Chapter 8 - THE BONUS MEMO
The strongest document was not an email.
It was a compensation memo.
2017.
Morgan Table Group was opening location number three.
Cash was tight.
Claire had been doing near-full-time work.
Ethan proposed paying her.
Their accountant discouraged adding fixed salary during expansion.
Instead Ethan wrote:
Claire’s contribution will be recognized through household distributions and future participation once cash flow normalizes.
Future participation.
No percentage.
No contract.
Not enforceable as a clean equity grant.
But powerful evidence.
The accountant remembered the conversation.
“I told Ethan if Claire kept working like this, they should formalize something.”
“Why didn’t they?”
“Ethan said everything was marital anyway.”
Claire closed her eyes.
That phrase again.
Everything is ours anyway.
For years it kept her from asking for title.
Now Ethan argued:
Nothing is yours because your name is not on it.
May you like
Grace said:
“That contradiction will matter.”
