Chapter 6 - THE LAST ALLOWANCEThe following morning, a courier delivered a leather folder.
Inside were the revised will, a formal notice concerning company property and a handwritten note from Jonathan.
Marcus ignored the note.
He read the inheritance terms.
The independent trust contained two possible paths.
If Marcus continued relying on family money, committed financial misconduct or failed to maintain lawful employment, he would receive one dollar.
If he met strict conditions for five consecutive years, he could receive a minority inheritance.
The conditions included:
Maintain full-time employment or a legitimate business without Reed financing.
Repay personal debts.
Accept legal responsibility for fraudulent acts.
Complete financial counseling.
Avoid using the Reed name to obtain credit.
Demonstrate sustained independent living.
Marcus threw the document across the room.
Five years.
Jonathan expected him to prove himself like an employee applying for a promotion.
He opened the handwritten note.
Marcus,
The money inside the wallet is not a reward.
It is the final support I will provide without effort from you.
You may spend it proving me wrong, or use it to begin becoming someone who no longer needs to.
The choice is yours.
Dad.
Marcus tore the note in half.
Then he noticed a second paper beneath it.
A copy of the eight-million-dollar loan.
His anger disappeared.
Jonathan knew.
Marcus called Eleanor.
This time, she answered.
“Mom, I need to see you.”
“I can’t give you money.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“You were about to.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Dad knows about Crown Meridian.”
Silence.
“He showed me the documents,” Eleanor said.
“You need to explain.”
“It was an investment.”
“You forged our signatures.”
“The project would have repaid everything.”
“Would have?”
“Blake made mistakes.”
“Did Blake move your hand across the paper?”
Marcus looked away.
“I need Dad to delay the lender.”
“He already asked them to pause while they investigate the forgery.”
Marcus felt brief relief.
Then Eleanor continued.
“He is not denying what happened.”
“You want me charged?”
“I want you to stop asking us to make your actions disappear.”
Marcus ended the call.
At noon, company employees arrived for the sports car.
Marcus handed over the keys after threatening to sue them.
At six, the penthouse access code expired.
He packed designer clothes into four suitcases.
The building manager watched him enter a rented sedan.
“Where should we send the remaining personal items?”
Marcus had no address.
“Storage.”
He drove to a luxury hotel.
The room required a deposit larger than his available balance.
He used cash from the leather wallet.
Three nights cost almost half of it.
The following morning, the private lender’s investigators requested an interview.
Marcus contacted three criminal attorneys.
Each demanded a large retainer.
His usual friends stopped returning calls.
Only Blake answered.
“Meet me at the marina,” Blake said.
“I have a way to fix everything.”
Marcus arrived after dark.
Blake stood beside a private boat.
“What’s the plan?” Marcus asked.
“We leave for the Bahamas tonight.”
Marcus stared.
“That is not fixing it.”
“It keeps us free.”
“You said the investment was legal.”
May you like
Blake smiled without warmth.
“It was legal as long as your father’s signature was real.”
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