Richard reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a heavy silver pen.

He clicked it once.

The sharp sound was like a starting pistol in the quiet room.

He laid the pen on top of the leather folder.

“Choose,” Richard said.

Nathan looked down at the silver pen.

He slowly slid his right hand into his trouser pocket.

I saw his knuckles press against the fabric as his fingers gripped his phone.

He did not pull it out.

But his thumb moved deliberately against the side buttons through the thin cloth.

A faint blue light glowed through the pocket of his gray suit pants.

“You really think the board will support you on this, Father?” Nathan asked.

“The board does exactly what I tell them to do,” Richard said.

He stepped closer, his voice rising with absolute confidence.

“They only care about the stock price.”

“They do not care about a bastard child.”

“They do not care about some girl from upstate.”

The words felt like a physical weight pressing down on my shoulders.

I squeezed my eyes shut, holding Lily as tight as I dared.