Page 96 of Take a Moment

‘That may well be the source of the leak then. Alex, leave this with me. This is very serious indeed.’

I’m still shaking, but anger has begun to flare inside me. ‘Wait. She hasn’t said anything specific. We don’t have proof that she knows anything. I’m going to reply and ask what she knows.’

‘All right, I’ll be back in a few minutes,’ Emmanuel informs me, and leaves my side.

I’m physically exhausted and my mind is foggy, but some of my determination has returned. If Danielle has accessed this information through her friend, the pair of them must be stopped before they out me to the whole company. I slowly tap out a message and hit send.

Who is this? What is it you think you know about me?

I’m distracted waiting for a response from Danielle. If I have her worked out the way I think I do, she won’t be able to resist the chance to try to demolish me. A minute or so later, I receive a reply. I’m right.

That you’re a charity case. Got your job through some special scheme. That’s why you get special treatment. Now everyone knows you’re a fraud.

I’ve got the evidence I need, but all I can focus on is the last line of the message. Everyone knows? That means it’s too late. She’s destroyed my reputation. The inner trembling intensifies and I battle the urge to cry at everything falling down around me. I should never have faced up to her yesterday; it made her want revenge: a dangerous thing with a personality like Danielle’s.

Emmanuel re-enters the room and her face tells me what she’s about to say before she can say a word.

‘It’s gone public.’

She gives a pained nod. ‘I’ve just spoken with one of my managerial counterparts. It seems a WhatsApp group was set up earlier today from an anonymous number – not Danielle’s. It contains information about your medical situation and how you were hired into the organisation.’

I feel like I’m about to pass out. ‘Who was it sent to?’

‘All of our team – except me – and about twenty other members of staff across the organisation. One of them forwarded it to my colleague out of concern.’

‘Shit.Shit.This can’t be happening. Sorry for swearing.’

‘Alex, swear all you like. This is beyond what I ever thought Danielle to be capable of. I will do my very best to make sure she incurs the most serious consequences for this. Did you get a reply to your message?’

I hand her my phone and she reads Danielle’s reply.

‘But Emmanuel, if this turns into something huge and Danielle is disciplined or even fired, I will get the backlash. It might be seen as further proof that I get “special treatment”. I don’t… there’s no other option… I’m going to have to leave.’

At these words, Emmanuel looks like she’s about to go into orbit. ‘Alex, you are going nowhere. This lies firmly at Danielle’s door.’

‘It doesn’t matter. The information is still out there. Now my every move will be scrutinised and questioned. Nothing will ever be seen as atrueachievement.’

‘That’s not true, Alex, and I think I can prove it.’ She picks up her phone again and unlocks it. ‘The person I spoke to sent me some screenshots. She kept them as evidence. Take a look.’

I take the phone from her. A series of screenshots show the original message – which is so cruel it makes me gasp, causing tears to well in my eyes once again – as well as the replies from various people. Every single one is condemning Danielle’s message, and expressing full support for me. I read one response after the next, saying how I’m one of the most talented project managers they’ve come across; how, if that’s what I’ve been up against, I deserve to be where I am more than anyone else; and how I’m a total inspiration. I become so completely overwhelmed by this that the sobs come once more, this time so thick and fast that a passing nurse stops to check I’m all right.

Emmanuel sits with me quietly, allowing me to work through the jumble of emotions I’m feeling, until I’m calm enough to have a coherent conversation again.

‘Sorry.’ I’m embarrassed as I remember that this is my boss I’m with.

‘You have nothing to be sorry for, Alex.’ She stays and chats about lighter things for a while longer until it eventually dawns on me that she won’t have had anything to eat.

‘Emmanuel, it’s nearly seven p.m. You’ll need to get your dinner. Why don’t you head off and I’ll call you tomorrow once I’ve seen the consultant?’

‘All right. I am needing to see to a few things. I’m glad you’re feeling a bit calmer.’ She gets up from her chair. ‘I’ll come by tomorrow after work again.’

‘You don’t have to do that.’ I feel tremendously guilty that Emmanuel is having to fill the gap that would otherwise be filled by family or close friends.

‘Enough. I want to come and see you. And I could get some more things from your apartment – that is, if you’re happy for me to do that? We didn’t manage to pack much yesterday.’

‘Only if it’s not too much trouble.’

‘It’s not at all. I can nip there straight after work before coming here. It’s not much of a diversion.’

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