Across the midnight-blue cover, in silver foil: STEADWELL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT — STRATEGIC PARTNER: VIREO MEDICAL ROBOTICS.

I opened it.

Page after page detailed a luxury senior-living development bleeding cash.

And then I reached Appendix B. Collateral Guarantee and Pledge of Shares. The document laid out a legally binding promise that Wynne Steadwell, holding majority equity in Vireo, pledged her shares against the fifteen million needed to finish the Newton project.

If Yancy Steadwell defaulted, the creditors could seize and sell my company.

Chapter 13 — Too Perfect