“In exchange for full life tenancy in the guest apartment,” I read, “the founder agrees to hand sole management authority over Mitchell Family Holdings to Brandon Mitchell, effective the moment this is signed.”

I put the document down beside my water glass.

“He’ll drop the rent if I give up control of the corporation,” I said.

“He drops a fifteen-hundred-dollar monthly demand he never had any legal right to make,” Margaret said.

“And in return, he gets full authority to sign commercial loan papers putting up the six-hundred-forty-thousand-dollar estate as collateral.”

“Does he really think I’d sign this?” I asked.

“He thinks you’re lonely,” Margaret said.