Chapter 5 - The Hidden Clause
Mason hovered over me, trying to use his physical size to intimidate me into submission.
I did not flinch, nor did I take a single step backward.
"Move out of my way, Mason," I warned him in a low, dangerous tone.
"Or what?" Mason mocked, glancing back at Kenneth for validation.
Before I could speak, Abernathy pressed a button on his smartwatch.
The boardroom doors suddenly swung open, knocking Mason backward into the wall.
Two massive corporate security guards stepped into the room, their expressions grim.
"Escort these non-employees off the premises," Abernathy ordered.
Kenneth tried to argue, but one of the guards firmly grabbed his arm.
"This isn't over, Mom!" Kenneth shouted as they dragged him toward the elevators.
Brenda scrambled after him, still crying about her repossessed vehicle.
Gertrude smoothed her wrinkled skirt and glared at me.
"You always thought you were better than me," Gertrude hissed.
"We will see who is better when the judge leaves you completely bankrupt."
Once the room was empty, I sat back down in the leather chair, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion.
"How serious is this patent lawsuit, Mr. Abernathy?" I asked.
"It is a nuisance suit, but Mason is right about one thing," the lawyer admitted.
"It could freeze your assets temporarily if a judge grants the preliminary injunction on Monday."
I looked out the massive glass window at the city skyline.
My husband had worked sixty hours a week for decades to build this legacy.
I was not going to let his bitter sister and my greedy children tear it apart.
"We need a silver bullet, Mr. Abernathy."
"Do we have any proof that Gertrude's husband did not invent that patent?"
Abernathy slowly unzipped the hidden compartment of his leather briefcase.
"We do not have proof of that," Abernathy said carefully.
"But we do have something much, much better."
He pulled out a brittle, yellowed envelope sealed with red wax.
"Your husband gave this to me five years before he died, with strict instructions to only open it if Gertrude ever tried to claim the company."
May you like
I reached out with trembling fingers and broke the wax seal.
I pulled out the paper, read the first three lines, and felt the blood drain completely from my face.
