Chapter 23 - Nicholas and Maison
Family office review of Maison Workforce.
Rates high.
But temporary workers properly paid.
Taxes.
Workers’ comp.
No wage theft.
No sham staff.
Nicholas’s profit margins strong.
Not illegal.
Problem:
Undisclosed related-party interest.
Could family office ban Maison forever?
It chose two-year ineligibility from Moretti shared contracts, subject reapplication under independent review.
Nicholas challenged.
He argued:
Punishment disproportionate because Vanessa filled form, not him.
Independent committee reduced to:
One-year suspension plus conflict disclosure requirement.
Why?
He had no formal duty to fill family form, though he knowingly discussed scaling through family contract.
Shared responsibility.
Then Nicholas called me.
“I didn’t starve your kids.”
“I know.”
“You talk about me like I did.”
“I haven’t spoken publicly.”
“Your family treats Maison like poison.”
“You benefited from an undisclosed relationship.”
“I invested in a staffing company.”
“Yes.”
“My sister married you.”
“Yes.”
“So I’m supposed to stop investing?”
“No. Disclose when your sister asks the family to hire the company.”
Silence.
Then:
“That’s fair.”
May you like
First useful sentence.
No reconciliation.
