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It had beensix months since my husband left. Six whole months of self-doubt: wondering what I’d done wrong, self-loathing, and many, many bottles ofwine.
I sat at my kitchen table, looking at the documents in front of me. I had started divorce proceedings on the grounds of adultery; something my mum had desperately tried to change my mind on. She wanted me to stay married so as to stop him from moving on. I wasn’t into those kind ofgames.
There was no going back for me. Scott had been caught red-handed, fucking his assistant over the boardroom table. He’d been filmed, probably with a mobile phone, andsomeonehad kindly decided I needed to be sent thatclip.
The video had been sent from an unknown number, although I believed it was sent from the recipient of his cock. It had proven very useful when shown to my solicitor. There was no denying an affair. All I’d received from him was a list of reasons why I was such a terrible wife. Maybe, in his mind, that was hisjustification.
I worked too much. I was a hard-nosed career bitch. I didn’t pay him enough attention. She understoodhim.
I’d laughed at the last one. Since the dawn of time, when a man decided it was perfectly okay to be caught balls deep in someone other than his wife, it was that same excuse, ‘she understandsme.’
I played with the thin gold band on my wedding finger as I read through the documents. I wondered at what point it would be suitable to remove it, I wondered why I hadn’t already. Maybe I’d save it for when the divorce was finalised. I’d create some sort of event; have the removal of the ring be a symbolic gesture that fifteen years of my life wasover.
I sighed. Fifteen years Scott and I had been together. We’d met in school. Now at thirty years old, I was a single woman for the first timeever.
The intercom to my apartment alerted me to the fact my ride had arrived. I shoved the documents into my briefcase, along with my laptop, collected my suit jacket from the back of my chair, picked up my handbag and overnight bag, thenleft.
“Looking good, Lauren,” Jerry said, as I climbed into the back of his very plushMercedes.
“Thank you, I could do with a little flattery thismorning.”
Jerry was my boss, owner of a media company in the center of London, and a good friend. We hadn’t been friends when I’d agreed to become Head of Marketing at a business he’d just established, that friendship had built over time. He was the most amazing person and a brilliant businessman: a self-made man, who’d stumbled into the online advertising phenomenon before it was even athing.
He had also been in love with me foryears.
“Remember, hold your head up high and keep that smile on your face,” hesaid.
I took a deep breath as I settled into the soft, grey leather seat and his driver pulled away from thekerb.
“I intendto.”
It was a Friday morning and we were heading to Hampshire for the company’s annual conference, or piss-up, as Jerry liked to call it. But why the need for my chin up and a smile on my face? My husband, soon to be ex-husband, would also bethere.
When Scott’s affair had been discovered, Jerry had wanted to ‘boot the fucker out,’ I recalled as his words. Scott was Head of Development, a job I’d secured for him. The woman he was fucking? Hisassistant.
“We could always pretend to be together, if that makes you feel better,” hesaid.
I laughed as I patted his leg. “And spoil our wonderfulfriendship?”
“I can but try,” he said,dramatically.
“So, tell me about this new company about to invadeus?”
I wanted to change the direction of a conversation we’d had many times. Jerry had confided in me that he had sold part of his business for a‘shit-ton of money’, he’d said. I was pleased for him, he worked harder and far longer hours than anyone else I knew. It had been something that had come as a surprise, and the deal was done far quicker that I’d thought it wouldbe.
“Well, as you know, world domination has always been myplan.”
“Be serious,” I said, with alaugh.
“I’m going to introduce them at theconference.”
“And what will they bring to thecompany?”
“Big in telecommunications, shipping, you name it. Owner likes to invest in successful businesses, sit back, and reap therewards.”
“Are they going to have a day-to-dayinput?”
