Arthur had only learned about the embezzlement ten minutes ago.

He was a man of business, and his loyalty was to the firm, not to Ethan.

“Get out, Ethan,” Arthur said.

Ethan turned and walked toward the glass door.

He pushed it open.

Two burly men in grey security uniforms were waiting in the corridor.

They did not touch him, but they fell into step on either side of him as he walked down the hall.

I watched his back disappear around the corner.

The tension in the room did not leave with him.

It seemed to settle into the carpet, heavy and cold.

Arthur sank back into his leather chair.

He looked very old.

“Are you going to be okay, Clara?” he asked.

“I will be fine,” I said.

“What about the firm?”

“We will survive,” Arthur said.

“We will cooperate fully.”

“We will position Ethan as a rogue actor.”

“Which he was.”

Arthur looked down at his legal pad.

“He has ruined himself, Clara.”

“The federal prosecutors do not lose these cases.”

“He is looking at ten to fifteen years.”