Chapter 10 - JASON'S OFFER
Jason asked to meet through our lawyers.
Naomi wanted to refuse.
I said yes.
We met in a conference room with glass walls and no privacy for lies.
He looked ten years older.
"I didn't know Mom would hit Lily," he said.
"You knew she hurt her before."
He stared at the table.
"Not like that."
"How much hurt was acceptable, Jason?"
His jaw tightened.
"I was trying to keep everyone together."
"You were trying to keep control of her trust."
He looked up fast.
There it was.
Fear.
"You don't understand the company."
"I understand eighteen percent."
"If an outside trustee votes those shares, we could lose Bennett Packaging. Hundreds of employees—"
"So you framed your wife?"
"I was going to fix it after custody stabilized."
I actually laughed.
"You were going to give me my life back after you stole my child?"
He slid a document across the table.
A settlement.
He would return the transferred money, drop the psychiatric claims, and agree to supervised visitation.
In exchange, I would sign over management of Lily's trust and promise not to cooperate with criminal investigators.
Naomi read it, then pushed it back.
"This is witness tampering with stationery."
Jason's face hardened.
"Emily, don't burn down Lily's future because you're angry."
I stood.
"Her future is the reason I'm burning yours."
As I reached the door, he said quietly, "Then ask Naomi why she already knew my father's trust language before you hired her."
I stopped.
May you like
Naomi's face did not move.
But she did not deny it.
