Chapter 54
‘Live for myself?‘ Maxine felt a wave of confusion. She’d never considered such an idea.
“Never mind that,” Maxine finally shifted to the real reason she’d sought out Cleo. “I met someone today–a classmate of Lucas’s named Urban Soto.”
The moment the name “Urban Soto” left Maxine’s lips, Cleo’s eyes widened. “Holy shit! Urban Soto from Peak Entertainment?!”
Maxine nodded. “I figured you’d know him.”
Cleo was shocked. “Of course I know him! I once dug up dirt on their top actress! Urban personally called my boss to hand me over. Nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Maxine chuckled. “Skip the drama–Urban’s tangled in a legal mess now, something about a shareholder dispute. I’ve been out of touch with entertainment industry cases for years. Thought you might have insider info.”
Cleo perked up. “Oh, I’ve got the tea! The case isn’t complicated. Peak went public last year, mostly run by Sotos. Urban’s father, Samuel Soto, is chairman with 30% shares, and Urban is the CEO with 20%. Together, they control half the company.
“But Samuel had a fling years ago and fathered an illegitimate daughter. Her name’s Pandora Soto. Sharp as a tack. She sweet–talked Samuel, and after the company went public, Samuel decided to give her 10% shares–7% from himself, 3% from Urban.”
Maxine leaned in. “Classic rich–family power play. Go on.”
“Urban seems polished and gentle, but he’s no pushover. His mom died young, so he’s been juggling his clueless dad, greedy relatives, and now a savvy half–sister. If Pandora gets that 10%, he’ll be in even more trouble.
“So Urban set a trap. Right before signing the stock transfer agreement, he tricked Pandora into making a mistake.”
By now, Maxine connected the dots. Though she hadn’t spoken to Urban yet, she guessed the legal angle.
“Let me guess–he set a trap with preemptive rights. Pandora didn’t see it coming. Legally, they’d both share liability.”
Maxine said.
Cleo shrugged. “No clue about legal details. All I know is Pandora’s lawyer hasn’t filed a suit yet–they’re negotiating privately. With Samuel around, going to court is a last resort. Honestly, this is gonna be a tough case.”
Maxine fell silent. ‘Tough indeed–because Urban was clearly in the wrong,‘ she thought.
Given that, Maxine had to reconsider whether to take on Urban’s case or not.
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