Why the Marriage Mattered
Chapter 05 - Why the Marriage Mattered
Michael Reed died in a plane accident five years earlier.
He left Sophie a controlling share in Reed Hospitality Group and several protected properties. Amanda managed daily parenting decisions, but an independent trustee controlled major financial actions.
The trust contained one unusual clause.
A new spouse could not gain authority over Sophie’s assets merely by marrying Amanda.
However, if Sophie entered long-term residential treatment and Amanda signed a family-management proxy, the spouse could serve as temporary corporate representative.
Julian had prepared that proxy.
He needed three things:
Marriage to Amanda.
A professional report declaring Sophie unstable.
And a public incident proving the child endangered the family.
The wedding supplied all three.
Hartwell Academy had already reserved a room.
The deposit came from a consulting company owned by Victoria Mercer.
Julian’s family did not want Sophie removed because she disliked him.
They wanted her removed because her trust vote blocked the sale of three Reed hotels to an overseas development fund.
Once Julian controlled the proxy, he could approve the sale.
His personal success fee would be forty million dollars.
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Sophie’s terror was not disrupting the business plan.
It was part of the business plan.
