The words sat there in crisp black ink, precise and undeniable.

“What is this?” I asked.

My voice sounded thin against the hum of the overhead vent.

Richard didn’t look at me or acknowledge the question.

He kept his focus entirely on the social worker across the desk.

“We can’t leave our portfolios exposed to open-ended billing,” he said.

“The hospital board has already made it clear they’ll go after all our liquid assets for the treatment invoices.”

“You’re signing me away,” I said.