‘Brilliant, you’re here! Let’s get this party started!’ He handed mocktails to Tom and Katie and proffered martini glasses at Sophie and Alan.

‘What do we have here?’ Sophie asked, peering suspiciously into the glass.

‘A Jack Special,’ he declared proudly as Sophie took a hesitant sip. She winced. It was tasty but potent as usual. She’d have to make sure she didn’t get too plastered tonight.

‘Where’s Angie?’ she asked, remembering how last year she had gone upstairs to find her. She realised that she no longer felt entitled to do so.

‘Upstairs beautifying herself with Indie. They’ve been at it most of the afternoon. Facials, hair, nails, you name it. I’m sure they’ll be down in a minute but feel free to go on up if you want to?’

Sophie considered it and said, ‘No thanks, I’ll wait here.’

Angie admired herself in the mirror. She and Indie had spent the day pampering themselves and she’d even let her daughter curl her hair into loose waves. She’d done an excellent job, Angie thought, turning from left to right and enjoying how her hair bounced around lightly as she moved. She had treated herself to a new dress for Christmas and she loved the way it fit her – smart and subtly sexy. After a fun afternoon with Indie and two G&Ts, she was in a good mood.

It was time to put this disaster of a year behind her and start afresh. She would talk to Jack – properly talk to him – about how she was feeling. She would start making more of an effort with her friends again. And she would stop beating herself up when she couldn’t successfully juggle the many balls in her life, focusing more on the ones that really mattered.

‘You look beautiful, Mum,’ Indie said.

‘So do you, Indie.’

She really did. Indie had always been striking and now she was growing into a beautiful young woman. Some people had said she had model potential and Angie had to agree. How lucky, she thought, to be that young and attractive, with your whole life ahead of you. She smiled proudly at her daughter, grateful that she had wanted to spend New Year with her family.

‘I can hear them downstairs, Mum. We’d better go down.’

With one last look at herself in the mirror, Angie turned around and replied, ‘Let’s go.’

As Indie made her way down the stairs, clutching her mother’s hand protectively, she smiled in anticipation. Angie looked stunning, just as Indie had wanted her to. She had spent hours pampering her and perfecting her hair and she hoped that her father would notice. She felt a fresh surge of anger at the memory etched in her mind. Ever since that vile afternoon when her entire life had come crashing down around her, she had been planning her revenge. And when Jack had told her that they were having a New Year’s Eve party, the idea had come to her immediately. There was nothing like an audience for the show she was planning to put on.