I opened the severance file again.

The non-disparagement clause sat at the bottom of page three, a block of gray text I had skimmed the first time.

The undersigned agrees not to contact, solicit, or communicate, directly or indirectly, with any representative, affiliate, or agent of Halston Capital.

I read it twice.

Then I read the sentence above it, the one about not discussing the terms of this agreement with any third party.

The definition of representative took up two lines on page four.