Chapter 9 - THE TRUST IN MAYA’S NAME
My mother created a separate trust before she died.
I had known she left something for future grandchildren.
I had never examined the terms because Maya was born after I restricted contact with the Blackwoods.
The trust became active when Maya was born.
Its assets were substantial but locked until adulthood, except for education, health, and safety expenses.
If both parents remained competent, neither controlled the principal.
If one parent became legally incapacitated or was removed for misconduct, the other could petition to serve as temporary family representative.
Julian could not take Maya’s money directly.
He could gain influence over the trustee and use the position to secure business credibility.
More importantly, the trust owned a small but decisive block of Blackwood Hospitality voting shares.
Combined with my dormant interest, those shares could determine who controlled several planned hotel sales.
Julian’s lenders had valued that influence.
The gala was scheduled two days before a restructuring vote.
Naomi placed the dates side by side.
“If you were filmed assaulting Genevieve, Julian could file an emergency petition claiming instability.”
“He already filed.”
“Yes, but without the footage he expected.”
“Genevieve hit Maya to make me strike her.”
“That is the theory. We still need evidence connecting the child assault to the trust plan.”
Genevieve offered to speak through her attorney.
No promise of immunity existed.
She admitted Julian wanted Eleanor to “lose control” in public.
She admitted handing Maya the dessert.
She admitted knowing camera two faced the foyer doors.
She denied planning the slap.
“I meant to shout at the child,” she said. “She ruined the gown. I reacted.”
“Why choose Maya?” Detective Benson asked.
“Because Eleanor only cares about her.”
The answer exposed motive without full legal planning.
Genevieve claimed Julian never said anything about Maya’s trust.
He spoke only about removing me from the Blackwood vote long enough to close emergency financing.
Her version reduced her knowledge.
It still placed Julian at the center.
Julian denied everything.
He said Genevieve misunderstood ordinary crisis planning and Camille forged travel records to protect herself.
His attorneys moved to exclude messages obtained from company devices.
The litigation slowed.
Meanwhile, the family court ordered an independent evaluation of both parents.
I disclosed my mistakes.
I had signed documents without reading every page.
I had allowed Julian to isolate me.
I had initially refused Henry’s warnings because of our history.
I had told Maya no one would ever hurt her again, a promise no parent could guarantee absolutely.
The evaluator did not punish honesty.
Julian described himself as a victim of two powerful families and accepted no responsibility for watching Genevieve strike Maya.
During a supervised visit, Maya asked him whether he had hired the man with the camera.
Julian answered, “Your mother is telling you adult stories.”
The supervisor stopped the visit.
Maya had seen Owen behind the flowers.
She recognized him from the recovered footage.
Julian’s refusal to answer became part of the report.
Then the trust’s cybersecurity team recovered an audio file from his office.
Julian was speaking to Genevieve the night before the gala.
“You do not have to hurt the child,” he said. “You only have to make Eleanor believe you might.”
Genevieve answered:
“And if Eleanor still walks away?”
May you like
Julian’s reply was nearly inaudible.
“Then make sure Maya doesn’t.”
