Page 69 of What Happens in Dubai

‘I don’t think I can go to Dubai. Not like this. I’m so, so sorry.’ My body was beginning to panic, and I felt myself start to hyperventilate.

‘Hey, hey, calm down. I don’t expect you to go! But I want to kill him, Zara, seriously!’

I chuckled a little, feeling sniffly. ‘He was a sniper. I’d put money on him, but I appreciate it.’

Raj huffed. ‘Was he though? Who knows what he is? Or who he is!’

My mind boggled as I suddenly realised I had no idea who I’d been sharing a bed with for over a week. Who’d been living in my flat. Who’d told me he loved me.

‘We should phone Andy, tell him as soon as. So they can replace me,’ I said.

Raj laughed. ‘Oh, I’ll phone him and tell him there’s been a change of name on the documents.’

I wriggled out of his arms and faced him. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’ll do it! God, I loved Dubai. I would need you to manage the clinic and try to keep us afloat. You’d need to be on top of things back here, but I trust you.’

‘So, you’ll go out there, and I’ll manage the clinic!’ I reiterated the plan, feeling my friend had just passed me a get-out-of-jail-free card.

‘Yeah, I mean, as long as you can work alongside Tom.’

‘I’d work alongside Harold Shipman if it meant I didn’t have to go.’

Raj raised his brows at me and smirked.

‘If it helps the clinic, I’d do anything, to be honest,’ I continued.

‘And you’re one hundred and fifty per cent sure you’re not going?’ Raj checked, rising to his feet and helping me up behind him.

‘I’m two hundred and fifty per cent sure!’

Raj nodded, already holding his phone to his ear. He kissed my forehead lightly and walked out the room. I heard him chatting with Andy, sorting everything out, while I caught my breath.

Raj offered to cover my clients that day to allow me time to sort things at home, but I declined. I wasn’t prepared to fall apart over a man again. Besides, I was still struggling to comprehend what Cameron had done. Instead, I kept conversation to a minimum that day, pretending to my remaining clients that I had terrible cramps, while in reality my head did overtime working out ideas for how to confront Cameron.

Maybe I could cut up all his clothes and rip up his passport. That would snooker the cunt for going back to work for a while. Or perhaps I should let him explain himself. Maybe he had a doppelganger I didn’t know about. I questioned if the photo was definitely him, but I knew deep down that it was. Maybe I could steal his phone and scroll through all his dirty little secrets. There was bound to be more than Laura. Or I could smash it up, really piss him off.

I worked on autopilot all day, thinking up absurd ways of dealing with the burden back home, but knowing no matter how much of a retaliation I participated in, the damage was done.

It was after four when I finished with my last client. I changed back into my jeans and T-shirt, gathered my things and went out onto the shop floor. I appreciated Raj filling Ashley in, and found her waiting eagerly for her cue to erupt.

‘Ash, I can tell you know!’ I announced, staring at her tense face.

She threw her hands in the air. ‘How can you act so calm? I’m ready to kick his fucking cunt in!’

‘I honestly don’t feel anything right now. I’m just so gutted.’

‘But what did Laura say? And what did—’

‘Can we please chat about it later? I just need to go home, take some paracetamol, and have it out with him.’

Ashley agreed, standing with her hands on her hips. ‘If you’re sure. I’ll hang out with Raj tonight. He has some things to sort out. Text me when you need me.’

‘We’re here if you need us. Good luck, Zara,’ Raj added.

I smiled back at the pair of them, swung my jacket around my shoulders and slowly walked home, feeling much less optimistic than I had at the beginning of the day.

Chapter Twenty-Three

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