Chapter 5 - THE CLAUSE DIDN'T SAY MALE
Rachel requested the governing agreement from company counsel.
Mark resisted.
“Why?”
“Because my daughter was humiliated over this.”
The attorney, Susan Hale, sent it.
Rachel read the succession clause three times.
Qualified successor meant:
lineal descendant,
adopted descendant,
or approved family nominee.
No gender restriction.
No surname requirement.
No son requirement.
Rachel called Susan.
“Has this ever required a male heir?”
“No.”
“Has anyone told Diane that?”
A pause.
“Repeatedly.”
Rachel sat back.
So Diane knew.
This was not ignorance.
It was ideology.
Then Rachel asked:
“Has Emma ever been discussed as Mark’s future successor?”
Susan became careful.
“She is three.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Another pause.
“There have been preliminary family-governance discussions.”
May you like
Rachel felt cold.
“What discussions?”
