Chapter 2 - THE TRUST THAT MADE MY BABY VALUABLE
Maya found the trust before lunch.
Morgan Family Legacy Trust.
Created by Luke's grandfather.
Amended repeatedly.
Buried under enough legal language to discourage normal humans.
The relevant clause was surprisingly clear.
Upon the birth of the first biological descendant of Luke Morgan, temporary stewardship rights over twelve percent of non-operating family shares would vest jointly in Luke and the child's legal mother until the child reached age eighteen.
“Twelve percent?” I asked.
Maya nodded.
“Enough to matter.”
“How much?”
“Voting influence? A lot. Dollar value? Potentially tens of millions.”
I laughed.
Of course my unborn baby had inherited a board seat before fingers.
“Does divorce change it?”
“That's the interesting part.”
The mother did not need to remain married to Luke.
She only needed to be legally identified as the child's mother.
Isabella had no way to stop that.
Unless...
Maya kept reading.
A second clause allowed trustees to seek temporary suspension if the mother was deemed financially irresponsible, mentally unstable, coercive, or acting against the child's interests.
There it was.
A door.
And Isabella Morgan loved doors she controlled.
Then Maya found another document.
A petition draft.
Not filed.
Prepared two weeks earlier.
Petitioner:
Isabella Morgan.
Subject:
Prospective protective oversight concerning unborn Morgan heir.
My hands went numb.
“She knew before the dinner.”
“Yes.”
“She had paperwork prepared before I filed.”
“Yes.”
“On what grounds?”
Maya read.
Subject mother demonstrates instability within marital relationship, limited independent wealth, potential financial motivation connected to pregnancy.
I stared.
“Financial motivation?”
Apparently because I wasn't born rich, pregnancy could become evidence I wanted Morgan money.
The irony was spectacular.
I had left their diamonds upstairs.
Then Maya found the supporting declaration.
Signed by Vanessa Russell.
My heart stopped.
Vanessa.
She had signed a statement about my mental state.
According to her declaration, I was “withdrawn, insecure, jealous, and increasingly fixated on Luke's past relationships.”
I hadn't even met Vanessa properly before dinner.
“How could she testify about me?”
Maya's expression darkened.
“She says Isabella discussed you with her extensively.”
I laughed.
“So Luke's mother and old girlfriend were building a file about me.”
“Looks that way.”
Then Luke called Maya.
She put him on speaker only after warning him.
“Maya, I need to speak to Sophia.”
“No.”
“Is she pregnant?”
The room went silent.
I looked at Maya.
She looked at me.
Luke continued.
“My mother just told me.”
So Isabella had decided control of the information mattered more than silence.
Maya asked:
“What else did she tell you?”
“That Sophia was planning to use the baby against the family.”
My anger disappeared.
Replaced by something colder.
Then Luke said:
“I don't believe her.”
That stopped me.
He continued:
“I found the petition.”
“What petition?”
“The one my mother prepared.”
Maya and I exchanged a look.
Luke's voice hardened.
“And I found something else.”
“What?”
“A signature.”
He paused.
“My signature.”
“On what?”
“An agreement giving my mother temporary authority over any child I father if my marriage ends during pregnancy.”
I stared.
“Did you sign it?”
“No.”
May you like
Then came the first real crack in his voice.
“My signature was forged.”
