And Mr.

Christopher attached a penalty to that condition — what we call a forfeiture clause.

Should Justin terminate your employment without genuine cause, that clause triggers immediately and automatically.”

“And what,” I whispered, “does the clause do, when it triggers?”

There was a pause, and I could hear, in it, that the lawyer was smiling.

“By firing you three days ago, Helena,” Samuel Vance said, “and handing you four hundred dollars, Justin Abernathy violated the single condition his father placed on his entire inheritance.