“She doesn’t need protection from us,” I said.

“She is part of this family.”

Vance sighed and adjusted his cuffs.

“The board does not see it that way,” he said.

He turned his attention directly to Claire.

“Ms. Bennett, if you sign this, the Whitmore Foundation will fully cover your medical bills.”

“And if I don’t?” Claire asked.

“The foundation will withdraw its funding for this private suite immediately,” Vance said.

“You will be transferred to the public ward.”

“You can’t do that,” I said, stepping closer to him. “I am the CEO.”

“The board suspended your discretionary spending privileges twenty minutes ago,” Vance said.

He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a sleek tablet.

He tapped the screen and turned it toward me.

“They have also authorized the release of this statement to the press.”

I looked at the screen.

It was a draft of a press release from Whitmore Corp.

The headline read: *Whitmore Corp Addresses Security Breach and Intruder at Family Estate.*

My eyes scanned the paragraphs.

It described Claire as a former domestic worker who had developed an unhealthy fixation on my sons.