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Isabelle clutched her cheek. ‘Who the hell do you think you are?’ she cried, horrified.

‘I don’t know,’ Alex answered honestly.

Thirty-Six

Leigh didn’t see what had led to the slap. She was just trying to leave the terrible party after collecting herself in the toilet for a few minutes. But when she walked out into the quiet corridor, she was just in time to see Alex’s hand whip across Isabelle’s face.

Leigh ran to the scene to see Isabelle clutching a very pink cheek, staggering away from Alex. Isabelle’s ever-present PA was watching from a distance.

‘Did you see that?’ Isabelle asked, turning to him, and he nodded.

‘Come on!’ Leigh said, dragging Alex to the nearest exit.

‘I swear I’m not always this violent,’ Alex muttered to Leigh, discombobulated.

‘Just come with me.’

Out the back of the building, in a bin-filled alleyway, Alex slumped against a wall out of it.

Leigh clicked her fingers in front of her face. ‘Alex, come back!’

Alex seemed to come round somewhat, able to meet Leigh’s eyes at least. ‘What just… Islappedher. Why did I do that?!’

‘I don’t know, I just saw the slap,’ Leigh explained.

‘She was… She was saying… I…’

‘What did she say?’ Leigh asked.

Alex shook herself. ‘Nothing. I just…’

Leigh’s eyes widened anew. ‘Alex…’

‘What?’

‘You’re crying,’ Leigh told her.

‘That’s absurd. I don’t do that,’ Alex frowned. But she pressed her finger under her eye and found the tear. She looked at it like it was blood coming from her eyes.

‘You’re upset. You need to go home,’ Leigh said.

‘I’m not upset,’ Alex insisted. ‘I’m just… I don’t know what I am, but I’m not leaving this party. I need to apologise right now.’

‘Don’t youdareapologise to that woman,’ Leigh said sternly.

‘What choice have I got? I hit her.’

‘I don’t care—’

‘I’m in PR, Leigh.’

‘Yes, Alex, I’m aware of that because you might remember that I amalso—’

‘If she tells people I did this… I’m done. It’s over. I’ll never work again. The whole company… poof. Gone. Like it never existed.’ She sniffed. ‘I’m fucked.’

Leigh shook her head. ‘No. There’s got to be something… We can’t just be stuck under these terrible people’s thumbs forever.’

Alex looked at her. ‘Right, that’s… I waslookingfor you. Erin threatened you?’