Part 3: The Deposit

I searched my old files for correspondence about the deposit. I found an email in which I had proposed a transfer subject to a valuation and a signed agreement. The next message postponed the discussion because a major client needed supplies urgently. I could not find a final agreement.

Priya sent the email to Julian's attorney and asked whether he had a different record. Julian produced a draft with his signature but not mine. He said we had agreed verbally to complete the transfer later. Priya explained that the legal effect of the documents and any oral agreement would depend on the applicable law and the full evidence. The judge, not either of us, would decide if we could not reach an agreement.

We also found that the deposit had remained recorded in the company's accounts. Mr. Chen asked whether it had been repaid or applied to another transaction. The bank records showed no matching repayment, but he needed to review the ledger before drawing a conclusion.

At a mediation session, Julian said he had believed the deposit made him the majority owner. I asked why he had not brought the matter up when the company renewed its financing. He said he thought the accountant had handled it.

The mediator asked for documents supporting both accounts. She did not tell us that one person was right. We agreed to let an independent expert review the company's records and prepare a valuation under terms our attorneys would approve.

The twins had a school project about family businesses. Ben asked if he could use the supply company as an example. I said he could describe the work in general, but the court dispute was private. Julian gave him the same answer when he asked at the next pickup.

Ben drew the storage unit and a van. Eli drew the current warehouse and a shelf of boxes. They asked which picture was correct.

“Both,” I said. “They show different times.”

The answer felt useful beyond the project. The company had a beginning, a period when Julian and I worked together, and a present in which many employees kept it running. A fair account needed all three.

At the office, Lena told me that one supplier was concerned about the litigation. We arranged a call with company counsel to explain the continuity plan and the limits of what we could share. The supplier agreed to continue the contract while receiving regular operational updates.

I asked Lena whether the staff felt able to raise concerns about the dispute. She said some were afraid that a question might be interpreted as choosing a side. We invited questions through a designated contact and promised responses about company operations, while keeping the family case private.

The independent expert accepted the assignment after confirming that neither party had a conflicting relationship with her. She asked for the records from both sides and a list of assumptions that needed verification. Priya reviewed the request with me before we sent anything.

Julian sent a message that evening: I don't want the boys to think I stole your company.

I replied: I don't want them involved in that question. Let's let the review establish the facts and keep their schedule separate.

He did not answer immediately. The next morning he confirmed the school pickup in the calendar. It was a small sign that he had read what I wrote.