Chapter 5 - LORRAINE'S VERSION
Lorraine hired attorney Lauren Pierce.
Excellent.
She did not deny history.
She reframed it.
Margaret had voluntarily restructured.
Margaret received substantial compensation.
Carter Hospitality took enormous risk after her departure.
Most current value was created decades later.
True.
Then Lauren attacked the founder note.
Some payments were undocumented.
Some amendments ambiguous.
Some limitations periods potentially relevant.
The voting option might be enforceable.
Might not.
No instant corporate takeover.
Good.
Then Lorraine addressed Emily.
“I never told Victor to marry you.”
Emily stared.
“Did you encourage him?”
Lorraine smiled slightly.
“I liked that he was dating someone respectable.”
“Whose mother happened to hold old Carter rights?”
Lorraine answered:
“That was convenient.”
There.
Not romance conspiracy.
Opportunism.
More believable.
Then Lorraine added:
“Victor loved you.”
Emily’s eyes burned.
“Then why did he force my face toward a bowl?”
May you like
Lorraine had no answer.
Because whatever love existed had become subordinate to obedience.
