But because an investor discovered a way to extract more money after acquiring the technology.
Naomi looked toward Miriam.
“Can I ask them to preserve the protections?”
“Of course.”
“And provide the records?”
“Yes.”
“And explain the false certificate?”
Miriam nodded.
“Yes.”
Naomi took a breath.
Then looked toward the offer.
For a long time, she remained silent.
Finally, she said.
“I don't want to sell my father's promise without knowing what I'm selling.”
Miriam studied her.
Then nodded slowly.
“All right.”
Naomi looked toward the number one last time.
Twelve million dollars.
She could almost hear her exhausted younger self asking whether she was insane.
Then she closed the folder.
“Tell them I'm willing to discuss a lawful resolution of my rights after the documents are reviewed. I'm not agreeing to silence or to approve a transaction whose effects haven't been explained.”
Miriam nodded.
“I'll draft the response.”
Naomi leaned back.
For a moment, she felt physically sick.
Then she laughed softly.
The older lawyer looked up.
“What?”
Naomi shook her head.
“I just turned down enough money to change my mother's life.”
Miriam studied her.
Then answered gently.
“You didn't have all the information you would need to know whether that offer was fair or what it required you to surrender.”
Naomi looked toward the window.
For several seconds, she remained quiet.
Then whispered.
“I hope I'm doing the right thing.”
Miriam took a breath.
“So do I.”
Neither pretended the decision was easy.
And neither knew how much more difficult the days ahead would become.
The evidence that finally connected Graham to the false certificate came from a twenty-nine-year-old lawyer named Leah Kim.
Leah had joined Parker, Haines & Cole eighteen months earlier. She was diligent, ambitious, and the first person in her family to graduate from law school.
Her parents operated a small grocery store in New Jersey.
They had worked fourteen-hour days for years so Leah could attend college without carrying the full burden of tuition and living expenses.
She took her responsibilities seriously.
And she believed that when a law firm placed its name on an important corporate document, somebody had to be willing to ask whether the statements inside it were true.
During the Northstar transaction, Leah worked on document review under a senior partner.
Her duties were ordinary for a junior lawyer.
Compare versions.
Track comments.
Identify missing approvals.
And ensure that questions raised by specialists were addressed before a document was represented as ready for execution.