Chapter 13 - Martin’s Last Defense
Martin Sterling came to the hospital voluntarily.
With lawyers.
Of course.
He sat across from Ethan in a private conference room.
“I did not set the fire.”
“Yes.”
Martin looked tired.
“I used Brooke’s account.”
“Why?”
“To keep Chad close.”
Ethan laughed once.
Martin ignored him.
“Chad was aggressive. Useful. Dangerous. I needed him believing Brooke supported certain decisions.”
“Like what?”
“Keeping you away from Sterling.”
“And the consulting payments?”
Martin said nothing.
Ethan waited.
Finally:
“Were they bribes?”
“No.”
“Kickbacks?”
“No.”
“Extortion?”
Martin looked away.
“Chad had something on you.”
Silence.
Ethan leaned forward.
“What?”
Martin’s face tightened.
“An old clinical trial.”
Brooke stood near the door.
“What trial?”
Martin closed his eyes.
“What happened?”
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“Was it reported?”
“Yes.”
Marcus asked, “Fully?”
Martin looked at the table.
“No.”
Brooke whispered, “Dad.”
“You hid it.”
“How many patients?”
Ethan asked, “Any deaths?”
Martin did not answer.
Brooke sat down.
“Oh my God.”
Chad had not just been draining the company.
He had been blackmailing Martin.
And Martin had paid him with company money.
Ethan looked at Marcus.
“Triggered.”
Martin closed his eyes.
At midnight, control of Sterling Biotech transferred to Vance Holdings.
No ceremony.
No applause.
Just signatures.
Then Ethan looked at Brooke.
Martin snapped, “You can’t—”
“I already did.”
Brooke did not defend him.
That surprised Martin more than anything.
Ethan continued.
Martin stood.
“You’ll destroy Sterling.”
Ethan looked at him.
“No.”
He glanced toward Isabella through the glass wall, sitting beside her brother.
“I’m going to find out whether there’s anything left worth saving.”
Then Marcus handed Ethan one last document.
A hospital billing record.
May you like
The patient tied to the old hidden trial had a familiar last name.
Cruz.
