Chapter 4 - THE SECRET HIDDEN IN THE CARLISLE CONTRACT
Nora met her attorney three days later.
Margaret Ellis was sixty-one, sharp-eyed, and unimpressed by powerful men.
She reviewed the marriage documents.
Then frowned.
“Nora, did you know you own fifteen percent of Carlisle Group's original holding company?”
Nora blinked.
“What?”
Margaret turned the document.
“Your husband transferred the shares into a jointly controlled trust eight years ago.”
Nora stared.
“I remember signing something.”
“Did you understand what it meant?”
“He said it was estate planning.”
Margaret leaned back.
“It's considerably more than that.”
Nora looked down.
The trust had been created shortly after Evan's father died.
At the time, Carlisle Group was struggling.
Nora had used money inherited from her mother to help stabilize the business.
She hadn't considered it an investment.
She'd considered it helping her husband.
But Evan's father had insisted on documenting the contribution.
Now those documents mattered.
Margaret looked at her.
“Depending on the trust terms and applicable law, you may have substantial financial rights.”
Nora swallowed.
“I don't want his company.”
“Good.”
Margaret closed the folder.
“Then we'll focus on what you're legally entitled to, not what he wants you to believe you deserve.”
Nora looked at the documents.
For years, Evan had spoken about Carlisle Group as though he'd built it alone.
She'd never corrected him.
May you like
Now she wondered how many people knew the truth.
And how many had benefited from her silence.
