Patricia whispered, “Stop.”
Lupita looked at her.
“No.”
The word was not loud.
It did not need to be.
Ethan nodded once.
“Send everything to my personal email.”
Robert stepped forward. “Mr. Vance, I strongly recommend we slow down before accepting unofficial documents.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You are suspended immediately. Hand over your laptop, keys, and badge.”
Robert froze.
“Mr. Vance—”
“Now.”
Security arrived two minutes later.
Not the lobby guard Robert controlled.
Corporate security.
Ethan had pressed one button on his phone while Robert was speaking.
Karla watched them take Robert’s badge.
Patricia sobbed behind the desk.
Lupita sent file after file from her cracked phone.
And Ethan finally set one hand on the marble counter.
Not to steady himself.
To claim the room.
“Clear the desk,” he said. “Patricia and Karla are relieved of guest-facing duties pending investigation.”
Karla’s face turned red. “You can’t just destroy our lives.”
