Chapter 6 - MALCOLM WREN
Malcolm Wren denied conspiracy.
He said Seraphina called him for private financial education.
He billed her:
$18,000
over five months.
Paid from Seraphina’s personal account.
Not Arthur’s.
Services:
estate planning review,
beneficiary-rights education,
household-support analysis.
Legal?
Mostly.
Then Grace found a draft document on Malcolm’s laptop.
HOUSEHOLD RESERVE REQUEST AUTHORITY — REVISED.
Original proposal:
three requestors,
large transactions independently verified.
Malcolm’s revision:
Seraphina as PRIMARY HOUSEHOLD ADMINISTRATOR.
Threshold for independent verification:
raised from $15,000 to $75,000.
Emergency request authority:
Seraphina alone up to $250,000.
Arthur looked at Seraphina.
“You asked for this?”
She said:
“I asked what authority would make the system workable.”
“Workable for who?”
“For the person actually running the household.”
Grace asked Malcolm:
“Was this ever sent to the Caldwell family office?”
“No.”
“Was Arthur told?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Drafting exercise.”
Lauren supported that.
People can explore aggressive legal positions without implementing them.
True.
Then Malcolm’s email surfaced.
MALCOLM:
If Elena remains verifier, Arthur will never delegate real authority.
SERAPHINA:
Then Elena cannot remain.
MALCOLM:
That is a household decision, not mine.
SERAPHINA:
May you like
It will be handled.
The necklace suddenly had context.
