Chapter 15 - THE CIVIL COUNTERATTACK
Harrow Meridian’s lawsuit became uglier after Elodie’s birth.
They sought:
Return of all copied files.
Injunction against disclosure of confidential material.
Damages.
Protection of privileged communications.
They also alleged my design company had benefited from confidential Harrow market data.
False.
Mostly.
One project proposal did contain market information Julian casually shared years earlier.
Had I used it?
My team had referenced publicly available metrics plus his informal comments.
Messy.
Not corporate espionage.
Still not nothing.
We conducted our own internal review.
I hated every second.
My company’s compliance counsel found:
No stolen Harrow client lists.
No diverted customers.
No federal bid information.
One internal memo paraphrased nonpublic occupancy projections Julian told me over dinner.
We removed it from future strategy files.
No evidence it affected any won contract.
I disclosed it in litigation.
Transparency.
The court ordered the external drive placed under neutral forensic control.
Privileged materials segregated.
Investigative materials already lawfully provided to government remained with the government under applicable procedures.
Harrow did not get to destroy evidence.
I did not get to keep browsing corporate secrets.
Balanced.
Then Victoria’s lawyers leaked a story claiming my father’s former company had once lost a government infrastructure project where Harrow supplied emergency medical units.
Technically true.
Were they competitors?
Barely.
Did Graham have motive to destroy Harrow?
No evidence.
Still, headlines became:
MERCER-HARROW DYNASTY WAR.
I hated dynasty more than war.
Agent Ortiz reminded me:
“Do not litigate in the press.”
May you like
I didn’t.
Victoria did enough for everyone.
