For a few months at university, I was in the same social circle as Ghislaine Maxwell. I knew her fairly well. At first, it was fun. Then, almost overnight, I saw it for what it was: a networking nightmare of bright laughter and false friendship, with a howling void beneath.
No one gave a damn about anyone else. It was all about climbing the social ladder. I felt I had seen an X-ray of power and wealth in this country: the grinning skull and empty sockets beneath the peachy skin. It was terrifying. It set me on the path I& #39;ve been on ever since.
I spiralled into a pretty dark place after that. I withdrew completely, and started the process of working out what a good life looked like, and how it could be lived. The experience inoculated me against ever again wanting to live the high life, or rub shoulders with that crowd.