Chapter 5 - THE DOCUMENT VANCE HAD SIGNED TWICE
Katherine obtained certified copies of the penthouse ownership records.
There was no ambiguity.
The apartment was held through Harrison Penthouse Holdings LLC.
Sloan owned one hundred percent of the membership interest.
Before the postnuptial agreement, Vance had held ten percent.
He voluntarily assigned it back in exchange for Sloan’s financial contribution to Mercer House Group and other negotiated marital terms.
He signed the assignment.
His attorney signed an acknowledgment.
He later signed the postnuptial agreement confirming the same facts.
Twice.
Yet when Katherine reviewed the bank correspondence, she found Vance describing the property differently.
In an email to First Hudson:
My wife and I maintain our primary residence in Tribeca, approximately $7.8M current market value, with significant available equity. Sloan is supportive of the broader family refinancing, subject to final documentation.
Sloan stopped reading.
“Supportive?”
Katherine nodded.
“That is not a legal pledge.”
“It’s a lie.”
“At minimum, it’s something you dispute strongly.”
Sloan hated lawyer language when she was angry.
She also needed it.
Words mattered.
Vance had not forged her signature.
He had not mortgaged the penthouse without her.
He had done something more socially familiar:
spoken for his wife in a room where she was not present.
First Hudson had responded:
We will require direct confirmation from Mrs. Mercer and property documentation before underwriting residential collateral.
That explained the dinner timeline.
The bank needed Sloan.
The family had forty-eight hours to produce her cooperation before its credit committee met.
Sloan had been invited to dinner not for reconciliation.
For pressure.
Katherine asked:
“Do you want me to notify First Hudson that you have not agreed?”
Sloan looked through the windows at the city below.
If she sent that letter, Mercer House’s financing could weaken immediately.
Hundreds of employees did work there.
Caterers.
Venue managers.
Drivers.
Bartenders.
Sales staff.
People with nothing to do with Jolene’s feet.
“I want to understand the company first.”
Katherine nodded.
“Fair.”
Sloan emailed Vance.
Provide the current First Hudson term sheet, trailing twelve-month financials, existing debt schedule, and every communication referencing me or the penthouse. My attorney is copied.
His answer came twelve minutes later.
This is exactly why Mom says you don’t understand family.
Sloan stared at it.
Then Katherine’s email pinged.
Vance’s counsel had sent the documents.
Sloan opened the debt schedule.
She expected a struggling company.
She did not expect to find a $2.4 million obligation listed under:
MERCER FAMILY SUPPORT NOTE.
“What is that?”
Katherine leaned closer.
Nobody in the room knew yet.
But Sloan noticed the lender name.
Not a bank.
Jolene Mercer Revocable Trust.
May you like
Jolene had apparently loaned millions to the family company.
Which made her demand that Sloan risk her home look very different.
