Chapter 7: What Diane Said
Diane Chen had been my lawyer since I incorporated Little Harvest Kitchen.
She was fifty-three, direct, and had once told a county health inspector that she had read his agency's own guidelines more carefully than he had and would he like her to send him a copy.
He had not cited us.
I told her everything.
Start to finish.
The restaurant, Margaret, the document, the voicemail, Olivia, Eleanor's call.
She let me finish without interrupting.
Then she said: *Scan me the document tonight.
I want to see the foundation paperwork too if Margaret has it.
And forward me those text messages from Olivia and Sebastian — the ones from the night of the restaurant.*
*I already saved screenshots,* I said.
*Of course you did.* I could hear her writing.
*Hannah, I want to be clear about something.
What Eleanor brought to your hospital room was not legally enforceable as presented.
You were under medical care, you had no independent counsel, and the circumstances of that signing would not have held up.
But that's not the point.*
*What is the point?*
*The point is that she knew that,* Diane said.
*She wasn't trying to create a binding legal document.
She was trying to frighten you into compliance while you were vulnerable.
And when that didn't work, she moved to Plan B, which was making sure Sebastian never found out the children existed.*
*Can I do anything with the document legally?*
*Potentially.
Depending on what Sebastian wants to do and whether he's willing to be a witness to his mother's conduct.* A pause.
*Is he?*
*I think so.
He's getting his own lawyer.*
*Good.
Tell him to get someone who handles estate litigation.
Not just family law.* She paused again.
*The foundation is the more interesting piece.
If Eleanor structured it the way you're describing, Sebastian may have grounds to challenge it as a fraudulent instrument designed to disinherit his heirs.
That's a different category of problem for her.*
*I don't want his money,* I said.
*I want her to not be able to use it as a weapon.*
*Understood.
But your children's interests are a separate matter from yours.* Her voice was careful.
*They are his heirs, Hannah.
Legally and biologically.
Whatever you and Sebastian work out between you, those three children have rights that exist independent of your feelings about the Carter family.*
I was quiet for a moment.
*I know,* I said.
*I'll look at everything tonight,* she said.
*Don't talk to Eleanor again without me on the line.
And if Olivia contacts you—*
*She already did.*
*Forward me that too.* A beat.
*How are the kids?*
*Asleep in a pile,* I said.
*Ethan's snoring.*
*Good,* she said.
*Get some sleep yourself.
Tomorrow's going to be a full day.*
---
She was right.
Sebastian's lawyer called Diane at nine the next morning.
By ten, Diane called me.
*Sebastian is moving to formally establish paternity,* she said.
*He's not contesting.
He's initiating.
He wants it on record.*
*Okay.*
*He's also instructed his estate attorney to begin a review of the foundation documents.
Apparently when he went back through his own records, he found that he had signed something six years ago that he was told was a routine charitable giving structure.
He didn't read it carefully.*
*Eleanor presented it to him as routine.*
*Yes.* Diane's voice was dry.
*His attorney is less than pleased.*
*What happens now?*
*Now we let the legal process move,* she said.
*Sebastian's team will want a meeting.
All counsel, no clients initially.
I'll handle that.*
*And Eleanor?*
*Eleanor,* Diane said, *is going to have a very uncomfortable conversation with her son's estate attorney in the next forty-eight hours.
I suspect she already knows it's coming.*
*She called me last night,* I said.
*After I spoke to Sebastian.*
*I know.
He told his lawyer.
That call may actually be useful to us — it establishes that she was aware of the situation and attempting to manage it directly rather than through counsel.* A pause.
*Hannah.
I want to ask you something and I want you to think about it carefully.*
*Okay.*
*What do you want the outcome to be?
Not legally.
Not for the children.
For you.*
I looked out the kitchen window.
The street below was gray and cold, a woman walking a dog, a delivery truck double-parked.
*I want my children to know who their father is,* I said.
*I want Sebastian to be able to be in their lives if he chooses to be.
I want Eleanor to never be able to use money or legal structures to threaten any of us again.*
*And Olivia?*
*That's Sebastian's problem,* I said.
*Not mine.*
*Fair enough.* Diane paused.
*And Sebastian himself?*
I didn't answer immediately.
*I don't know yet,* I said.
*I think I need to meet with him.
Actually meet with him.
Not on the phone.*
*That can be arranged,* she said.
*Whenever you're ready.*
*Not yet,* I said.
*There's one more thing that needs to happen first.*
*What's that?*
*The children need to know,* I said.
*Before any of this moves further.
Before lawyers and meetings and paternity filings.
They need to hear it from me.*
Diane was quiet for a moment.
*That,* she said gently, *is exactly the right instinct.*
I ended the call and stood in the kitchen for a moment.
Then I went to the living room doorway.
All three of them were on the floor with a board game, arguing cheerfully about the rules.
*Hey,* I said.
*Can we pause the game?
I need to talk to you about something.*
Sophie looked up first.
*Is it about the man from the restaurant?* she asked.
*Yes,* I said.
*It is.*
Ethan sat up straight.
Lucas put down his game piece.
May you like
I sat on the floor with them.
And I started from the beginning.
