Chapter 14 - Melissa’s first settlement offer
Melissa offered:
$25,000.
In exchange:
I withdrew card disputes.
Released all claims.
Agreed not to make public statements harming her company.
My lawyer laughed.
I did not.
Because $25,000 was real money.
Could be reasonable if disputed charges were uncertain.
So we calculated.
Charges above the $1,500 cap:
Approximately $71,750.
Then we credited amounts I arguably authorized by text:
Roof-related temporary increase.
Utilities.
Specific repair contributions.
Some groceries.
Potential disputed overcharge after credits:
Around $48,000 to $57,000.
Then services I genuinely received:
Cleaning.
Groceries.
Utilities.
Household use.
Even if billed badly, value existed.
My lawyer said:
“This is not a case where every dollar over $1,500 automatically returns.”
Good.
We rejected $25,000.
May you like
Not because I wanted to destroy Melissa.
Because accounting was not finished.
