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I had no idea. “And an apology and some kind of settlement?” I stuttered out before I could stop myself.

“Only so you can pay me, Scotland, but I’m making no promises. I need a meeting and those files couriered over right now. I don’t expect to wait. I do my best work in the mornings. I’m due in court at eleven, and I hate having my schedule interrupted.”

Yes. I could see why Veronica had detested the woman.Too much brusque honesty in your face.That’s what she’d said. I suddenly remembered that.

“I will organise it to be sent now. Just need an address.”

“Oh, I don’t do those,” she said curtly. “The Exchange. Stewart will know.”

She hung up.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, the palpitations in my chest making me want to throw up.

“That was…Gun Larsen.”

“Excellent.”

“She said The Exchange? Like you’d know?”

“Private club. I know the manager.”

“Is there anyone you don’t know, Stewart? I’m starting to think all this gripe about not being able to find a job is a ruse. You seem to be the most well-connected man I know. Driving celebrities and knowing Gun Larsen and—”

“Don’t forget that The Reuben is my son.”

The Reuben. He sighed as I laughed. We seemed to need it.

“The Dieter is one of my favourite actors,” Jean piped up from the chair in the corner, where she was filing documents into a binder. “He was excellent in that period drama. Won awards for that one, didn’t he?”

“I don’t know,” I said. To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention.

“The Dieter is some guy on TV,” Stewart huffed, shuffling in the chair. “My son is married to a scruffy mess called Gray, and he’s nothing like…an award-winning superstar or something. Do you want me to drive those documents over?”

“You look like you would crash that car in an instant. We’ve been up all night.”

“Do you mind if I grab forty winks upstairs?” Jean slapped the binder onto the table. “The complete works. If The Gun needs anything else, she can ask for it. Did you know that she doesn’t even have a PA? Does everything herself. I heard lots of rumours about her years ago, but…well, seems she’s calmed down as of late. Not caused as much drama.”

“She’s still the top-ranked family lawyer in the UK,” I said. “I always thought that was why Veronica left—because she just couldn’t hold on to that top spot. Larsen was always one notch ahead.”

“Nonsense,” Jean dismissed. “Veronica is in a completely different league. Brutal. Can I say it?”

“Dishonest,” I filled in. “Plays dirty. I never liked it.”

“But you put up with it.” Jean sat down again. “You need to stop this, Dylan.”

“Stop what?” I protested feebly. I was exhausted. For once, I would probably fall asleep the minute I hit the mattress.

“The doormat thing. Larsen was right about that. You let Veronica stomp all over you, and you never once told her off. She made the rules, and you bowed down to every single one. The kids’ names, the working hours, the private schools, the nannies…you name it. You never once spoke up. Maybe you should remember that.”

“That’s…” I started, feeling the emotion rise. “I did!”

“You didn’t. And it ends now. I liked how Gun Larsen spoke to you. Stop asking for titbits. You know what you want, and now is the time to take control. You heard Constance. She wants to take her brothers and come home. So let’s make that happen!”

She made it sound so easy. Even Stewart agreed, nodding like he knew what that would look like.

Veronica would destroy me. Or she would if she hadn’t done that already. Was I frightened? You bet. Was I still going aheadwith this?

I had no bloody choice. I nodded as Jean picked up her phone.