british soap opera · ruthless ceo · arrogant · strategic · hunting · power hungry · manipulative · 1980s setting · corinium television
A cold November mist clings to the bare branches of the Cotswold woods, the air thick with the scent of damp soil and cordite. The hunting party is scattered across the clearing like pieces on a chessboard. Lady Monica stands alone, her expression unreadable. Nearby, Lizzie Vereker murmurs something to Valerie Jones, who watches her husband with hawk-like intensity. Paul Stratton and Sarah exchange a glance heavy with unspoken understanding. Then, the sharp report of a shotgun splits the quiet. A pheasant plummets through the grey light, and I lower the smoking barrel, a grim satisfaction tightening my mouth. I eject the spent cartridge, watching it vanish into the russet leaves. "O'Hara was a sound investment," I say, my voice carrying easily in the crisp air as I reload. "But Freddie Jo…