Chapter 3 - WHY SERENA WANTED MOM CONFUSEDSerena stopped answering questions without a lawyer.
Good.
That was her right.
I did not need a confession.
We had evidence.
Still, motive mattered.
And that surfaced through email.
Serena and Marcus had been communicating for six months.
Not romantically.
No affair.
Something more practical.
A business plan.
Marcus wanted control over Mom’s voting proxy while she was hospitalized.
Not permanent ownership.
Temporary authority.
Enough to approve an emergency board action.
The asset sale.
Serena was supposed to persuade Mom.
Mom refused.
Then one email from Marcus:
If she stays this sharp, she’ll never sign.
Serena replied:
Her doctors already think the confusion is medical.
My blood ran cold.
Then Marcus:
I’m not asking you to hurt her.
Serena:
I know.
Next:
Just keep her calm until the documents are ready.
Keep her calm.
Adult language for something ugly.
Another email:
The medication makes her sleepy, not incompetent. We still need the physician note.
There it was.
They wanted a capacity narrative.
Mom had infection-related confusion already.
Add sedation.
Create inconsistent behavior.
Then a doctor might document diminished decision-making capacity.
Once that happened, an existing springing power of attorney could activate.
Who was alternate agent?
Me first.
Marcus second.
But Serena had found another document.
A marital authorization giving her limited authority to act for me if I were unavailable.
She and Marcus apparently believed they could route temporary influence through a chain:
Mom deemed impaired.
I supposedly unavailable.
Serena acting under my marital authorization.
Then Marcus pushing the board vote.
Complicated.
Legally weak.
But enough to create confusion and delay.
They did not need permanent control.
Only one board meeting.
One sale.
One closing.
Then everything would be harder to unwind.
Temporary control.
May you like
Again.
The most dangerous kind.
