And I never once tried to steal what was yours.”

Laura, quietly, had opened the binder, and among its pages were printed transcripts of the messages Vanessa had sent to Greg, my finance analyst.

I made myself read them, and one line has stayed with me.

She had written, when he first hesitated, that all she needed to know was what I would sign without reading when I was tired, and that if he would not help her she would simply find someone who would.

That was how she had seen me.