Page 166 of The Man Upstairs

“Everyone.”

I smiled, wishing he could see for just one second how his brother saved me, and stood by me, and loved me through the hell of it all.

“You mean it matters to you? Yes?”

His cheeks were tear stained, but his eyes were fierce.

“And hischildren. Grace and Ryan. Katreya. I doubt he’s told you about any of us.”

“He’s told me about you all. I know a lot, I promise you. I even know the colour of Emily’s last birthday dress. He told me how she bounced on Katreya’s knee when Grace brought the dragon cake in. I also know how much he misses you. All of you. So much he can hardly stand it.”

Michael didn’t say anything, so I carried on.

“He told me how you used to play rugby together. How once you were on rival teams, and wouldn’t speak for a week on the run up. He said your mum shouted at you over the dining table because you were giving each other scowls while she was trying to talk to you.”

He couldn’t help but smile at that, just for a second.

“I know how Katreya had an affair with Grace’s gym instructor. I know how he overheard her talking about him with her friends. I know how he felt when Grace’s friends got older, and he realised he wanted them.”

“Stop this,” Michael said at that. “He’s been filling your head with nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense though, is it? Tell me which part of it is nonsense.”

“He’s using it!”

“How?”

“To seduce you!”

My eyes stayed calm. My smile was real.

“Iseducedhim.I can tell you how, if you like? I can tell you what some of the other girls did, too. How they hung around in the kitchen, pretending they needed a drink while Grace was in bed. How they made suggestions. How the university students brushed past him after lectures, begging for extra help with their studies, just so they could get his attention. Just because girls are young doesn’t mean they areinnocent. Some are. Some aren’t. I wasn’t.” I paused. “So, maybe you should speak to some of the girls who Julianpreyed onand find out how they really feel about the whole thing? I think you might be surprised by their answers.”

He didn’t speak.

I didn’t move.

“Has Grace spoken to any of them?” I asked.

“No, she hasn’t. She doesn’t want to dig the disgusting pit any deeper than has already been dug.”

“So, you don’t know, do you? Not for sure.”

“We don’t NEED to!”

“Please, just talk to them,” I continued. “Some of them. Maisie was the first girl he was with. She was messaging him for three months solid behind Grace’s back, begging him to see her when Grace wasn’t around. Then it was Serena from gym class. She used to make sure he could see exactly the right parts of her in her leotard.”

“Stop,” Michael said, but I couldn’t.

“I know it was Madeline that called him out in the end. She did that because he told her he wasn’t going to see her anymore. She wanted more than he was prepared to give, and he didn’t want to hold her back from university. He’s got plenty of messages to back that up.”

“He’s not on fucking trial!” Michael said.

“He is though, isn’t he? He’s on trial by you, and you’ve already reached your verdict without hearing the evidence.”

I saw how he wavered, just a touch, his hand gripping the handrail tightly.

“Speak to them. Please,” I said. “And then make your verdict. And please don’t think he’s done badly to me. He hasn’t. You can ask my mum, if you like. She’s just down there, in apartment four. She had the same opinion you did, before she realised the truth.”