Chapter 3 - The Settlement I Never Received
Daniel and I met the next morning in the office of Lena Ortiz, a lawyer I hired independently. I did not want Thomas's attorney deciding what was best for me.
Lena had a calm voice and an expression that suggested she never tolerated vague answers.
“Start with the document Amelia supposedly signed,” she said.
Daniel produced a copy. My name appeared beside a signature that looked convincing at first glance, but the address was wrong and the dated acknowledgment referred to a meeting I'd never attended.
“I didn't sign that,” I said.
Lena nodded.
“We'll challenge it through the proper process and preserve the original records.”
Daniel explained that the $8.4 million had been transferred out of a family-office settlement reserve to an investment vehicle labeled Meridian Strategic Partners. Additional authorizations purported to release my rights to certain marital property and to confirm I had received financial advice.
None of that was true.
Sarah had handled the document package when she still worked directly for Thomas. Vincent had approved the accounting entries.
“Did Thomas review the final paperwork?” Lena asked.
Daniel hesitated.
“He approved the settlement concept. We are examining what he actually saw.”
I remembered Thomas telling me that everything would be handled fairly. Then his calls stopped coming and his office became impossible to reach.
“He could have checked on me,” I said.
Lena met my eyes.
“Yes. Whatever the investigation finds, his absence is his responsibility.”
After the meeting, I returned to Grand Foods. The routine of scanning groceries steadied me.
But just before closing, my manager handed me an envelope delivered by courier.
There was no return address.
Inside was a photograph of me leaving my prenatal clinic.
May you like
Across the bottom, someone had written:
Sign the release and no one gets embarrassed.
