“Sterling thinks he has me trapped,” Daniel said.

“He thinks I will do anything to keep my title.”

“But he doesn’t know what I’m willing to lose to protect you.”

A slow realization began to form in my mind.

“Daniel,” I said.

“What are you planning?”

“There is only one way to stop him from using this as a weapon,” Daniel said.

He walked over to the window and looked out at the lights of the city.

“If I give him what he wants, he has no reason to release the records.”

“But if I just resign quietly, he might still leak them later to make sure I don’t try to come back.”

“I have to take the story away from him entirely.”

He didn’t explain further, but the look in his eyes made me cold.

The door to the hospital room opened with a soft click.

Dr. Shah walked in, holding a metal clipboard.

He looked at Daniel, then at me, sensing the heavy silence in the room.

“Am I interrupting?” Dr. Shah asked.

“No, Doctor,” I said quickly.

“We were just talking.”