Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“How old are you?” I asked Lucia.
“I’m twenty-six. It happened to me two years ago.”
“And Teresa?” I asked.
“Last year, not even a year ago,” she answered.
My outward calm didn’t convey the inner chaos running laps around my head, but these women didn’t need to see that. They needed my professionalism and my help.
“And you’ve made me this file that substantiates everything?” I asked. My chair popped forward, gathering the photos in front of me. I sifted through them, glancing at each one closely.
“Yes, sir,” Lucia affirmed. “We’ve found seventeen women documented over the past ten years. We were told the women prior to ten years ago can’t be a part of the case. But we have a list of those names as well.”
“That’s criminal. This is civil. We can look back further,” I stated, distractedly. Every single woman looked the same. Long dark hair parted in the middle. Almond-shaped dark eyes. That was the obvious pattern I saw among them, which was a far cry from the blond-haired, blue-eyed clan I came from.
I let the silence in the room linger as I lost myself to the facts as stated. Seventeen women in ten years. My father and two brothers. I had never noticed any signs of this when I was a part of their lives. What involvement did my other siblings have? Did they know what was happening? Were they complicit? Damn, what kind of family did I come from?
My body tingled as I fully absorbed the egregious behavior.
“We fully expect you to tell us no,” Teresa said, drawing my eye to her. “But after watching your videos with your family on TikTok, I felt like you were worth the try. You feel different than them. All other doors have been shut in our faces. You’re our last hope.”
I covered my mouth, elbow resting on the table as I placed the photos in front of me. I didn’t know about TikTok, but Lucia had read me well.
“What do you hope to achieve with this suit?” I asked.
“I want to protect others from their pattern of abuse. We…” she gestured between herself and Lucia. “Would also like out of the NDAs so we can be honest, and for them to be stripped of their positions.”
“Richmond Holdings is a public entity, and the Richmond family own the majority shares,” Lucia said. Of course I understood the make-up of my father’s company. “They’re powerful, but they can’t continue to abuse women. I’d like a bigger payment than what they gave us. Maybe twenty-five thousand dollars or fifty thousand dollars more.”
“So do we have a case? Would you consider taking the case?” Teresa asked, I could almost feel her fingers crossing due to the hope in her tone.
I was left battling an existential crisis of what was real, and the best way to proceed forward.
“I’m open to reviewing what you’ve provided. These cases can be costly and the final results vary. A case like this can drag on for years. I know my father. He won’t roll over easily, if at all. These allegations are appalling. It sickens me to think that any of my family is involved in these claims…” My jaw tightened as I reached for the pad and paper Stone left for me. I barely glanced over at Teresa who wore a smile on her face.
“Why’re you smiling?” I asked.
“Because everyone else we spoke to barely listened to our claims, saying the damages weren’t sufficient enough to take on Richmond Holdings. Some wanted us to put up a retainer. At least you’re willing to look at the information we’ve put together.”
“No one seemed to believe us,” Lucia added.
“I believe you,” I said as I jotted down bullet-pointed notes for Stone to begin researching. “But the rest is complicated. I may not be your best representation,” I explained. “How do I get a hold of you two?”
Teresa pulled another piece of paper from the expandable folder. She slid it across the table toward me. It contained their complete contact information.
“Your assistant, I guess,” she said as she cocked her thumb over her shoulder in Stone’s direction, “made a copy of it already.”
Mechanically, I gathered everything together and stood. I rounded the table toward the door and took the files they’d brought. “I need your permission to discuss this with my husband and a select few others. I wouldn’t ordinarily mention anything a client tells me, but you brought this to me because it is my family. If I take this on in any way, it’s going to impact my husband.”
“Yes, of course,” Teresa said, Lucia nodding.
“Are you staying the night in Sea Springs? Does Stone need to help you find accommodations?”
With all certainty, I’d be up most of the night reviewing their evidence and evaluating the emotional toll this would take on me and Beau. If I took the case, did it scream vindication? My father’s law department would use me and my life against these women, but could they sell it to the federal court system to sway a class action suit of this nature?