“I will call you from my office in ten minutes.”

“There is no transition, Richard,” Vance said.

The speaker crackled slightly as another board member cleared their throat.

“We heard the entire conversation,” Vance said.

“We heard you admit to withholding the medical records.”

“We heard you admit to concealing the birth of Nathan’s daughter to protect your voting block.”

“That is a violation of the family trust bylaws,” Vance said.

“And it is a federal disclosure violation.”

I felt a cold sweat break out along my collarbone.

I looked at Nathan.

His jaw was set, his eyes fixed entirely on his father.

“This is a setup,” Richard whispered, his voice losing its warmth.

He looked at the security guards standing by the vault door.

“Turn that off,” Richard commanded.

“Get them out of here.”

The guards looked at each other, but neither of them moved.

They looked at Nathan, then at the phone, then back to Richard.

They knew who owned the building, but they also knew who controlled the capital.

“They won’t help you, Father,” Nathan said.