The lawyer looked toward him.
“How?”
Graham hesitated.
Then answered.
“Find out what the girl wants.”
Daniel frowned.
“She has counsel.”
“Then talk to her counsel.”
“What are you proposing?”
Graham looked toward the skyline.
For a moment, he seemed thoughtful.
Then said quietly.
“Everybody has a price.”
Daniel stared.
The billionaire turned back.
“Find hers.”
Naomi received the offer three days later.
It did not arrive from Graham directly.
An attorney representing a private entity associated with his investment interests contacted Miriam Vale and proposed a confidential settlement of the disputed stewardship claim.
The proposed amount was twelve million dollars.
Naomi read the figure twice.
Then a third time.
Twelve million dollars.
Enough to buy her mother a comfortable home.
Enough to pay every medical bill.
Enough to stop working temporary shifts.
Enough to live for years without worrying whether the subway fare would be deducted before rent.
Her hands trembled.
Miriam watched her quietly.
Then said.
“We need to discuss the terms.”
Naomi looked up.
“What terms?”
The lawyer turned the pages.
The offer required Naomi to release certain claims, agree not to interfere with specified aspects of the restructuring, and make broad confidentiality and non-disparagement commitments.
It also included representations concerning the scope of her rights that Miriam believed were premature and potentially unsupported.
Naomi stared.
For a moment, the money seemed to lose its shape.
She looked toward her father's letter.
Then asked.
“If I accepted this, would they be able to proceed with the transfer?”
Miriam answered carefully.
“That appears to be one of the objectives. Whether the agreement could lawfully resolve all consent issues is another question.”
Naomi looked down.
She had grown up without much money.
She knew what twelve million dollars meant.
She knew how many ordinary problems it could solve.
And she knew rejecting it might leave her struggling for work while wealthy men argued over documents.
She took a breath.
“What would happen to the protected hospital licenses?”
Miriam hesitated.
“The proposal doesn't clearly preserve every commitment we're concerned about.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
She thought about her father sitting beside a small electrical model.
When something goes wrong, the system needs a way to keep the important things working.
Then she imagined a hospital administrator receiving a licensing demand that forced a choice between software upgrades and other essential expenses.
Not because the company needed to recover reasonable costs.