Chapter 7: The Secret Ownership Agreement
"Give me that phone, Mom.""
Simone stood in the narrow upstairs hallway, clutching the documents against her chest.
Beverly ended the call.
"You're making a terrible mistake.""
"Then tell me what the mistake is.""
Beverly glanced toward the staircase.
"Not here.""
"No. Right here. You said Dad would lose everything if he found out who really owns the diner. What does that mean?""
Beverly reached for the papers.
Simone stepped away.
"Don't.""
For a moment, neither woman moved.
Then Beverly lowered her voice.
"Five years ago, your father was about to lose this business.""
Simone frowned.
"What?""
"The diner was drowning in debt. The equipment was breaking down, suppliers were demanding payment, and the bank was threatening foreclosure.""
Simone looked toward the document.
"I remember the financial problems.""
"You remember what we told you. You don't remember what actually happened.""
Beverly walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Marcus offered to help us.""
"Help us how?""
"He arranged financing. He paid some of the outstanding debts. He gave us time to recover.""
"Why would he do that?""
"Because he wanted an investment.""
Simone looked at the papers again.
The document was titled Family Property Arrangement, but the wording was unusually complicated.
She found a paragraph mentioning a private loan agreement.
Then another paragraph referring to a beneficial ownership transfer.
"Mom, did you sign over part of the diner to Marcus?""
Beverly didn't answer.
Simone felt her stomach tighten.
"How much?""
"Forty percent.""
The words seemed to hang in the room.
"Forty percent of the property?""
"Of the business.""
"Does Dad know?""
Beverly looked away.
"No.""
Simone sat down opposite her.
"How could you do that without telling him?""
"He would never have agreed.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
Beverly stood.
"Your father was desperate. I was trying to protect him.""
"By secretly giving away part of his business?""
"By keeping him from losing everything!""
Simone looked down at the agreement.
There was another page.
It described a clause allowing Marcus to acquire the remaining interest if certain financial conditions were met.
She read it twice.
Then she understood.
"Mom, this says Marcus can force a sale if the loan isn't repaid.""
Beverly's silence was enough.
Simone slowly lifted her head.
"So the diner isn't being sold because you're trying to save us.""
Beverly's expression hardened.
"It's more complicated than that.""
"You borrowed money, gave Marcus forty percent, and now he wants the rest.""
"He has a legal claim.""
"Does Dad know?""
"I told you he doesn't.""
Simone stood.
"Then we need to tell him.""
Beverly grabbed her arm.
"Listen to me. If you tell him everything, he'll never forgive me.""
Simone looked down at her mother's hand.
"That's not my responsibility.""
Beverly released her.
"You think you're so independent now. You think one interview makes you better than us.""
"This has nothing to do with my interview.""
"It has everything to do with it! You were supposed to stay. You were supposed to help us keep the business running until this was settled.""
Simone stared at her.
"That's why you canceled my interview?""
Beverly didn't answer.
"That's why you took my phone?""
"Marcus wanted the transaction completed before the end of the month.""
Simone felt a cold wave move through her.
Her mother hadn't simply wanted an extra pair of hands.
She had wanted to keep Simone inside the diner while the property changed hands.
"Why did you need me here?""
Beverly looked at the papers.
"Because the final agreement required your signature too.""
Simone's breath caught.
"What?""
"You're listed as a potential beneficiary of the family property. Your signature would have made the arrangement easier.""
"You wanted me to sign something without telling me what it was?""
"I would have explained.""
"When?""
"When the time was right.""
Simone shook her head.
"You're unbelievable.""
Beverly's eyes filled with tears.
"Don't speak to me like that.""
"Then stop asking me to trust you while you lie to everyone.""
A loud voice came from the staircase.
"Simone?""
Darnell appeared at the top.
He looked from his daughter's face to the papers in her hands.
"What happened?""
Beverly immediately wiped her eyes.
"Nothing.""
Simone turned toward him.
"Dad, you need to see this.""
She handed him the ownership agreement.
Darnell read the first page.
Then the second.
His face became completely still.
"Forty percent?""
Beverly closed her eyes.
"Darnell, let me explain.""
He kept reading.
"You signed away forty percent of our business?""
"It was a private financing arrangement.""
"Without telling me?""
"I was protecting you.""
Darnell looked at the clause describing Marcus's right to acquire the remaining interest.
"Did you know he could force a sale?""
Beverly didn't answer.
Darnell lowered the document.
"Did you know?""
"Yes.""
He stepped back as if the room had suddenly become too small.
"All these years, I've been working to pay down a loan I didn't even know existed?""
"I was going to fix it.""
"With what money?""
Beverly looked toward the dresser.
Darnell followed her gaze.
There was a small jewelry box sitting beside the mirror.
He recognized it.
It had belonged to his mother.
He walked over and opened it.
Inside was a receipt.
He read it.
Then he looked at Beverly.
"You sold your mother's jewelry?""
She began crying.
"I needed the money.""
"That wasn't yours to sell.""
"I was trying to save the family!""
Darnell put the receipt down.
"How much?""
Beverly wiped her cheeks.
"Twenty-eight thousand.""
Simone stared at her mother.
Twenty-eight thousand dollars.
The jewelry had been passed down through Darnell's family. His mother had given it to Beverly on their wedding day.
Now it was gone.
Darnell sat on the edge of the bed.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he asked the question Simone had been afraid to hear.
"How much do we actually owe Marcus?""
Beverly whispered something.
"What?""
"One hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
Darnell looked up.
"One hundred and eighty thousand?""
Beverly nodded.
Simone felt the floor shift beneath her.
That was far more than the amount her mother had admitted downstairs.
Darnell stood.
"Tomorrow, we're going to that lawyer's office. You're bringing every document you have.""
Beverly shook her head.
"You can't do that.""
"I can.""
"Marcus will destroy us.""
Darnell looked at her.
"Then perhaps you should have thought about that before you made a deal behind my back.""
He walked out.
Simone followed him.
But before she reached the staircase, Beverly called her name.
"Simone.""
She stopped.
Her mother was standing beside the bed, holding the ownership agreement.
"If you give that lawyer everything, Marcus will come after all of us.""
Simone looked at her.
"Then he can come after all of us.""
Beverly's voice cracked.
"You don't understand. There is something else.""
Simone turned.
"What?""
Beverly swallowed.
"Marcus didn't lend me the money.""
She looked at the bedroom door.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"He gave me the money to get your father out of the business.""
