The man at the door was Martin Hale, the attorney who had handled the family company’s ownership agreements for nearly thirty years. Patricia hated dealing with him because he never treated family tradition as law. Stephen had met with Martin months earlier, before we even knew whether our baby was a boy or girl, and signed an updated estate and succession plan. His shares would eventually pass into a trust for his children equally. There was no “male heir” clause, no fifth-generation son requirement, and no provision allowing Patricia to decide who was worthy of the business.
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