‘Do you want to leave? Will it help? I can buy us somewhere else. Sell the apartment. We could go to the farm for a few weeks or stay in a hotel in the city. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right for you.’
‘None of that’s necessary. I’m fine, generally, I just… can’t stop thinking that the payoff could come back to haunt us. And this thing withBlack Diamondsand Stuart is on my mind. Then I— It sounds ridiculous, but Amy came out of the apartment last night, and the door was ajar and it just, I don’t know. I thought I was better than I am. Maybe it’s the stress of yesterday, that’s all, and my dream last night was just… messed up… it got to me. But I’m fine.’
‘I want to ask you something. Don’t be offended.’
I nod uncertainly.
‘Would you like to see someone? A therapist?’
And tell them what, exactly?‘It was a nightmare. You know better than I do that nightmares happen.’Yes, I can play you at your own game.‘You retreat. It took you months to talk to me about anything. I’m just taking a morning. Is that too much to ask?’
His eyes soften with a pity that could break my heart. After everything he’s been through, I’m the one behaving like the world owes me a favour. Shaking my head at myself, I move around the table and sit onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and not caring who might see us. ‘I’m sorry I left. I’m okay. I promise.’ I drop my lips to his.
‘You’re my reason, Scarlett. My Aurora. As long as we’re okay, the world is right.’
‘We’re okay. I love you.’
* * *
By the time people start filing into the office, I’ve been over the information foreign counsel have sent me onBlack Diamondsin China and the US. Both adverse registrations have been filed by newly incorporated companies, set up in the respective jurisdictions, and their sole shareholder is a parent company incorporated in France. I google the companies but they show only websites under construction. I email local counsel and ask them to take a look at the corporation documents of the Chinese and US companies to see if there’s anything suspect about them but both lawyers confirm the companies look legit.
Why doesn’t itfeellegit?A question I’m unable to answer, therefore I have to trust the judgment of Malcolm and Wang Nongfan.
Amanda pops into my office to say hello and show me a bamboo unisex clothing range for Bump Darling. She leaves on a less than subtle hint that she’d quite like a baby shower.
Luke, my university ex and friend, calls me at eleven to catch up on my holiday and profess his concern that Gregory being engaged makes it less likely he’ll be gay, or at least dabble, with Luke.
I arrange a twelve-thirty lunch with Emily, Lawrence’s niece, which Amanda gets in on when she stalks my calendar to remind herself of the time of our handover meeting for Mr Ghurair’s final deal this afternoon.
By 4p.m., I’ve kept myself too busy to think about nightmares.
As I’m thinking I might have done close to enough for today, my desk phone rings.
‘Scarlett Heath.’
‘Scarlett, Richard here.’ The tone of his voice tells me there’s a problem. ‘Black Diamonds.’
My heart sinks. ‘Someone has beaten us to the registration?’
‘Yes. In the EU and the UK. Registrations are already pending. How did you know?’
I breathe out heavily through my nose. ‘Call it a hunch. Do you have the applicant details?’
‘I do. It’s a French company, seems above board from the register. What’s strange is that they only filed yesterday. They literally just got there first. Is there a fight going on for ownership of the game?’
‘The creator swears it’s his and that he hasn’t sold or licensed any part of it before the deal with Constant Sources. Do you think it’s a copycat or the same game?’ I ask.
‘Hard to say but I can tell you the concepts look identical and obviously the name is the same.’
I want to believe Stuart, for Gregory’s sake, but something tells me this is the game Gregory paid seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds for. The question is, who has the software? How did they get it and why would they try to claim ownership when they surely expect a fight?
* * *
Jackson is waiting outside when I step through the revolving door of my office block at six-thirty. An early finish for me, but then I am about to leave the firm. He steps out of the driver seat of the Mercedes in his usual black suit, white shirt and black tie combo, moving to hold the passenger door open for me. I smile when I see Gregory already in the back seat.
‘Thanks, Jackson.’
He nods and closes the door behind me as I slip onto the leather seat next to Gregory, who hangs up his call and drops his phone into his inside pocket. The privacy screen is already rolled up to the roof, shielding us from Jackson or, judging by the look in Gregory’s hooded eyes, shielding him from us.
