Chapter 6 - EVELYN'S VERSION OF FAMILY
Evelyn Bennett did not deny involvement.
She denied criminal intent.
That distinction became her strategy.
She said Claire had been unraveling after Thomas died.
Too much pressure.
Too much grief.
Too many emotional decisions.
Evelyn claimed Daniel acted to protect the company from collapse.
Then she produced emails.
Claire to Noah:
I cannot do this anymore.
Claire to Maya:
Sometimes I want to walk away from the whole company.
Claire to Daniel:
Maybe you should handle it if you think you know everything.
Real.
Written during arguments.
Evelyn’s attorney placed them beside the temporary voting resolution.
Context disappeared.
Claire looked unstable.
Then Evelyn produced a draft resignation letter.
Claire recognized it.
She had written it eighteen months earlier after a brutal board meeting.
Never signed.
Never sent.
Daniel had saved it.
Evelyn said:
“We believed Claire wanted relief.”
Maya answered:
“Relief is not consent to transfer ownership.”
Evelyn smiled.
“No. But it explains why the board was concerned.”
Smart.
She did not need the forged pledge to look innocent.
She only needed the surrounding story to make the forgery look like a desperate procedural shortcut instead of theft.
Then Claire’s team found the Meridian acquisition term sheet.
Daniel’s name appeared under:
Transaction Sponsor.
Success fee:
$1.1 million.
Claire stared.
“So that’s it.”
Maya shook her head.
“Not all of it.”
The term sheet also granted Daniel an option to buy 8% of post-transaction equity at a discounted valuation.
If Meridian took control, Daniel would become wealthy independently of Claire.
And Evelyn?
A consulting agreement.
May you like
$240,000 per year for three years.
The family takeover came with salaries.
