Chapter 7 - The Trust Thomas Ellis Built to Survive the Marcel Family

The bank verification took four hours.

Mara hated every minute.

Private elevator.

Private conference room.

Private banker.

Private counsel.

Everything designed to make money feel like weather.

Unavoidable.

Above argument.

Dante sat across from her.

Not beside.

She appreciated that.

Renner was there.

Two independent attorneys.

No Arthur.

No Sienna.

The ring sat inside a glass tray.

The banker explained the trust.

Thomas Ellis had not owned the seventeen percent.

Gianni Marcel had transferred it into an irrevocable holding structure after discovering Roman Marcel's theft.

Thomas was trustee.

Not beneficiary.

If Thomas died before Roman was removed, the trust transferred to Thomas's legal child.

Mara.

Why?

Because Gianni did not trust another Marcel.

Dante stared at the documents.

"My father trusted an accountant more than his family."

The banker replied:

"Apparently."

Mara looked at Dante.

"Does that offend you?"

"No."

He leaned back.

"It sounds intelligent."

The trust had grown.

Seventeen percent became more valuable as Marcel Consolidated expanded.

Voting rights.

Dividends.

Property interests.

Current estimated value:

$1.08 billion.

Mara almost laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because the number did not fit inside her life.

Her Bronx apartment.

Her mother's coupons.

Her secondhand winter coat.

Her student debt.

One point zero eight billion dollars.

The banker asked:

"Do you wish to activate?"

Mara looked at the ring.

"What does that mean?"

"Recognition of beneficial ownership."

"And then?"

"You may retain, sell, assign voting authority, or establish another trust."

Dante said nothing.

Good.

The banker continued:

"The ring functions as the original physical authentication token."

Mara looked at it.

"So I need to wear it?"

"No."

"Then why is everyone obsessed with putting it on a finger?"

The banker almost smiled.

"Family symbolism."

Mara looked at Dante.

He looked embarrassed for the first time.

Interesting.

She asked:

"If I activate it, can Arthur touch it?"

"No."

"Roman?"

"No."

"Dante?"

The banker looked at Dante.

"No."

Mara nodded.

"Activate it."

The room became still.

Documents were signed.

Fingerprint.

Identity verification.

Legal acknowledgments.

Then the banker placed the ring in front of her.

"Would you like to retain the token?"

Mara stared at it.

"No."

Everyone looked surprised.

She pushed it toward Dante.

"It belongs to your family."

Dante did not take it.

"No."

"It has your crest."

"It has your trust key."

"That doesn't make it mine."

"It makes it more yours than Sienna's."

Silence.

Mara stared at him.

"Do not make this symbolic."

"Too late."

The banker wisely looked down.

Mara asked:

"What would Thomas have wanted?"

Renner answered.

"Protection."

"That isn't ownership."

"No."

Mara thought.

Then asked:

"Can I convert the trust?"

The attorney nodded.

"Into what?"

Mara looked at Dante.

"How many people work for Marcel Consolidated?"

He frowned.

"About eleven thousand."

"How many own shares?"

"Senior executives."

"That wasn't my question."

Dante understood.

"Almost none."

Mara looked at the attorney.

"I want half the voting stake moved into an employee ownership trust."

Dante went still.

The attorneys did too.

Mara continued:

"Not today."

"I want it structured properly."

"Independent board."

"Worker representation."

"No Marcel family control."

The banker wrote notes.

Dante stared at her.

"What about the other half?"

Mara looked at him.

"Keep it in trust."

"For you?"

"For now."

Renner smiled.

Small.

Proud.

Mara noticed.

Then the conference room door opened.

Rafe entered.

He had been waiting outside.

His face was serious.

"Dante."

"What?"

"We found Petra."

"Where?"

"Airport."

"Leaving?"

"Trying."

Mara asked:

"Police?"

"Yes."

Rafe continued:

"She gave them a phone."

Dante frowned.

"What was on it?"

"Messages from Arthur."

Mara expected that.

Rafe looked at her.

"And one from Roman Marcel."

Dante's expression changed.

"Roman."

The uncle he had expelled years ago.

Still connected.

Still moving.

Rafe continued:

"Roman knew Mara worked at the penthouse."

Silence.

Mara looked at Renner.

"You said Arthur found me recently."

"He did."

"Then Roman knew before him."

Rafe nodded.

"At least two years."

Dante stared.

"Why leave her alone?"

Rafe placed a printed message on the table.

ROMAN:

DO NOT TOUCH HER UNTIL THE RING RETURNS TO THE HOUSE.

Mara looked at the ring.

Then Dante.

The engagement ring had not simply arrived Tuesday.

It had been summoned.

Someone had been waiting for it.

Dante asked:

"Where is Roman?"

Rafe answered:

"New York."

Silence.

"How close?"

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Rafe looked toward the window.

"Same building."