Chapter 5 - Vesper’s lawyer attacks the locket
Vesper hired Daniel Mercer, a litigation attorney known for making simple disputes expensive.
His first letter argued:
The locket was Vesper’s family property.
Elara had no right to conceal confidential Marlowe information inside it.
The compliance deposit might contain:
Stolen corporate records.
Privileged communications.
Personal financial data.
Improperly obtained material.
Therefore:
Do not review further.
Preserve.
Return any company originals.
No distribution.
Gideon smiled when he read it.
“What?”
“She anticipated this too.”
Elara’s deposit consisted primarily of:
Copies of documents she had lawful access to through foundation and compliance work.
Public records.
Her own notes.
Emails sent to her.
Board materials lawfully provided.
She did not hack servers.
No hidden recording of bedrooms.
No stolen passwords.
Still, privilege questions existed.
One folder contained communications involving counsel.
Independent review team would screen them.
We hired outside law firm:
Keller Price & Ward.
Lead partner:
Amelia Grant.
No Marlowe family ties.
Then the board.
Marlowe Holdings had nine directors.
Three family-related.
Four independent business directors.
Two investor representatives.
I disclosed.
Recused myself from deciding whether claims against Vesper were substantiated? I remained CEO and director but an independent special committee handled the investigation.
Vesper was not a board director at parent level.
She sat on subsidiary/vendor committees.
Those powers were temporarily suspended pending review.
Paid committee stipend stopped prospectively, not seized.
Then gala assault.
Vesper’s lawyer demanded I stay away from her.
Fine.
No-contact order already worked both ways for direct interaction around Isolde.
Then my retaliation.
The champagne display.
Prosecutor offered me:
Pretrial diversion on a misdemeanor offensive-contact/property-damage count.
Conditions:
Anger-management course.
Community service.
Pay direct property damage associated with the ruined display if not otherwise covered.
No unlawful contact.
I accepted.
The destroyed glasses and display cost:
$6,800.
Insurance covered part.
I personally paid:
$2,400 deductible/uncovered replacement.
Vesper’s gown?
Her insurer sought compensation.
We settled:
$4,500.
Not because she deserved moral victory.
Because I caused the damage.
Then Vesper’s case for shoving Isolde.
Prosecutor filed misdemeanor assault/endangerment-related charges appropriate to the conduct.
No felony attempted murder nonsense.
She pleaded not guilty.
Separate.
Then Isolde.
Her therapist asked:
“Why do you think Aunt Vesper said you weren’t your father’s daughter?”
Isolde answered:
“Because she wanted Daddy mad.”
That was perceptive.
Then:
“Did it work?”
“Yes.”
That was more perceptive.
Vesper understood my temper.
The compliance files might explain money.
The ballroom explained method.
May you like
She used children, rumors, and public humiliation to provoke decisions.
That was the danger Elara had seen.
