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Faye stepped off the bed and walked towards Holly, who still hadn’t moved from the doorway. She was too furious to move, her fists balled at her sides. Her jaw clicking as her teeth ground together.

‘I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding?’ Faye tried.

‘What, like persuading Giles not to have children when we both know he desperately wants them? She’s doing this deliberately. Making it seem like some great girly weekend where we can all relax and have a good time, when in actual fact, we’re going to be half-starved and swimming in algae. Probably so we don’t look too fat in her photographs. She is nuts. There is no way I’m going to be able to hold my tongue all weekend. She’s a self-centred, narcissistic, manipulative bitch and I pray to God Giles sees the truth before it’s too late.’

‘Well, don’t hold back, Holly,’ a voice said behind her. ‘Why don’t you say how you really feel about me?’

35

Holly had never felt the blood drain from her body quicker. One moment, she had been filled with a red-hot anger, but then, upon hearing Sienna’s voice, that all changed.

‘Sienna…’ Holly began, as she turned around to face her. Sienna was already shaking her head.

‘No, no, I think you said everything you needed to say. What were the words you used? Manipulative, no, narcissistic. That was it, right? No, sorry, it was both, wasn’t it?’

The warmth was returning to Holly’s cheeks, but it wasn’t anger. It was embarrassment. Then again, why was she feeling embarrassed? Hadn’t Sienna brought them out here to this ridiculous place, knowing it would be like this? Before she could ask, Sienna carried on talking.

‘You know what? I thought it would be a good chance for us to all refresh, to feel really good about our bodies and our minds. You know the waitlist for this place is over two years.Two years. They’ve turned away people like Willow and Sabrina because they didn’t have space. And maybe I did think it would be good for you to get away from all that sugar you spend your day ingesting in the sweet shop. Was that so wrong of me? I thought you would enjoy it. I thought you would see that it was something special.’

Holly felt her jaw hanging open, but she was still struggling to find words. And unfortunately, Sienna had plenty.

‘And as for the pond, you’re right, there is a natural plunge pool, which has dozens of benefits, but I’m guessing you didn’t go far enough to find the Olympic-length, heated swimming pool, three variations of sauna, and steam rooms?’

Her eyebrows were arched, and her cheeks sucked in so tightly, Holly could see her bone structure.

It was clear how she got so many rich people to part with their money. Holly would do anything to make that glare stop.

‘Sienna—’

‘No, no, I’ve had enough. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going down to the pool. The heated, indoor one. Faye—’ Her gaze shifted from Holly for the first time since she had appeared. ‘You’re welcome to join me if you wish.’ With a sniff, she looked back at Holly. ‘I’m sure the concierge can arrange a taxi for you to go back to the station,’ she said. ‘Fingers crossed they have another train home tonight.’

36

Holly felt terrible. No, even terrible didn’t come close to how she was feeling. It was horrific. The guilt in the pit of her stomach caused bile to sting the back of her throat while the rest of her body felt numb.

‘Oh God,’ she said. ‘I was horrible, wasn’t I? That was really, really bad, wasn’t it?’

She looked at Faye, hoping that perhaps she would find some way to comfort her. Maybe say that it hadn’t been as bad from the outside as it sounded to her. But all Faye could do was grimace. That said something, didn’t it? When the most optimistic and nice-natured person she knew couldn’t even muster a single lie for her?

‘I just found the brochure with all the spa and sauna details,’ she said. ‘Probably a bit late for that now, isn’t it?’

‘Crap.’

Holly dragged herself inwards and dropped down onto the bed. ‘Shit. Oh my God, Giles is going to kill me.’

Her guilt intensified with a memory of the phone call she’d had only moments before.

‘Yeah, he’s not gonna be too happy,’ Faye said. ‘But she might not tell him.’

Holly raised her eyebrows. Now she knew Faye was just trying to be comforting, even if she was massively lying. Sienna and Giles were engaged to be married, to spend the rest of their lives together. Of course, she was going to tell him. That was what a relationship like theirs meant.

‘He told me I had to be nice,’ she said. ‘When he said it, I thought that was a ridiculous thing for him to say. Because I thought I was nice, but I’m not, am I? Oh my God. What do I do? What’s best? I should go, shouldn’t I? I should leave so that I don’t ruin the rest of the weekend.’

She waited for Faye to respond, but when she did, it was with a withering look rather than words.

‘What?’ Holly said, trying to understand her expression. ‘You don’t think I should go?’

‘Well,’ Faith said, ‘just answer this for me: would you be going because you don’t want to ruin the rest of Sienna’s weekend, or would you be going because it would be easier than having to apologise?’