Chapter 9 - MY FATHER’S DEFENSEDad came to my house six days after delivery.
By agreement.
Leah present.
Alistair absent.
That was my condition.
I wanted to face my father without another powerful man occupying the room.
Dad sat across from me.
“You think I’m stealing from you.”
“I think you tried to buy eighteen million dollars of stock for less than five while I was medicated.”
“That formula has existed for years.”
“For voluntary family transfers.”
“Yes.”
“I wasn’t volunteering.”
“You hadn’t said no.”
I laughed.
“I said no in the hospital.”
“Before then.”
“I refused the voting LLC five times.”
“That isn’t the same agreement.”
There it was.
Technical distinctions used against obvious meaning.
I asked:
“Why Friday?”
He looked tired.
“The company needs financing.”
“Then show me everything.”
“You are on maternity leave.”
“I am a shareholder.”
“Madeline.”
“Show me everything.”
He leaned back.
“You have no idea what happens if that financing fails.”
“Then explain it.”
He did.
Payroll risk.
Supplier defaults.
Covenant breach.
Possible layoffs.
Real consequences.
Not villain theater.
My father was scared.
May you like
That made what he did more understandable.
Not acceptable.
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