Chapter 6: The Clause
Ivan waited until morning.
He had spent most of the night reading Fiona's custody agreement — the original, which he kept in a fireproof box under his bed in the new apartment Jessi's team had arranged.
He had read it before, years ago, when Cara signed it and disappeared.
He had read it the way a man reads something he hopes never to need again.
Quickly.
Relieved.
He read it differently now.
The clause was on page nine, subsection four, written in the kind of language that was designed to be skimmed.
*In the event that the custodial parent enters into a legal marriage, the non-custodial parent retains the right to petition for a custody review within ninety days of said marriage, provided the non-custodial parent can demonstrate material change in circumstances relevant to the child's welfare.*
Ivan set the document on the kitchen table.
He had signed a marriage certificate forty-eight hours ago.
The ninety-day clock had already started.
He called Jessi at seven in the morning.
She answered on the second ring.
"The custody clause," he said.
"Did you know about it?"
A pause.
Not long.
But present.
"Come to the office," she said.
"Answer the question."
Another pause.
"Yes."
Ivan's hand tightened on the phone.
"When did you know?"
"Before I made you the offer."
He set the phone on the table and looked at it for a moment.
Then he picked it up again.
"I'll be there in thirty minutes."
He walked into her office without knocking.
Her assistant started to rise from her desk and then sat back down when she saw his face.
Jessi was standing at the window.
She turned when he came in.
"Sit down," she said.
"I'll stand."
She nodded once, accepting it.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to tell me why you didn't tell me before I signed."
"Because you wouldn't have signed."
"That was my choice to make."
"Yes," she said.
"It was.
And I took it from you.
I know that." She moved to her desk, not sitting, just steadying herself against it.
"I'm not going to tell you I'm sorry and expect you to feel better.
I made a calculation.
I needed you to sign before Daniel moved.
I didn't have time to walk you through every implication."
"My daughter," Ivan said, his voice very quiet, "is now legally exposed to a custody challenge from a woman who abandoned her four years ago.
Because of a document I signed in this office.
Without knowing."
"Yes."
"And you knew Cara was already talking to Daniel's lawyers."
"Yes."
"So you knew that the moment I signed, Daniel could use Cara to trigger the clause."
"I knew it was possible.
I didn't know it was certain." She met his eyes.
"There's a difference."
"Not to Fiona there isn't."
The room was very quiet.
"What do you need from me?" Jessi asked.
"I need you to stop making decisions about my daughter's life without telling me." He put both hands flat on her desk.
"I don't care about the money.
I don't care about the apartment.
I don't care about your brother or your board or your father's company.
If Fiona is in this, then I am in this for real — but I need every piece of information you have, every time, before you act.
Not after.
Do you understand me?"
Jessi looked at him for a long moment.
Something moved across her face that wasn't calculation.
"Yes," she said.
"I understand."
"Good." He straightened.
"Now tell me everything you know about Marcus Holt and what he's building for Daniel."
She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a second folder — thicker than the first.
May you like
"Sit down," she said again.
This time, he did.
