Richard paused.
Then he gave a small nod.
Richard: "Yes. I think that would be best."
Evelyn could hardly believe what she was hearing.
She had come to expose wrongdoing, yet now the man she was confronting was attempting to turn the situation against her.
She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.
Evelyn: "That's fine. Please call them."
Richard raised an eyebrow.
Richard: "You're sure?"
Evelyn: "Absolutely."
Richard gave a faint smile.
Richard: "You may regret that decision."
Evelyn: "I don't think I will."
The security guard stepped away to make the call.
For a few moments, Evelyn concentrated on collecting the papers scattered across the floor.
Her hands were trembling slightly, not because she was afraid of Richard, but because she was beginning to understand how far he was willing to go to protect himself.
She placed the documents back inside the folder.
One photograph had landed several feet away.
She walked over and picked it up.
It showed an older man standing outside a small building, smiling beside a young woman.
The photograph was faded and slightly damaged around the edges.
Evelyn stared at it for a moment.
Her expression softened.
That photograph was the reason she had refused to abandon the investigation.
It reminded her of someone who had once believed that doing the right thing was more important than making money.
Someone who had paid a terrible price for trusting the wrong people.
Evelyn carefully placed the photograph inside the folder.
Richard watched her.
Richard: "You should have stayed out of this."
Evelyn did not look at him.
Evelyn: "I wish I could have."
Richard: "Then why didn't you?"
Evelyn finally raised her eyes.
Evelyn: "Because someone has to stand up for the people you thought nobody would ever defend."
Richard's expression darkened.
Richard: "You don't know what you're talking about."
Evelyn: "I know what happened to them."
Richard: "You have no proof."
Evelyn: "I have more proof than you realize."
Richard took another step toward her.
Richard: "You think a few pieces of paper can destroy everything I've built?"
Evelyn: "No. Your own decisions can do that."
Richard suddenly reached for her arm.
Evelyn tried to pull away.
Evelyn: "Let go of me!"
Richard: "You are going to listen to me."
Evelyn: "Don't touch me!"
The movement happened so quickly that the people watching barely understood what they had witnessed.
Evelyn stumbled backward.
Her heel caught against the edge of the polished floor, and she lost her balance.
She fell hard onto the marble.
The sound of her body hitting the floor echoed through the enormous hallway.
Her folder slipped from her hands.
Papers scattered in several directions.
For one terrible second, everyone stood completely still.
Evelyn raised a hand toward her forehead, trying to understand what had just happened.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Richard looked down at her.
Instead of immediately helping her up, he stepped backward.
Richard: "You should have been more careful."
A woman near the reception desk gasped.
Witness: "Oh my goodness!"
Another visitor hurried forward.
Witness: "Are you hurt?"
Evelyn tried to sit up.
Evelyn: "Please... my documents."
The woman looked at the scattered papers.
Witness: "Don't worry about those. Let me help you."
But Evelyn was not thinking about the folder anymore.
She was thinking about the fact that Richard had just put his hands on her.
And she knew that he would probably deny it.
Richard turned toward the security guard.
Richard: "You saw what happened. She lost her balance."
The security guard looked uncomfortable.
He had not seen the entire incident clearly.
Security Guard: "I... I was standing over there."
Richard: "Exactly. She was shouting, moving around, and then she fell."
Evelyn slowly looked up.
Evelyn: "You pushed me."
Richard: "That's ridiculous."
Evelyn: "You grabbed me!"
Richard: "You are making false accusations."
Evelyn: "Everyone saw what you did!"
Richard: "Nobody saw anything."
The woman who had approached Evelyn looked toward Richard with disbelief.
Witness: "I saw you reach for her."
Richard turned sharply.
Richard: "Excuse me?"
Witness: "I saw what happened."
Richard: "Then you should be careful about making statements you cannot support."
Witness: "I know what I saw."
Richard looked at the security guard.
Richard: "Please make sure everyone remains where they are until the police arrive."
Evelyn pressed one hand against the floor and slowly attempted to stand.
Her legs were unsteady.
The woman beside her supported her arm.
Witness: "Take your time. Don't rush."
Evelyn: "Thank you."
Witness: "Are you sure you don't need medical assistance?"
Evelyn: "I just need a moment."
Her eyes moved toward Richard.
He was standing a few feet away, adjusting the sleeve of his expensive suit as though the entire incident had been nothing more than an inconvenience.
That sight hurt more than she expected.
She had spent years believing that powerful people could still be held accountable if someone was brave enough to confront them.
But Richard was showing her exactly how difficult that could be.
He had money.
He had connections.
He had employees willing to follow his instructions.