I did not respond.

Nathaniel met his father again, this time with lawyers present, and asked one question that had nothing to do with accounting.

“Did you ever consider telling me about my children after the acquisition closed?”

According to Nathaniel, Malcolm looked genuinely puzzled.

“I assumed Emily would move on.”

“They were never something she needed to move on from.”

Malcolm said families had always protected their interests.

Nathaniel replied that protecting a name by harming children was the opposite of family loyalty.