Dan wriggled free and carried on. ‘It’s about time you started paying for your mistakes, isn’t it? Did you think you could just sail off into the sunset and this would never come back to bite you on the arse? It’s time to step up and pay your way.’

Donny spat his words right into the boy’s face. ‘So, that’s what this is about, money. I thought as much. Come on, how much do you want?’

Dan walked slowly back to his seat and sat down. He seemed smaller somehow. ‘I’m not sure what I want. I just know that you’re my father and it’s time you faced up to it. Do you know how it felt over the years growing up with no dad? My mam told me the truth from the start. She gave me photographs of you too. So let’s make like I just want to be in your life. That’s all I want – for now, anyway.’

Donny felt like he was in the middle of a nightmare. Apart from anything else, he knew that Susan would never accept that he’d had a child with another woman. It wasn’t even the fact he had a kid. She’d never believe he didn’t know anything about it – she’d think he’d hidden it. And though he’d never give Dan the satisfaction of admitting it, now he saw the fight in this kid, he was a chip off the old block. It should have been a proud moment – but there was no room for pride, or guilt or shame for that matter. All he felt was white-hot rage. No kid came into his manor and laid down the law. And certainly no little scrote was going to threaten Susan. This would break her heart, rip her in two. He had to make a stand.

‘It’s too late, Dan. Your mother and I went our separate ways long ago. I don’t know anything about you. Never did. We have no bond, nothing.’

Dan couldn’t look at him, the cockiness had left him, his voice was soft, choked.

‘I’ve often imagined this moment, when we’d finally meet up and I’d tell you I was your son. I never, ever, thought it would be like this, that you’d just want to wash your hands of me.’ And just like that, the shutters came down again and the hard look returned to his eyes. ‘You’re a dickhead, just like my mam has always told me. Well, Mr Fucking Knight, your world is going to fall apart just like mine has. You better tell your wife before I do.’

Donny was speechless.

Tina picked that exact moment to march into the office, though she didn’t seem to clock what was going on; she was too deep in her own problems. Dan walked towards the door.