“Your brother’s career is over before it begins.”

“You have to sign the joint statement, Sarah,” Helen continued, stepping closer to me.

She smelled of expensive French perfume and damp wool.

“We have a draft ready on Derek’s phone.”

“It says you authorize the sharing of the patents under a prior family agreement.”

“It makes the investigation go away.”

I looked at the blue folder on the table containing my speech notes.

Then I looked at the phone in my hand, which had finally stopped vibrating.

A second later, a text message popped up from the same Washington, D.C. number.

It was a reporter from the national desk.

They wanted a comment on the regulatory filing.

“I am not signing anything,” I said.

I pocketed my phone.

“Sarah, think about what you are doing,” Derek said, taking a step toward me.

“You are destroying us over a technicality.”

“Stealing research is not a technicality, Derek,” I said.

“You wanted the prestige of Solar Reach without doing any of the work.”

“We gave you your education,” Helen said, her voice sharp as a blade.