Chapter 7 - The Face-Off
A settlement conference was called at my attorney's office. My mother and Kendra sat across the long oak table, looking like ghosts. Their cheap lawyer looked thoroughly defeated; he had clearly already watched the bodycam footage.
My mother tried one last play. She looked at me with watery eyes. "Mallerie, please. I'm your mother. I raised you. I made mistakes, yes, but do you really want to destroy us over one little misunderstanding?"
"It wasn't a misunderstanding," I said, my voice steady and resonant. "It was malice. You wanted to break my daughter because you couldn't break me. You wanted her to feel small so you could feel powerful."
Evelyn slid a document across the table.
"Here are the terms," Evelyn announced. "Mrs. Cross, you will sign over your remaining 30% deed of the house to Mallerie in exchange for her waiving all back-taxes and mortgage payments you owe her. You will have sixty days to find an apartment, which you will pay for with your own pension. Kendra, you will surrender your remaining 49% of the LLC to Mallerie. She will become the sole owner, and you will be hired as an employee on a strict commission-only basis, or you can walk away with nothing."
Kendra gasped. "You’re stealing my business!"
"I bought your business," I reminded her. "Now, I'm just taking title."
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Their lawyer nudged the pen toward them. "Sign it," he whispered. "If this goes to trial, Mallerie's team will file for court costs, and you will both be entirely bankrupt. Not to mention, the police department is still considering filing charges for misuse of emergency services. This is the best deal you will get."
With trembling hands, they signed.
