Barrett did not answer immediately. He looked down at the letter he had brought, then back at Marlena. Finally, he admitted my father had never signed a representation agreement authorizing him to investigate the trust. Marlena had hired him herself, claiming she was acting “for the family.” That distinction mattered. My grandfather’s trust was irrevocable, professionally administered, and created solely for me years before Marlena entered our lives. My father was not a beneficiary, had no ownership interest, and had never challenged it. There was nothing for Marlena to inherit, redirect, or “protect.”
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