Chapter 13 - THE CONTRACT DEREK DIDN'T READ
Jonathan arrived in Chicago under subpoena.
He looked exhausted.
He handed Naomi the original Blackridge partnership agreement.
Derek had signed electronically.
He had read the summary.
Not the appendix.
Irony.
Appendix D contained a misconduct clause.
Any partner who used unlawful means to manipulate a target company’s governance automatically forfeited equity.
Derek’s twenty percent could disappear.
His lawsuit could collapse.
Derek’s attorney attacked the clause.
Ambiguous.
Unenforceable.
Inserted unfairly.
Jonathan said Derek had insisted on similar language to protect himself from Jonathan.
Again:
Derek’s own cleverness returning.
Then Naomi found an email.
Derek:
If Jonathan does anything illegal, I want him out with zero.
Blackridge counsel:
Clause will apply reciprocally.
Derek:
Fine.
Now it applied to him.
The civil judge froze Derek’s Blackridge interest.
The corporate war was ending.
The personal case remained.
At Samantha’s hearing, Derek testified.
“You heard me screaming.”
“Yes.”
“You believed I was in danger.”
“Yes.”
“And you demanded money.”
“Yes.”
No escape.
Then her attorney asked:
“Had Samantha already requested emergency intervention?”
“Yes.”
Derek looked irritated.
“Did you know that?”
“No.”
“Did Samantha cause the brake fault?”
“No evidence of that.”
“Did you know the car had been restricted?”
“Yes.”
“Did you continue driving after noticing a fault?”
Derek’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I was trying to get somewhere safe.”
Then Jonathan’s testimony appeared.
Derek had said:
This might be better.
Derek denied the phrase.
The judge did not decide guilt that day.
But the balance shifted.
Then Marcus interrupted Naomi outside court.
“We found a login from James Carter’s master account.”
“Another one?”
“Yes.”
“How recent?”
“Not recent.”
He swallowed.
“Two years before Derek formed Blackridge.”
Samantha stared.
“Who used it?”
Marcus looked at her.
“That’s the problem.”
“The account accessed your personal shareholder file.”
“What for?”
Marcus turned the screen.
May you like
One document had been opened.
SUCCESSION OPTIONS IF SAMANTHA IS REMOVED.
