Chapter 20 - DiscoveryGrant Mercer hated depositions.
Marcus learned this from Naomi, who returned from Grant’s first testimony looking almost cheerful.
“He objected to his own attorney’s question.”
Marcus laughed.
“How?”
“Long story.”
The litigation moved slowly, as real litigation did.
No dramatic courtroom confession.
No surprise judge solving everything in one afternoon.
Instead there were document requests.
Motions.
Protective orders.
Forensic examinations.
Arguments over relevance.
Months passed.
Jayden turned ten.
Simone repaid the foundation funds with interest and accepted a formal governance reprimand.
The foundation installed an independent finance chair.
She remained off its board.
Richard found work managing operations for a regional convention center.
He sent no public statements.
Tessa stayed at Carter Prestige.
Victoria developed a company-wide event ethics protocol.
Marcus attended every audit committee meeting he was allowed to observe.
Then discovery produced the document Naomi had been waiting for.
An email from Grant to Owen Blake dated ten months before the Lamborghini incident.
Carter cannot be displaced while his family remains aligned. S. remains key. Property grievance is unresolved. Increase pressure without creating obvious coercion.
Another email:
Operational culture review may create a triggering event useful for governance challenge. We do not need to select victim or actor. Statistical likelihood will do the work.
Marcus read the sentence repeatedly.
Statistical likelihood.
Somebody would be mistreated.
Grant did not care who.
A child.
A vendor.
An employee.
A guest.
The person was irrelevant.
Only the consequence mattered.
Naomi said, “This strengthens our claims.”
Simone sat across from Marcus.
“It also makes me feel stupid.”
Marcus looked toward her.
“Why?”
“He didn’t need me to betray you completely.”
“No.”
“He only needed me angry enough to keep secrets.”
Marcus nodded.
“And he needed me proud enough not to fix the warehouse.”
They sat quietly.
Then Simone asked, “Do you think he’s evil?”
Marcus thought about it.
“No.”
She seemed surprised.
“You’re defending him?”
“No.”
“I just think calling him evil makes him easier to understand than he really is.”
“What is he?”
“A man who convinced himself people are pressure points.”
Simone looked toward the email.
“And we proved him right.”
“For a while.”
The trial court ordered Grant to produce additional communications concerning Project Redline.
His attorneys fought.
They lost part of the motion.
Among the produced documents was a spreadsheet projecting outcomes if Marcus resigned.
Another modeled a public family dispute.
Another evaluated Southfield development value.
And one contained a contingency Marcus had never seen.
OPTION D: Support S.C. as transitional executive authority.
Simone stared.
“He was going to make me CEO?”
“Temporarily,” Marcus said.
She read further.
Six months after a hypothetical appointment, Grant planned a “professional leadership transition.”
Simone laughed bitterly.
“He was going to use me to remove you and then remove me.”
Marcus said nothing.
She looked at him.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You could have enjoyed this more.”
“I’m maturing.”
“Terrible habit.”
Naomi entered.
“Settlement offer.”
Marcus and Simone looked up.
Grant proposed ending all litigation.
Mercer would sell its Carter Prestige holdings at a negotiated premium.
The parties would exchange releases.
No admission of wrongdoing.
Simone asked, “What happens to the evidence referred to authorities?”
“Private settlement cannot erase government investigations.”
Marcus read the terms.
“He wants confidentiality.”
“Yes.”
“He wants Project Redline sealed.”
“To the extent legally possible.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
Naomi waited.
Simone asked, “Because of pride?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Maybe some.”
“Try again.”
Marcus set the papers down.
“Because employees were targeted.”
“Better.”
Naomi said, “Litigation risk remains. Settlement would be financially rational.”
Marcus knew.
Trials were uncertain.
Even strong evidence could be limited.
Juries were unpredictable.
Appeals took years.
Grant’s offer would remove him from the shareholder base.
Marcus looked toward Simone.
“What do you think?”
For years he would have decided first.
Now he asked.
Simone read the offer.
“We negotiate.”
“What terms?”
“Mercer sells the shares.”
“Yes.”
“No confidentiality about discrimination-related findings already substantiated by the independent investigation.”
Marcus nodded.
“No restriction on employee cooperation with authorities.”
“Agreed.”
“No admission may be realistic.”
Naomi nodded.
“Correct.”
Simone continued.
“And the property claims?”
“Mutual release after your trust rights are fully recognized.”
Simone looked toward Marcus.
“Then negotiate.”
Marcus smiled.
“Look at us.”
“Don’t make it sentimental.”
The settlement talks began.
Three weeks later Grant rejected their transparency terms.
The case continued.
Then federal investigators requested an interview with Owen Blake regarding the copied estate files and access credentials.
Naomi cautioned Marcus.
“This does not mean Grant will be charged.”
“I know.”
“It may end without criminal charges.”
“I know.”
“Do you actually know?”
Marcus smiled.
“Yes.”
For once, he did.
Justice was not a cinematic phone call.
It was process.
Evidence.
Limits.
Sometimes disappointment.
He had learned that punishment was not the same thing as repair.
The lesson would matter in the chapters still ahead.
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Because Grant Mercer was about to make one final offer.
And this time, he would make it directly to Jayden’s father.
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