Chapter 10 - Howard’s Last WeaponHoward came to Northstar the next morning.
He was not invited.
Security stopped him in the lobby.
He demanded Madeline come downstairs.
She refused.
Then he demanded Ian.
Ian refused.
Finally Howard left an envelope.
Sarah opened it.
Inside was a lawsuit.
Howard, through an Alder Crest affiliate, claimed Northstar had breached its funding obligations and intentionally interfered with business relationships.
Sarah read the complaint.
“This is aggressive.”
“Is it strong?”
“Parts are weak. Parts will require litigation. Lawsuits do not become meaningless merely because the plaintiff is unpleasant.”
Madeline appreciated the distinction.
Howard was using the institution he understood best.
Pressure.
A public lawsuit could frighten Northstar investors and force settlement discussions.
Ian entered carrying a financial update.
“Alder Crest’s lenders are requesting a meeting.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Madeline nodded.
Sarah handed him the complaint.
Ian scanned the first page.
“He’s suing us?”
“He’s trying to create leverage.”
Ian laughed bitterly.
“He hid twenty-three million dollars of debt.”
“And he’ll argue that Northstar knew or should have known.”
Madeline looked up.
“Did we?”
“No.”
“Can he manufacture evidence that we did?”
Ian’s expression darkened.
“That is the right question.”
They began auditing every email, memo, and board presentation exchanged between the two companies.
At three, the answer appeared.
An email forwarded from Gavin to Northstar eighteen months earlier contained an attachment titled Consolidated Debt Schedule.
The attachment showed no hidden loan.
But forensic examination revealed the original spreadsheet had contained another tab.
It had been deleted before the file reached Northstar.
The original author?
Howard’s chief financial officer.
Howard had deliberately removed the debt.
Madeline leaned back.
“Good.”
Sarah shook her head.
“Useful. Not good.”
Madeline corrected herself.
“Useful.”
That afternoon, Lucas attended his first supervised visit with Gavin at a family-services center.
Madeline waited in another room.
She had dreaded it all day.
Part of her wanted Lucas to reject Gavin.
Another part desperately hoped he wouldn’t.
Neither feeling made her proud.
When the visit ended, the supervisor brought Lucas back.
He was holding a toy dinosaur.
“Daddy dinosaur,” he said.
Madeline crouched.
“Did you have fun?”
Lucas nodded.
Then whispered, “No porridge.”
Her heart sank.
Behind him, Gavin stood in the doorway with the supervisor.
He had heard.
Their eyes met.
Gavin looked destroyed.
Madeline picked Lucas up.
She did not comfort Gavin.
Consequences were not cruelty.
They were consequences.
That evening, Gavin sent one message.
I told Dad I’m done lying for him.
Madeline showed Sarah.
“What does that mean?”
“We’ll find out.”
They did.
At eight fifteen, Howard called a press conference.
Gavin was expected to stand beside him.
He never appeared.
Howard spoke alone.
He accused Northstar of sabotaging Alder Crest.
He accused Madeline of weaponizing her wealth during a domestic dispute.
Then a reporter asked about allegations that financial documents had been forged.
Howard’s expression barely changed.
“I have no knowledge of forged documents.”
Another reporter shouted:
“Did you hire private investigators to document your daughter-in-law’s behavior?”
Howard paused.
“This family has been concerned about Madeline’s decision-making for some time.”
There it was.
Public now.
The plan no longer hidden.
Sarah leaned toward the television.
“He just admitted the investigation.”
“Not fabrication.”
“No. But he established his connection.”
Howard continued.
“Our concern has always been Lucas.”
Madeline laughed out loud.
Lucas.
The man who walked past his screaming grandson to slap the child’s mother was now claiming concern.
Then Howard made his mistake.
“We believe a full review of Madeline’s conduct as both a parent and fiduciary is appropriate.”
Sarah’s eyes narrowed.
“He’s threatening Northstar publicly.”
Madeline’s phone buzzed.
Gavin.
Don’t respond. That’s what he wants.
She typed back.
Why are you helping me?
His answer came quickly.
I’m helping Lucas. I should have done it before.
Madeline stared at the message.
She did not forgive him.
But she saved it.
At nine, Ian entered from the hallway.
“We found something inside Holloway’s records.”
“What?”
“A payment Howard probably doesn’t know we can trace.”
“To whom?”
“Bennett Risk Advisory.”
Madeline frowned.
Howard paid the investigators.
“We know.”
“Not this payment.”
Ian placed a record on the table.
“Holloway paid Bennett one hundred fifty thousand dollars.”
Holloway belonged to Gavin.
“So Gavin funded the investigation.”
“Yes.”
Madeline felt disappointment before she could stop herself.
Some part of her had still hoped there would be a clean division.
Howard planned it.
Gavin was manipulated.
Reality refused simplicity.
Then Ian added:
“But the transfer happened after Gavin says he decided to stop cooperating.”
Madeline checked the date.
Two weeks ago.
“What was the payment for?”
Ian turned the page.
The invoice description contained five words.
Final custody contingency package preparation.
Madeline’s blood ran cold.
“What package?”
“We don’t know.”
Sarah immediately called Evelyn Ross.
Evelyn answered on the third ring.
When Sarah read the phrase, Evelyn went silent.
“Evelyn?”
“I heard them discuss that.”
Madeline took the phone.
“What was it?”
Evelyn spoke quietly.
“If Madeline refused the rescue deal, Howard wanted Gavin prepared to seek emergency custody of Lucas.”
Madeline shut her eyes.
“On what grounds?”
“That she was unstable.”
“Gavin paid for it?”
“I don’t know who paid.”
Madeline did.
Gavin had.
She looked at his earlier message.
I’m helping Lucas.
Maybe now.
Two weeks ago, he had paid $150,000 to prepare to take Lucas away from her.
Her phone rang.
Gavin.
Madeline answered immediately.
“What was the custody contingency package?”
Silence.
Then Gavin whispered:
“Madeline…”
“What was it?”
May you like
His voice broke.
“The worst thing I ever agreed to before the morning with the porridge.”
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