses through my body. Is Connor right? Am I falling apart?