Chapter 8 - THE LAWYER'S VISIT
Daniel Mercer arrived that evening.
He carried a black leather briefcase.
Adrian was waiting.
“You're finally here.”
Daniel sat down.
“I assume you have questions.”
“I have one.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“Why did my father remove me?”
Daniel opened the briefcase.
“Because he believes you are financially dependent on him.”
“That isn't a reason to disinherit someone.”
“It can be.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“What else?”
Daniel pulled out a folder.
“Your father instructed me to give you this.”
Adrian opened it.
Inside were financial statements.
Years of payments.
Millions of dollars.
Cars.
Properties.
Credit cards.
Travel.
Private school.
Luxury apartments.
Adrian stared at the numbers.
“I know he paid for these things.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“Your father didn't simply pay your expenses.”
He pointed to a line on the document.
“He repeatedly prevented you from experiencing the consequences of your own decisions.”
Adrian looked away.
Daniel continued.
“Every time you failed, he repaired the damage.”
Adrian's voice became quiet.
“So what?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel closed the folder.
“Your father isn't trying to make you poor.”
“Then what does he want?”
Daniel looked directly at him.
“He wants to know who you are when money cannot rescue you.”
Adrian said nothing.
Daniel stood.
Before leaving, he placed one final envelope on the table.
“This is for later.”
“What is it?”
“You'll know when you're ready.”
After Daniel left, Adrian stared at the envelope.
He didn't open it.
Not yet.
That night, he drove his new car through Dallas.
The city lights reflected across the windshield.
For the first time, the car felt less like a victory.
It felt like a question.
If his father stopped paying for everything tomorrow...
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Who was Adrian Sterling?
He didn't know.
