Chapter 8 - MARCUS CAME TO ME WITH A DEALMarcus Voss asked to meet.
I almost refused.
Then curiosity won.
He arrived with two attorneys.
Still polished.
Still powerful.
He said:
“Jonathan, we can make your family whole.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Today?”
He paused.
“No.”
Of course.
He proposed:
Repayment over twelve months.
Interest.
Additional collateral.
Formal apology.
No public litigation.
In exchange, we would support a private settlement and avoid expanding disclosures.
I looked at him.
“You mean you want us not to tell your lenders what happened.”
His jaw tightened.
“We’re trying to stabilize the company.”
“You stole my mother’s money.”
“Victoria acted emotionally.”
I stared.
“Marcus.”
He stopped.
“You were on the call.”
Silence.
Then he tried another route.
“Do you want thousands of employees unemployed because of a family dispute?”
There it was.
He wanted to turn consequences into my choice.
If I reported him, workers suffer.
If I stayed silent, I become the person protecting fraud.
I said:
“You put those employees at risk before I entered the room.”
Marcus looked away.
Then:
“You sound like my father.”
May you like
Not a compliment, apparently.
I didn’t care.
