Chapter 5 - Felix’s money
When Felix was born, Genevieve’s father-in-law transferred securities into a custodial brokerage account for him.
Not a trust.
A custodial account under state transfers-to-minors law.
Felix was the beneficial owner.
Genevieve was custodian.
Current value before dispute:
Approximately $1.84 million.
The money belonged to Felix.
Not Genevieve.
As custodian, she could use assets for Felix’s benefit under applicable law.
She could not simply treat them as her own.
Then withdrawals.
Over eighteen months:
$312,000.
At first glance, alarming.
But not all misuse.
Documented expenses:
Private school tuition: $48,000.
Summer academic program: $11,500.
Medical/dental uncovered: $6,200.
Security upgrade after threats linked to Ravelle publicity: $19,000.
Those could plausibly benefit Felix.
Then:
$92,000 to Locke & Mercer LLP, Adrian’s law firm.
Memo:
Succession rights preservation.
$54,000 to Blackwell Governance Consulting.
Memo:
Family leadership and beneficiary protection.
$38,000 to a public-relations firm.
Memo:
Reputation stabilization for minor beneficiary.
$31,000 to forensic document specialists hired by Genevieve before the formal trust litigation.
Then other smaller charges.
Was every dollar improper?
Not automatically.
If Felix’s property rights were genuinely threatened, paying reasonable legal fees to protect those rights could be allowed.
But whose rights were actually being protected?
Felix’s economic beneficiary interests had never been threatened.
The dispute concerned Genevieve’s desired control.
If she used his money to increase her own governance power, that was self-dealing.
Then Adrian’s statement.
He allegedly admitted:
Genevieve understood the difference.
She chose Felix’s account because:
“It’s his future we’re protecting.”
And because using her personal assets would leave a paper trail of how much she was spending to gain control.
That was Adrian’s accusation.
Not yet proven.
Then Northstar.
Did they manage Felix’s custodial account?
No.
Separate brokerage.
Brokerage institution processed custodian-authorized withdrawals.
Could they know purpose was improper?
Not necessarily.
The transaction descriptions looked legal/professional.
No magical bank failure.
Then Genevieve’s personal finances.
She was wealthy.
Approximately:
$5.2 million personal investments.
A $2.1 million home with moderate mortgage.
Beneficiary interests in Ravelle trust.
She did not need Felix’s money to survive.
That made motive worse.
Convenience.
Leverage.
Psychological ownership.
She believed:
If this fight was “for Felix,” Felix should pay.
Avery said:
“The custodial accounting may become more damaging than the succession packet.”
“Why?”
“Because judges understand a mother spending a child’s money on a fight that benefits the mother.”
I looked toward the garden.
Felix was playing chess with Primrose.
He did not know his account existed.
He certainly did not know it had financed lawyers arguing he should replace his cousin.
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That was when I decided:
Whatever happened to Genevieve, Felix would not pay for it twice.
