Chapter 4: The Severance
The meeting adjourned at five o'clock.
The executives filed out of the room with respectful handshakes, leaving only Margaret, Arthur Campbell, Mark, and Chloe.
Chloe immediately rushed to the table, her hands clasped together in desperate pleading. ""Margaret... Mom... please understand. We were under so much stress. The market has been terrible. Mark’s firm had cash flow issues. We only wanted to protect the family image.""
Margaret did not look at her. She looked at Arthur.
""Arthur, read the trust amendment,"" Margaret said.
Arthur pulled a certified legal document from his briefcase.
""As of 4:00 PM today,"" Arthur read in a clear, measured cadence, ""the Castile-Vance Family Discretionary Trust has been restructured. The annual living stipend previously allocated to Mark Vance has been permanently dissolved. All direct equity options have been transferred into an independent educational conservatorship for the benefit of Mark’s children, Noah and Clara, managed exclusively by the community board.""
""What?"" Mark jumped to his feet, knocking his leather chair backward. ""Mom! You're cutting me off? I have bills! I have investors!""
""You don't have investors, Mark,"" Margaret said, standing up slowly. ""You have creditors whom you lied to. You told the banks you held personal equity in my holding group to secure personal loans.""
""I am your son!"" Mark screamed, tears of rage and panic breaking through his eyes. ""You gave me life! You owe me a foundation!""
""I gave you a foundation, Mark,"" Margaret replied, her voice breaking slightly with a mother's profound sorrow. ""Your father and I gave you an honest home, an education, and twenty years of unconditional support. But we did not give you the right to treat other human beings like dirt so you could feel tall.""
She picked up her handbag.
May you like
""The suite is yours for the weekend, Mark. After that, you will find a job that requires you to work with your hands, and you will learn how to earn an honest dollar. Security will collect your resort passes on Monday morning.""
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