Ethan stayed calm. “It’s not a glitch,” he said. “It’s a boundary.” Victor leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Boundaries cost money,” he replied. Mara kept her hands folded and watched Ethan hold the stare without flinching for a full second.
Ethan confronted Victor with the forwarded files and the unauthorized attempts, step by step. Victor denied everything and turned cold. “You’re acting paranoid,” he said. “And paranoia kills deals.” Ethan asked, “Then what’s the hurry, Victor? Why is everyone on your team so keen to push things? I don’t think we want to be pushed.”