The elevator doors opened.
He ran toward the parking garage.
Behind him, the company was beginning to collapse under the weight of its hidden past.
And Victoria Harrington had just made the biggest mistake of her life.
She had threatened the one person Michael would never abandon.
Michael drove through the crowded streets of Manhattan as fast as he safely could.
His hands gripped the steering wheel.
His phone was connected to the car's Bluetooth, and James Whitmore was speaking urgently.
"Mr. Bennett, I've contacted the police. They're sending officers to your father's address."
"How long until they arrive?"
"Approximately ten minutes."
"That's too long."
"Sir, please don't confront anyone yourself."
Michael barely heard him.
All he could think about was the photograph of his father standing outside the house.
He remembered the small boy he had once been, running toward Thomas after school.
He remembered the nights his father had stayed awake beside his bed whenever he was sick.
He remembered the countless times Thomas had told him that everything would be all right.
Now Michael was terrified that he might not be able to protect the man who had protected him his entire life.
"Dad, answer your phone," he whispered.
He called again.
This time, Thomas answered.
"Michael?"
"Dad! Are you safe?"
"I'm inside. I've locked the doors."
"Don't go near the windows."
Thomas paused.
"Son, I think I heard someone trying the back door."
Michael's heart stopped.
"Dad, get away from the door!"
"I've already moved into the kitchen."
"Stay there. I'm almost there."
Suddenly, Michael heard a loud noise through the phone.
"Dad?"
There was silence.
"Dad! Can you hear me?"
A faint voice answered.
"Michael..."
Then the call disconnected.
Michael pressed the accelerator.
When he finally reached the house, he saw two unfamiliar cars parked across the street.
One of them had its engine running.
Michael jumped out.
"HEY!"
A man standing beside the nearest car immediately turned toward him.
Michael ran toward the house.
The front door was slightly open.
"DAD!"
He entered.
The living room was empty.
A chair had been overturned, and a small table lay on its side.
Michael's breathing became uneven.
"Thomas!"
Then he heard a weak voice.
"Michael..."
He rushed toward the kitchen.
Thomas was sitting on the floor beside the refrigerator. One of his hands was bleeding slightly, and his glasses lay broken nearby.
Michael dropped to his knees.
"Dad! What happened?"
Thomas tried to smile.
"I'm all right."
Michael carefully examined his father's arm.
"You're hurt."
"It's nothing. Someone tried to get inside. I slipped when I moved away from the door."
Michael helped him stand.
"Why didn't you call the police?"
"I did. They were already on their way."
Michael embraced him.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Then Thomas gently touched his son's face.
"You came."
Michael looked at him.
"Of course I came."
Thomas smiled sadly.
"I knew you would."
Outside, police sirens could be heard approaching.
The two men who had been watching the house attempted to leave, but officers stopped their vehicles.
Michael watched from the window as the suspects were questioned.
One officer entered the house.
"Mr. Bennett, are you all right?"
Thomas nodded.
"Yes."
"We'll need to take your statement. We've also recovered a phone from one of the suspects."
Michael looked at the officer.
"Do you know who sent them?"
The officer hesitated.
"We're investigating. However, the messages on the phone appear to connect them to a private security contractor."
Michael frowned.
"Who hired the contractor?"
"We're tracing the payments."
A few minutes later, James arrived.
He looked at Thomas with concern.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm glad you're safe."
Thomas smiled.
"Thank you, James."
James turned toward Michael.
"There's something you need to know. We have recovered additional financial records from the company archive."
Michael's expression changed.
"What did you find?"
"Evidence connecting Victoria's consulting network to the people who threatened your father."
Michael closed his eyes briefly.
"Then we have enough."
James nodded.
"Almost. There's one final document we haven't verified."
"What document?"
James looked at Thomas.
"The original report concerning Daniel's accident."
Thomas became pale.
"Where is it?"
"Someone has been trying to remove it from the archive. But we believe a backup copy still exists."
Michael looked at his father.
"Then tomorrow, we finish this."
Thomas gently held his son's arm.
"Michael, I don't want you to lose everything because of me."
Michael shook his head.
"Dad, you are not the reason this company is in danger. The people who chose greed over honesty are responsible."
Thomas looked at his son with quiet pride.
For the first time in many years, he saw the little boy he had raised standing before him as a man who understood what truly mattered.