“From them.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What happened?”
Ross looked sick.
“Daniel wasn’t supposed to be on that floor when the support failed.”
Ethan felt something cold spread through his chest.
“What are you saying?”
“His shift assignment was changed.”
Blake suddenly shouted.
“Shut up!”
Everyone turned.
Blake’s panic was unmistakable.
Ethan looked at him.
Ross continued.
“Daniel was transferred to the twenty-fourth floor that morning.”
“By whom?”
Ross hesitated.
Blake shouted again.
“Don’t!”
Ross looked at Ethan.
“Blake.”
The word landed like a gunshot.
Ethan lunged.
Three men grabbed him before he reached Blake.
“You killed him!”
“No!” Blake stumbled backward. “No, I didn’t!”
“You changed his assignment!”
“I didn’t know anyone was going to die!”
Ethan fought against the arms holding him.
“Then why did you do it?”
Blake’s eyes flew toward his father.
And suddenly Ethan understood.
So did Natalie.
So did half the people watching.
Charles said calmly, “Blake. Don’t say another word.”
Blake stared at him.
Something broke.
“You told me it would scare him.”
Charles’s expression changed.
“Stop.”
“You said they were going to shut down the section and make it look like a safety demonstration.”
“Blake.”
“You said nobody would be hurt!”
Charles stepped forward.
“Be quiet.”
Blake’s voice rose.
“YOU TOLD ME TO PUT DANIEL COLE ON THAT FLOOR!”
Silence swallowed the rooftop.
Charles stared at his son.
Blake seemed to realize what he had just done.
He covered his mouth.
Too late.
Phones were everywhere.
Recording.
Streaming.
Watching.
Ethan stopped struggling.
He looked at Charles.
“You ordered it.”
Charles’s eyes were cold.
“No.”
Blake turned.
“Dad—”
“You’re confused.”
Blake stared at him.
“What?”
“You’ve been drinking.”
Blake’s face changed.
Charles continued with terrifying calm.
“You have struggled with substance abuse and emotional instability for years.”
Blake looked as if his father had slapped him.
“What are you doing?”
Charles turned to the crowd.
“My son is unwell.”
“Dad.”
“This is a tragic situation being exploited by people with personal grievances.”
“Dad!”
Charles looked at him.
And Ethan saw the truth.
Charles Harrington was sacrificing his own son.
Blake saw it too.
His voice became small.
“You said you would protect me.”
Charles’s expression remained blank.
That sentence did more damage than any photograph could have done.
Natalie stared at Blake.
“What did he promise to protect you from?”
Blake shook his head.
Charles said, “Don’t answer.”
Blake began laughing.
It was a broken, disbelieving sound.
Then he looked at Ethan.
“You think I’m the monster.”
Ethan said nothing.
“I was.”
Blake nodded.
“I was an arrogant piece of garbage. I treated people like they were furniture. I thought money made consequences optional.”
His eyes filled.
“But I didn’t know.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“Didn’t know what?”
“That the supports had been sabotaged.”
Charles moved.
Fast.
“Enough.”
But Blake stepped away from him.
“You told me Daniel was trying to extort the company.”
Charles said nothing.
“You told me he wanted money.”
“Blake.”
“You said we needed to frighten him.”
Charles reached for his son.
Blake recoiled.
“Don’t touch me.”
Ethan’s heartbeat pounded.
“Sabotaged how?”
Blake looked at Ross.
Ross looked down.
Then answered.
“Four anchor bolts were deliberately replaced.”
Natalie gasped.
Ethan whispered, “With what?”
“Lower-grade bolts. Visually almost identical.”
“Who replaced them?”
Ross shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Charles smiled faintly.
And Ethan saw it.
The confidence.
Despite everything, Charles still believed there was no proof.
No witness.
No direct link.
The photographs proved bribery.
The reports proved fraud.
Blake’s confession implicated Charles indirectly.
