They became inseparable. Six months later Harry proposed, and a year after that they were married, and throughout it all Janie never had any doubts, because they were two similar people, driven by ambition, headstrong but so in love. There was a time when Janie out-earned Harry, but he’d never seemed to mind. There was no competition between them, or at least none that she felt until Ella came along.

Having Ella threw Janie’s life into instant turmoil. Now they had to make some changes – allowances – yet it was quickly apparent that the thought hadn’t crossed Harry’s mind that he might have to too. Janie sat him down, said they needed to figure this out, decide between them how they could work around it, when neither of them wanted to give up their careers. Harry had been quick to tell her that of course he would support whatever decision she made. If Janie wanted to return to work full-time, they could afford a live-in nanny. Janie didn’t have to worry about a thing.

So it was her decision, she realised. Not theirs. Not a joint one. It was up to her if she wanted to stay at home or go back to work and, regardless of her choice, her husband’s life would not change.

Maybe it was her competitive streak that drove her to decide she wasn’t going to give up her career, either. Though every day she was the one with the burning hole inside her, telling her she was giving up something – being with her girls. Janie had never been able to reconcile herself with that, yet the girls still hadn’t been the main reason she’d given up her job in the end.

Unwanted thoughts flittered into her head. Thoughts of Miles Morgan; Sophie.

That time five years ago was as clear as crystal and still made her feel sick to her core when she thought about what had happened. The part she had played in cracking apart her best friend’s life. Miles Morgan had been entering her head a lot since the new mum at school, Marcia, had said the name at assembly, and she desperately wished it would stop.

Harry inched closer to her on the sofa. She felt nothing like she once had, with his leg pressing into hers. Now her feelings were consumed by tiredness, and she didn’t actually think she’d be able to stay up for another two hours to watch a film, because it was already past nine.

‘Is everything all right, love?’ he asked.

Janie blinked and turned to him.

‘I mean, at home … everything?’

‘Of course it is.’