Chapter 7: BAD: Gala Fiasco

👉 Previous Decision: You chose Option B – Attempt to confront Arthur publicly during a crowded hospital board gala.

I spotted Arthur Pendelton across the glittering ballroom, a glass of champagne in hand, laughing with several hospital board members. The sight fueled my rage.

I marched directly towards him, the flash drive clutched in my hand, ready to expose him. “Arthur!” I called out, my voice echoing slightly above the din. “I know what you did!”

He turned, his smile faltering as he saw the fury on my face. Before I could say another word, a stern-faced woman in a dark suit stepped between us. Arthur’s legal counsel.

“Ms. Lin, this is hardly the appropriate venue for a personal grievance,” she said, her voice low but firm.

“Personal grievance?” I scoffed, thrusting the flash drive forward. “He’s defrauding patients! He’s trying to steal my home!”

Arthur, regaining his composure, simply shook his head with a theatrical sigh. “Maya, I understand you’re under stress, but this is unprofessional. You’re making quite a scene.”

The board members around us exchanged uncomfortable glances. Security guards, alerted by the commotion, began to move in.

The legal team quickly dismissed my claims as a “workplace breakdown,” framing it as a personal vendetta against a respected executive. The flash drive was seized, but the evidence was instantly bogged down in motions, injunctions, and legal maneuvering.

Arthur’s smile returned, cold and victorious, as he was escorted away. My attempt at a public reckoning had backfired, tying up the critical evidence in court indefinitely.