Suki Lane sat in a very expensive and not-too-comfortable chair behind a businesslike desk that was too ostentatious for her taste but was necessary to maintain the appearances required of her position. Behind her, a floor-to-ceiling window would have rendered the paper on the table too bright to read if gray clouds hadn't softened the light. By one hand there lay a blue-rimmed envelope opened with a neat line made by her white plastic letter opener. Beside her other hand there was a crisp sheet of paper with three faint fold lines.
FROM THE LAW OFFICE OF DEWEY, CHEATHAM AND HOWE, ATTORNEYS AT LAW
DATE: SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2024 09/12/24
NOTICE OF ACCEPTED SETTLEMENT
On behalf of our client Jimmy Crystal and with the support of Dana Murray, J.D., we do hereby confirm the agreement reached in contract 5.01.D as undersigned by both Mr. Crystal and Ms. Lane. To summarize, Ms. Lane agrees to state that she has been justly recompensed for the damages incurred against her by Mr. Crystal in connection to the charges pertaining to Crystal vs. Moon and the affiliated suits, and to refrain from additional testifications on the charges therein.
Seeing the words in their blunt typeface brought Suki a wave of relief. The trial had been much easier than it might have been- her salary, it seemed, bought quite the expert representation- but she was still in haste to see the whole matter done with. Dana had proven an aggressive and shrewd negotiator, bringing in a far more amenable settlement than Suki had expected, but even then she had perhaps made more allowances than she'd had to simply to close the matter quickly. She had agreed to the hush terms not out of greed or haste but because she was frankly afraid of the hopefully slight but still haunting chance that her former boss might prove as violent to her as he had to Buster. Included in the settlement was provision for an unlimited period of therapy paid for by the dwindling but still prodigious coffer of Jimmy Crystal. Suki did not have any illusions that the nightmares of Buster's falling body would end anytime soon.
The language in this letter is not legally binding but merely a summation of agreements made already. In compensation for the damages against Ms. Lane, in combination of legal decrees and private settlements, Ms. Lane is awarded the amount of $800,000.000, to be paid in a lump sum, alongside associated benefits. The funds will be wired to account 657-XXX-XXX by close of business day.
$800,000. The number loomed in Suki's head, smaller than it would be for most people but nonetheless substantial. It came out to about six years' pay- tax-free, thanks to Dana's negotiations. Crystal Enterprises had already extended an offer letter for her to either stay on, take as long a vacation as requested with her position held, or an amicable split with generous severance and continuation of their professional relationship. Then there was the matter of the $200,000 she had saved over the years through frugality and ingenious methods of charging all possible expenses, from meals to wardrobes, to her employers. Then came the frequent bonuses, residuals, and benefits of the various superstar clients she had represented. In short, Crystal Enterprises' offer of continued employment was appreciated but by no means depended upon. If she wanted to, with shrewd investments and the assistance of a financial manager, she could never work again.
Suki sat in her stiff-necked chair, musing that she could buy one stuffed with silk if she wanted to. She had already responded to the offer from Crystal Enterprises, requesting a leave of three months to settle after the lawsuit. After that… she didn't know. For the first time since she'd come to Redshore City, she had nothing on her schedule at all. As the thoughts settled in her mind, she had no idea at all what to do with herself.