Arthur didn’t bother sitting; he stood in the center of the small hospital waiting room like a man bracing for impact. “The new charges aren’t just against Brandon,” he said, voice low and steady. “They’re aimed at Julia.”
Brandon froze mid-step. “What?”
Arthur lifted his tablet, turning the screen toward them. “Fraud. Manipulation. Coercion. They’re accusing her of exploiting your family for financial gain.”
Julia felt the world tilt—slow, sickening. “That’s impossible. They can’t—”
“They already did,” Arthur cut in gently. “And they’re pushing it to the corporate board by morning.”
The room fell silent. Then Brandon moved—fast. Too fast.
He grabbed his coat, anger radiating off him like heat. “I’m going to him.”
Arthur stepped into his path, blocking the doorway. “If you go in lik
