“An actor,” Eleanor said, her voice dripping with disdain. “We paid him fifty thousand dollars to stand close to her in a parking lot. A good camera angle did the rest.”

“You monstrous people,” Ethan whispered.

“We preserved the dynasty, Ethan,” Richard said. “The public cannot see a Harrison heir associating with embezzlement and scandal. By making her look like the thief, we saved you.”

“You didn’t save me,” Ethan said. “You destroyed me.”

“You are the chief of cardiothoracic surgery,” Richard said. “You are exactly where you belong.”

“Not anymore,” Ethan said. “I am going to the police. I have the files from the old server.”

I heard a heavy thud, like a hand slamming onto a desk.

“You will do no such thing,” Richard said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous register. “Those files will never see the light of day.”

“I will expose everything,” Ethan said.

“If you do, I will dismantle that hospital block by block,” Richard said. “I will withdraw every cent of our funding.”

“You wouldn’t,” Ethan said.