Chapter 2 — The Prophecy of the Industrial Estate

The crisis begins when a former liposuction customer launches a public campaign against the surgical operation. She alleges that the procedure left her seriously injured and that the clinic misrepresented the risks. Other former customers join her, sharing their experiences online and contacting solicitors.

The dating website operators recognise an opportunity. Their site is already full of disgruntled customers, including people connected to Denise's businesses. They begin circulating gossip and offering paid promotional packages that promise to help people tell their stories. Soon, private disputes become public entertainment.

Denise tries to contain the scandal. She blames the surgical provider, insists that the gymnastics club is a completely separate business and threatens legal action against anyone damaging her reputation. However, the paperwork suggests that money has been moved between the businesses to cover debts and maintain appearances.

Mara knows more than she initially admits. She has seen Denise's private correspondence and understands that the owner has been concealing financial problems for months. She also knows that Denise has made promises to several people that cannot all be honoured.

A local journalist begins investigating the industrial estate. The story appears absurd at first: a cheap gymnastics club, a beauty booth, a controversial cosmetic operation and a dubious dating website all occupying the same shabby premises. But the journalist gradually uncovers a pattern of misleading promises, questionable financial arrangements and people who insist they knew nothing about what was happening next door.

For Denise, the investigation becomes an existential threat. She believes that if the truth about the businesses emerges, she will lose everything.

Mara urges her to tell the truth before matters become worse. Denise refuses, accusing Mara of wanting to destroy her because she cannot accept remaining hidden.

Their relationship becomes increasingly bitter. Mara feels she has sacrificed her dignity to protect Denise, while Denise sees Mara's insistence on honesty as a threat to the only life she understands.

The two dating-site operators, meanwhile, discover an old set of records suggesting that Denise's family has been concealing a secret about the original ownership of the premises. They hint that the truth could be worth money.

The more Denise tries to preserve her empire, the more evidence she creates against herself.