Chapter 9 - THE CONTRACT THEY COULDN’T LET ME READ
The court ordered limited production of the development agreement.
Sealed.
Attorneys only at first.
Julia emerged from chambers with the expression she used when something was worse than expected but more complicated than anger wanted.
“How much?”
“Potentially $3.6 million.”
I sat down.
“For what?”
“Development and option payments over stages.”
“Rosie?”
“Partly.”
“What does partly mean?”
“Family unscripted series. Bethany as creator and adult lead. Your parents recurring. Daniel optional. Rosie designated primary child personality.”
I stared.
“Primary child personality.”
“Yes.”
“What’s the show?”
“Still sealed until hearing.”
“What do they do?”
“Reaction-based family challenges.”
“Pranks.”
“The contract uses ‘surprise-format unscripted.’”
Of course.
“How much had they received?”
“Initial development advance: $180,000.”
“When?”
Four months earlier.
That explained the house payment.
The next tranche:
$420,000 upon verified guardian release and delivery of approved pilot footage.
They had not received it.
Why?
Northstar’s legal department flagged my consent.
The copied signature did not match a later tax form in their compliance system.
They requested live video verification.
Bethany delayed.
Then Northstar proposed:
Obtain direct father consent before option exercise.
No consent.
No money.
So Bethany began telling everyone the deal would die because of me.
Did she intend to seek custody?
Not yet clear.
Then Julia showed me a clause.
If the parent’s consent became unavailable due legal incapacity, custody transfer, or court-recognized alternative guardian, production could proceed with substitute lawful authorization.
My skin went cold.
“Did Bethany know that?”
“Yes.”
“Did she plan to use it?”
“We need evidence.”
Daniel’s phone provided some.
A text from Bethany two weeks before the party:
DAD:
What if he says no?
BETHANY:
Then we document why he shouldn’t be making decisions.
DAD:
Don’t drag courts into this.
BETHANY:
I’m not. Unless he forces it.
Not proof of a complete plan.
Enough to investigate.
The strange irony:
Northstar’s compliance process had slowed exploitation.
They were not saints.
They accepted too much indirect consent initially.
But the larger deal required more.
Bethany responded by escalating.
The “Round Four” test kit was supposed to be used only after guardian verification.
Automated shipping released it early.
Corporate failure.
Bethany used it anyway.
And the day I found Rosie?
Bethany had been trying to create final “strong emotional sample” footage to persuade Northstar to keep the option alive while consent was “being resolved.”
She needed a clip.
Not necessarily an injury.
Not a bruise.
A reaction.
Rosie stopped cooperating.
Bethany pushed harder.
My parents watched.
Daniel recorded.
Then I arrived.
At tomorrow’s trust? No trust. Contract hearing.
The sealed contract would be opened in criminal discovery.
The prosecutor also sought Bethany’s production notes.
One page had been recovered.
At the top:
R-04 — ROSIE
Under it:
FEAR OF DARK — GOOD.
LOST TOY — EXCELLENT.
DADDY LEAVES — TOO REAL / HIGH RESPONSE.
SUCTION GAME — VISUAL MARKS, USE SLEEVES.
My hands went cold.
Then the final line:
NEED ONE CLEAN CRY-TO-RELIEF ARC BEFORE OPTION CALL.
That was what she was doing upstairs.
May you like
My child’s fear had become a production requirement.
The central secret was ready to be named.
