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“But she was always threatening to tell you. Whenever things didn’t go her way, she?—”

“That’s Francesca. She loves like a cat — with her claws.” Jeremy laughed, a warm chuckle of endearment, as if Fran were a harmless fluffy creature, not a manipulative toxic viper. Alice glimpsed the insanity of it all. He’d completely rationalised Fran’s behaviour. Jeremy loved his wife so much he was prepared to live with every wound she inflicted, not only on him but on anyone else.

“Oh-my-fucking-God,” she muttered, slipping back into the leather chair, yielding to the comfort of its warm folds. She stared into the middle distance, trying to process everything she thought she knew but had got so wrong. How had she become so entangled in this web? Truscote had tried to warn her. Why hadn’t she listened?Wait, Truscote — she and Fran… had they?

“Alice, you see, I can’t accept your resignation. I have a predicament, and I was wondering if you would consider helping me out.”

“Sorry?”

“It destroyed Francesca when you said you wouldn’t see her any more. She came home from your rendezvous in a blind rage, screaming and tearing up the house. And then whatever happened on Saturday… well, she’s been distraught ever since. I had to prescribe her something to calm her down. You’re not like the others. This is different.”

“The others?”

“Yes, it’s an arrangement, like I said. We’ve been together for thirty-seven years. Married for thirty of those. Of course there have been others. But no one else has ever enthralled her like you have.”

Alice’s stomach swooped at the thought of the shatterproof Francesca Dalton in a frenzy of despair over her.Seriously?She couldn’t quite envision it, but then Fran had always struggled when she didn’t get her way. This was clearly just her response to one of those rare occasions.

“She’s heartbroken, Alice. I can’t bear to see her like this. I need your help.”

“I don’t know how I can help you fix your wife’s broken heart, Jeremy. I think you both need the sort of help that’s completely beyond me.”

The man in front of Alice seemed to deflate; he sank lower in his seat. His red eyes and tired face drooped like a bloodhound’s.

“Don’t leave her. Can’t you just carry on as you were? We’llalljust carry on as we were. Pretend like nothing has changed.”

“So, let me get this straight, as it were… you want me to continue having an affair with your wife?”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it in quite those terms, but yes, I suppose that’s about the crux of it. What would it take? I can give you a pay rise?”

“No. Fuck.” Alice scrunched her fingers in her hair and massaged them into her scalp. “Why do you people think you can buy me? I’m not a hooker.”

“Goodness, no, that’s not what I was implying. It’s just if I can throw a little money at the problem and secure Francesca’s happiness, then I’m more than prepared to do that.” Jeremy laced his fingers together on the desk. Alice had seen him do this when he thought he was about to have a breakthrough. “If it’s mutually beneficial, who is it hurting?”

“Fran was going to leave you. Did you know that?”

Jeremy paused for a moment. A flicker of sadness passed across his face, but then he chuckled. “Yes. She hasn’t, though, has she?” He raised his left hand and pointed to his wedding ring.

Alice stared at him.I’ve been told my whole life that I’m the crazy, irrational one,but clearly it’s a spectrum and everyone normalises their own insanity…

Well, not my circus, not my fucking monkeys.

Jeremy looked at her with pleading eyes. “Alice, please. If not for me, then for Francesca. I know you love her too?—”

“No. Neither of you are who I thought you were. You’re both cracked. I wish you well, Jeremy, but I want nothing more to do with this.” Alice stood and forcefully pushed her handwritten letter across his desk towards him. “I resign.”

Jeremy stared at the white rectangle, the corners of his mouth twitching. Alice felt a pang of pity for him before turning and walking away.

“I don’t accept. You’re fired,” Jeremy shouted after her.

“Whatever,” Alice muttered as she scooped up her handbag and left the building with her head held high.

CHAMPAGNE AND STRAWBERRIES

TWO YEARS EARLIER

“Alice?” Jeremy’s hearty voice boomed, reaching Alice in the kitchenette where she was loading the dishwasher with the day’s coffee cups.

“Be there in a moment,” she called out. She quickly set the dishwasher to go and swiped a cloth over the countertops. With a satisfied glance around the room, she flicked off the light.Final task of the day, tick. In fact, final task of the week — hello, Friday! Ooh, and payday.She’d treat herself to a Chinese takeaway and a bottle of wine, curl up on the couch and find a decent series to binge on Netflix. Plus, Maggie and Markus were in the Maldives, so she didn’t even have to see them on Sunday for their usual visit. All that lay ahead was a whole delicious weekend all to herself.