‘Probably in shock like everyone else, but I was in too much of a state to notice. Before today, I’d say I’d been the one keeping my distance, but I realise now that she had too. The cow told Callum I wasn’t returning her calls, like she wasn’t sick of all the lies she’d already told,’ April said, her words acquiring an edge.

‘But what about the stone with their initials? Could it have been a B?’

‘Bree is short for Sabrina, not that she ever uses her full name unless it’s something official.’

‘Or when she wants to hide her identity.’

‘I remember seeing her name on the attendance system, but I was too preoccupied with all the other women I suspected.’ She let out a wail before adding, ‘God, the things I’ve been thinking about people who didn’t deserve it.’

‘You’re not the one who did anything wrong,’ Faith assured her.

April rubbed her hands over her eyes, scraping fingers against chapped and puffy skin. ‘This feels like the worst betrayal, and I have no idea where to go with it. I could confront Bree and that might make me feel differently, but it’s not going to make me feel better, is it? I knew I shouldn’t have kept looking, and now I have to live with this, but I don’t know if I can. The past can’t be changed. It’s hopeless.’

Faith was reminded of the tote bag Justine insisted on carrying. ‘Listen to me, April. It’s going to be tough and despite what some might say, hope doesn’t have bloody wings. It has sharp teeth and claws, and you’d better learn to use them if you want to climb out of that dark place you’re in right now,’ she said. ‘Fight back, and take no prisoners.’

‘But who am I fighting? Bree?’

‘Yourself,’ Faith replied. ‘You think you can’t change the past, but you can. All you have to do is switch the narrative.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘There are two versions of Jason’s life. There’s the one you thought you had where you were happily married, where your last night together was filled with love and passion,’ Faith said. ‘And then there’s the secret life where Jason’s passions were shared elsewhere. At the moment, both those realities exist in your mind, but they don’t have to. You can decide to mourn the loss of your soul-mate, or you can say goodbye to someone who, in all likelihood, was never going to be your life partner.’

‘You make it sound like a simple choice, but I can’t ignore the fact that Jason cheated on me any more than I can forget how much I loved him.’