My son called from the emergency room before dawn and said, “Dad, the doctor is refusing to treat me. He says I’m faking it for drugs.” When I got there, the doctor’s s…

“You should still think—”

“I have thought,” I said. “If we take the money and sign the NDA, Vance keeps practicing. Another family gets the same doctor. Another patient gets dismissed. Maybe next time they actually die. Tell them no settlement, no confidentiality, no withdrawal. We proceed with the board complaint and the lawsuit. Publicly.”

Jeffrey was quiet a moment. “You understand what that means, right? Ethan’s records may become part of the public story. Reporters. Scrutiny. The hospital may try to dig into everything.”

“I understand. Do it anyway.”