Page 64 of Learning to Trust

"Sorry, Allison. I had absolutely nothing in writing. My father used threats and ordered me to obey his every order and for the most part, I did. Until I became CEO. That's when I started standing up for what I thought was right."

“What about salary? You said he would pay you what you earned?”

"He paid me about sixty-five thousand for the first six years. The next four was eighty thousand and it increased to one-hundred and twenty thousand when I became CEO. He paid me as little as possible, but since I had a substantial trust fund from my mother, I didn't really care. He's going after what mum left me—two hundred and fifty million dollars."

“Did you get a share of Gofer and Hipenow?”

"You've done your research. They brought in around one point three billion dollars and my cut was fifty million as the developer."

“You’re shitting me?”

Allison couldn't believe what she was hearing, and although I'd known David had been taken advantage of by his father, I realized for the first time, he'd actually been the victim of abuse. I'd never hated anyone I'd never met so much.

Allison wrote down everything David said and when done, she clasped her hands together.

“Your father is the most abusive and negligent corporate owner I’ve come across. I find it incredulous that he is still in business. Because of how he’s been, I can confidently say that when this goes before a judge, they won’t hesitate to rule in your favor. I do have a suggestion to inflict damage on him and the company.”

“Go ahead.” David sat forward, showing his interest.

“I suggest we counter for the same amount citing negligence to provide any documentation pertaining to employment, failure to provide a suitable salary, stress, and unjust harassment. They could, and probably will, counter the documentation accusation by saying you didn’t insist on having anything. It’s worth a try and you never know, we might get lucky and turn this back on your father. If you agree, I would like to call a meeting between your father and his lawyers to see if they will settle out of court.”

David shook his head. “No. I want a judge to make the decision. My father is too arrogant to agree to anything voluntarily, he’d feel like he was admitting he was wrong. In my father’s mind, he’s right about everything.”

“Very well. I need to speak to those on the development team to confirm they had nothing to do with your app. and I will contact your father’s lawyers to inform them I am going to have a police computer specialist confirm there is nothing on company servers.”

“I suggest you speak with the team today because if my father gets wind of you wanting to speak with them, he’ll start with the threats.”

David gave Allison their names and private numbers and she wrote them down on her notepad.

“That’s all I need for now. I’ll be in touch and don’t worry, your father won’t succeed with his threats.”

"We all stood, shook hands, and David and I escorted Allison to the front door, said goodbye, and watched her drive away.

“Feel better?” I asked David.

“Much, thank you, Sir.”

“Lunch?”

“Sounds good.”

I wrapped an arm around David’s waist, and we made our way into the kitchen.

Chapter Eighteen

DAVID

I listened while Janice ranted and raved on the other end of the line, promising to inflict all kinds of bodily torture on our father.

The phone was on the coffee table, on loudspeaker, so Andrew could listen in on the conversation and I wouldn’t have to repeat anything. He was seated beside me running his hand over my back.

“I swear to fucking god I’m going to castrate the bastard if he continues with this reign of terror against you.”

"Calm down, Janice. Allison has assured me that Dad doesn't have a case and she can't figure out what his motive is for wanting the money. Neither can I.

“Who is this Allison? Can she be trusted?”

“She’s been my Aunt Heather’s lawyer for the past three decades and has been mine since I turned twenty-one. She handled my parent’s estate. I trust her absolutely and thought it might be better if David didn’t have anyone who could be influenced by your father as they would show obvious bias against your brother.”