Chapter 5 - THE GENETIC CLAUSE
The genetic clause was narrower than Victor wanted and broader than I liked.
It did not affect Jamie’s beneficiary rights.
It did not affect whether he was my son.
It did not affect trust distributions.
It applied only if, as an adult, Jamie someday sought appointment as a “family stewardship representative” over certain legacy voting rights.
Even then, independent legal review would determine validity under current law.
Why was it there?
History.
My father.
Compromise.
Claire had accepted it because she cared more about protecting Jamie’s belonging and economic rights than preserving some future ceremonial governance role he might never want.
I hated that she had needed to bargain over it at all.
Then Victor’s theory.
He argued that because the stewardship clause distinguished genetic descendants, Jamie’s entire branch should be treated as “non-genetic” for temporary voting representation.
Mara called it “grammatical acrobatics.”
Sterling called it “unsupported.”
Victor persisted.
Why?
Delay.
If a formal review opened, the Falcon Ridge vote might enter interim procedures.
Then Brandon could request temporary representation.
Would he get it?
Unknown until Schedule 14.
Another schedule.
Old families are eighty percent schedules.
Then Elise sent more messages.
Victor to Brandon:
Luca can establish clean blood continuity if Sterling insists.
Brandon:
Rocco will never agree.
Victor:
He does not need to agree if review creates vacancy.
There.
Luca.
A seven-year-old being used as a contingency.
Then Brandon:
I don’t want Luca dragged into this.
Interesting.
Victor:
Then keep Jamie away from the chair and let the family understand the transition without a scene.
Brandon:
He’s four.
Victor:
Which is why this should be easy.
That text changed my view of Brandon.
He objected.
Then participated anyway.
Important distinction.
Then I called Elise.
“Did Brandon ask to bring Luca to the dinner?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He said Victor wanted family photographs and then asked me to sign a travel consent with language about ‘continuity presentation.’ I thought it was weird.”
Good instinct.
Then:
“Does Luca know?”
“No.”
Keep it that way.
Then Brandon’s side.
Through counsel, he requested to speak with me.
Mara advised we could in structured mediation.
I agreed.
He arrived without Victor.
Cheek bruising nearly gone.
He looked exhausted.
“I’m sorry about Jamie.”
“Say what you’re sorry for.”
“I scared him with the bat.”
“Why?”
“Dad said Jamie needed to stop claiming the chair.”
“You are thirty-seven.”
“I know.”
“Why did that sentence move your arms?”
Brandon looked down.
“Because I thought if I refused, Dad would make Luca the center anyway.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It made sense in my head.”
Then he explained.
Victor had been telling him for months that I planned to use Jamie’s trust branch to block Falcon Ridge, which would destroy the company and eventually leave Luca with nothing from their side of family.
False.
Falcone Logistics had other assets.
Sale was one transaction.
Then:
“He said if Luca was formally recognized as next genetic steward, I could protect both boys.”
“By terrorizing one?”
Brandon closed eyes.
“I know.”
Then:
“Did you know Jamie’s beneficiary status was protected?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Dad’s challenge was mostly about governance?”
“Yes.”
“So ‘real grandson’?”
“I hated that.”
“You stood there.”
“I know.”
No excuse.
Then he said something unexpected.
“I don’t think Dad actually cares about blood.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He cares about the Falcon Ridge vote.”
“Then why Luca?”
“Because he thinks people obey symbols faster than lawyers.”
That sounded true.
Then:
“What is in Schedule 14?”
Brandon’s face changed.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
He looked genuinely surprised.
“Dad said Claire showed you.”
My stomach tightened.
“Showed me what?”
“The incapacity transfer.”
“What transfer?”
Brandon hesitated.
Then:
“If a branch has no eligible child representative and the adult descendant is deemed conflicted, the senior family patriarch can recommend a provisional steward.”
Adult descendant.
Me.
Conflicted.
If Victor could make Jamie look ineligible and me look conflicted over Falcon Ridge, he could recommend Brandon.
Not appoint.
Recommend.
Still.
Then I remembered my slap.
A public act of violence during the exact period Victor was arguing I was too emotionally conflicted to represent the branch.
My father had not planned for me to hit Brandon.
But the moment I did, I handed him evidence.
And suddenly I understood why his expression collapsed when I entered the dining room.
Not because he feared me.
May you like
Because I had arrived too soon.
Before the scene could become whatever he intended to document next.
