Chapter 5 - WHY VICTORIA JOINEDVictoria said she joined because she was afraid.
Of what?
“Being left with nothing.”
I stared.
“You have your own investment account.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Then what?”
She started crying.
“Your mother never trusted me.”
This again.
“She excluded me from everything.”
“You are not a beneficiary of my parents’ trust.”
“Exactly.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“That is normal estate planning.”
“To you.”
She had spent years interpreting boundaries as rejection.
Then Lauren fed it.
If Matthew dies, Judith controls everything.
If the boys inherit, Victoria has no voting power.
If Matthew divorces Victoria, she gets marital assets but no Sterling legacy shares.
All technically true.
Also not evidence of danger.
But Gerald reframed it.
May you like
“You need protection.”
That phrase opened the door.
