Chapter 24
Dominic was sixty-one when the restaurant group wanted to expand.
Legitimate business.
Real opportunity.
New location.
Independent investors.
Banks.
Clean books.
Dominic held minority equity.
He wanted to increase his stake.
Needed capital.
He had enough for some.
Not all.
Then Lulu’s trust crossed his mind.
He hated that it crossed his mind.
Still did.
They were eating lunch.
He said:
“I need to ask you something.”
Lulu looked suspicious.
“Kidney?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Investment.”
Her face changed.
Dominic immediately regretted it.
“Forget it.”
“No.”
“Ask.”
He explained.
A real deal.
Independent valuation.
No criminal structure.
No hidden cash.
Potential return.
Lulu could invest personally through a managed vehicle if the trustee approved suitability.
Not give Dominic money.
Invest.
Still.
Father-daughter financial entanglement.
Lulu listened.
Then:
“Would you ask me if I weren’t your daughter?”
Dominic stopped.
“Probably not.”
“Why?”
“Different investor profile.”
“Then no.”
Immediate.
Dominic’s face tightened.
Not rage.
Disappointment.
Lulu noticed.
“You mad?”
“Yes.”
“That’s honest.”
“I also think you’re right.”
That surprised her.
He continued:
“I told myself because the deal is clean, asking you was clean.”
“The investment may be.”
“The relationship issue is separate.”
Lulu smiled.
Natalia would—
No.
Stop.
Her own judgment.
Dominic said:
“I’ll find other capital.”
He did.
At worse terms.
Still profitable.
Months later the expansion succeeded.
Lulu asked:
“Regret not asking harder?”
“Yes.”
They laughed.
Then Helen Park, still trustee by Lulu’s choice, said:
“That was a good no.”
Lulu frowned.
“No can be bad?”
“Yes.”
“Obviously.”
“Sometimes beneficiaries reject reasonable opportunities because family trauma makes all relational finance feel dangerous.”
Lulu became quiet.
Was she avoiding all family transactions forever?
Maybe.
Not necessarily bad.
But worth examining.
Helen said:
“You don’t need to invest with Dominic.”
“Just know whether the rule is ‘not this deal’ or ‘never anything involving Dad.’”
Lulu hated her.
Useful.
Then Lulu and Adrian got engaged.
Finally.
Dominic pretended not to care.
Failed.
Wedding planning began.
Immediately terrible.
May you like
Photographer.
Lulu froze
