‘I don’t know if I do.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you’ll make me explore my reasoning and I don’t know if I have the energy to do that today.’ He paused and Roxi held her breath. ‘I’ve betrayed my wife.’
Roxi’s stomach sank. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear any more.
‘It’s my fault we are on Level One. I’ve been saying things to the Audite that I shouldn’t have.’
‘What kind of things?’ Roxi asked at the same time as Cooper.
‘Stupid things. Like I don’t love her any more, that I want a divorce, that I’m not happy . . . stuff like that.’
‘And is any of it true?’
‘No.’
‘Can you explain your reasoning behind it?’
‘I hoped I was being recorded and it would force us onto Level One. Maybe then she’d take my marriage concerns seriously. But I don’t know if she has. She still doesn’t seem to care.’
‘Have you considered the effect this might have on Roxi’s career if your Levelling up is made public?’ Owen didn’t reply but Roxi heard him shuffling on Cooper’s leather sofa.
‘Can I take from your silence that you have considered it but acted regardless?’
‘Yes.’
‘So – and without putting words into your mouth – have you tried to sabotage her career to regain the Roxi you fell in love with?’
Owen hesitated again before agreeing.
Of all she had heard that day, this stunned Roxi the most. But she barely had time to process it before the next revelation appeared.
‘That’s not all,’ Owen continued. ‘I’ve been trolling her online, leaving nasty, hurtful comments on everything she posts.’
Roxi clasped her hand over her mouth. ‘What?’ she said aloud. A man sitting by an adjacent table turned sharply to look at her.
‘When did this start?’ asked Cooper.
‘Soon after she revealed she wanted to be the new Jem Jones. Do you remember me telling you how my son asked me if I could find him a new mummy because Rox never plays with him like his friends’ mums do? Before I went home, I sat outside your house, set up a bogus account using your wifi and started trolling my own wife.’
‘Why?’ asked Cooper.
‘Because I want to hurt her like she is hurting our family. Because she doesn’t listen. But mostly because I’m a bloody idiot.’
Roxi slammed the lid of the laptop shut, devastated by Owen’s betrayal. Yet amongst the hurt, a part of her understood why. And her anger wasn’t only directed at him, but at herself for allowing things to become so bad between them.
Something had to change. And, as far as she could see, it had to be her. But before she could give it any more thought, her watch pinged. And when she read the message, she closed her eyes and fought the urge to hurl her wine glass against the window.
65
Jeffrey
‘I’m not doing this today,’ announced Noah before theirmorning session began.
‘May I ask why?’ asked Jeffrey. He noted the dark rings around Noah’s eyes and uncombed hair, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
‘These sessions are affecting my sleep, my appetite and how I do my job and I can’t afford to put lives at risk if I can’t concentrate. For my own mental health, I need a timeout.’
