The cheating cow was a blur of pale skin and red hair as she flew out of the bathroom and scrambled around Eva to gather her clothes. Stephen either didn’t hear Mia or ignored her. His mother’s voice was audible from wherever he’d retreated to and she was not happy.

Eva zipped her case closed, heaved it off the bed and made for the front door, collecting bag and shoes on the way.

She opened it, then stepped back as the man on the other side dropped his hand. “I’m sorry, I was about to knock. Are you Evangelina Stone?”

Eva bent to put on her shoes. “I am, and I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a rush, can you call later?”

Behind her, Stephen snapped. “We’ll talk later, Mother. Over dinner as planned…Eva, where are you going?”

She had no idea where she was going, just ‘away’ seemed good right now.

The man outside the door stepped back. “Perhaps I might be of assistance. My name is David Yip and –”

Stephen threw the door open wide, sneering at the man now standing beside Eva, not noticing Mia scurrying into the sitting room, still buttoning her blouse. “So, you have a piece on the side as well.”

David Yip straightened, frowning. He was slimmer, but taller, than Stephen, and intimidating in his perfect charcoal suit. “I’m not Ms Stone’s lover, Mr Chan. I’m her lawyer.”

Stephen scoffed, then when the man in front of him remained stone-still and silent, gulped. “I don’t want any trouble…”

Mia made a show of peeking around Stephen’s bare shoulder. “You have a lawyer?”

Her eyes rounded at the sight of David Yip, still impersonating a temple statue. “Oh, hello, um, so Eva has a lawyer? Do all personal lawyers look like you?”

David raised a brow but didn’t reply. Instead, he turned to Eva, holding out his hand. “If I might assist with your suitcase, Ms Stone.”

There wasn’t really a graceful way of saying no, so Eva surrendered it with as much grace as she could summon. He took the handle then gestured towards the lifts. “Shall we?”

Eva knew the other two were staring as they walked away. She refused to give either of them the satisfaction of turning her head. The lift took ages to arrive, more than enough time for the adrenaline, or whatever it had been fuelling her cold fury to drain away. David’s free hand tucked under her elbow as her knees threatened to give way; and guided her through the opening doors. “Don’t turn.”

She stayed facing the back wall until the doors shut and the lift began to move, then she turned and sagged against it. “I don’t know who you are, or why you showed up at my front door, but thank you.”

“I really am your lawyer, or to be more accurate, your family’s lawyer. Is there somewhere I can take you so we can talk?”

Eva bolted upright. “My parents?”

“Are fine. This is about your father’s Aunt Muriel.” He offered his arm again as the doors opened to reveal the main lobby of the building. “Is there somewhere I can take you? A friend’s place? A hotel?”

The relief added to her knee wobbles, she accepted his support as they exited. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

David hailed a cab and bundled them in, with her suitcase. It wasn’t that big, and luggage in the boot cost extra. “Might I suggest Pacific Place, then? We can have some tea, discuss your great aunt, and provide a little time for planning.”

Pacific Place also just happened to house several of Hong Kong’s best hotels, well beyond Eva’s budget, but it was as good a place as any for cafes, so she nodded.

As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Eva’s phone rang. It was Becky, Stephen’s sister. Eva answered.

“Eva! Are you okay? Mum is so far beyond furious she’s about to go nuclear. Says Stephen’s just like Dad and she’s sent your video to him, and to all the uncles and aunties.”

Eva gasped. “She didn’t.”

“Oh you better believe she did, and her housekeeper, Maria, just messaged to say Mia’s mum appeared at the door, bawling her eyes out and they’re now in the sitting room doing whiskey shots together.”

If she wasn’t feeling like a vampire’s victim, Eva would have laughed.

Becky went on. “Anyway, I wanted to say, my brother’s an asshole, and I’m officially Team Eva and if you want somewhere to stay for a bit, get over here. It’s the last place he’ll think of looking.”

She considered it, seriously. Becky was a good friend, and had a great wine collection, but she replied. “I’m going to grab a hotel room. For tonight at least. I’d love to catch up tomorrow though, maybe dinner somewhere?”

“Are you going to be okay on your own?”

“Fine, I promise, I need processing time.”

A sigh gusted through the phone speaker. “Yeah, fair enough. I’ll start plotting revenge scenarios and book that cute place in Sai Ying Pun we went past the other week.”

She hung up, and glanced at David, who was very obviously reading something on his phone. It was honestly nice to be able to sit in silence and watch the buildings and cars go by.

At Pacific Place, David paid the cab, then steered her into a café in the foyer of one of the hotels. She’d been about to suggest one of the places in the shopping centre below, but this was probably more sensible for a Great Aunt Muriel sort of conversation.

 She’d only met Great Aunt Muriel once, when she was about eight, and her parents had taken her to England to meet her father’s side of the family. Most of them had been bland and forgettable, she couldn’t remember which cousin was which even now. Great Aunt Muriel had been neither. A small woman, she commanded the room the instant she swept in, every other family member fading into the inoffensive beige wallpaper of whoever’s sitting room they’d collected in.

Great Aunt Muriel had been wearing a vivid red coat embroidered with fantastical birds that Eva recognised instantly, she’d been the one to choose it.

The old woman had permitted a peck on the cheek from her father, and shaken hands with her mother, who looked like she was fighting the urge to curtsey. Mum always had been into the queen and aristocracy.

Her father had waved a hand. “And this is my little Eva.”

Great Aunt Muriel shook her hand as if she’d been an adult too. “I hear I have you to thank for this jacket. You might just turn out to be interesting.”

What was she supposed to say to that? She’d stood up straight and replied. “I’d like that, boring sounds boring.”

Everyone had tittered at that, and Eva had hidden behind Dad’s comforting bulk, cheeks hot and eyes burning.

Great Aunt Muriel had raised a brow and the room had gone silent. Eva wanted to be like that.

She still wanted to be like that.

As David poured tea, she said. “I presume this means something’s happened to my Great Aunt.”

He set down the teapot and said. “I’m sorry, but she died just over a week ago. We would have preferred to notify you earlier, but she had some tasks our firm were required to complete before we were permitted to contact any family members.”

Eva focused on the tea he’d set in front of her, adding milk and sugar. “I only met her once, very briefly. She left quite an impression, but I can’t say I knew her.”

David didn’t respond immediately, he seemed to be thinking. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable though, it felt like a little bit of respite from an awful day.

His question, when it came, was a surprise. “How soon can you be on a plane to England, and how long can you stay once you’re there?”

“A couple of weeks? And I can stay as long as necessary I suppose. My work made me redundant this afternoon so once I’ve finished with them, I’ll be looking for something new and maybe this is a good chance to get some UK experience.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, and for the…situation…you were dealing with when I came to see you.”

Eva tried to look nonchalant. “You helped me get out of that situation with more grace than I’d have otherwise managed.” She took a breath. “But now I suppose I need to get on – find somewhere to stay, organise plane tickets, that sort of thing.”

Her family lawyer held up a hand. “There is more, Ms Stone, and I hope this is where things start to improve for you. You are a key beneficiary in your great aunt’s will, provided you are present for the reading of her will in one month’s time, although I’d appreciate you keeping that information quiet. As such, my role is to ensure you are able to attend the reading and the phrase accompanying my orders was ‘no expense spared’.” He grinned. “So, which five star hotel would you like my assistant to book you into?”

“Key?” So much for nonchalance, now she had to try to not choke to death on her tea. “What about my father, and his brother and sisters, and all the cousins?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know the details of the bequest. Perhaps it will be made clear once the contents of her will are made known.”

The stress headache that had been waiting to hit since her conversation with Sierra slammed down. She needed aspirin, or maybe vodka.

It must have shown as David frowned, a concerned rather than displeased look, although it was hard to tell with the sledgehammer thumping behind her eyes. He checked his phone, then stood, offering a supporting hand under her elbow as she stumbled up as well.

He steered her to the reception desk and before she knew what was happening, she’d been checked in and ushered up to a spacious room with a view of the harbour and a bed that seemed to be ordering her to flop onto it.

She managed to change into pyjamas before she flopped.

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