Chapter 18 - THE CIVIL CASE
The trust filed a civil claim against Adrienne and Mercer Adaptive.
Not for $14.8 million.
That would have been absurd.
Claims:
Unsupported $26,500 invoice.
Overpricing adjustments.
Administrative costs caused by false paperwork.
Attorney fees where recoverable.
Total disputed civil exposure:
About $118,000 before fees.
Settlement:
Mercer Adaptive repaid $37,000 including invoice and pricing adjustments.
Adrienne personally paid additional administrative/legal contribution.
Insurance covered some professional-liability expense.
No punitive seven-figure jackpot.
The trust withdrew broader claims after audit found most services real.
That precision mattered to me.
At first I wanted every dollar back.
Then I saw the evidence.
Some ramps Adrienne designed were good.
The lowered kitchen counter helped Ilaria every day.
Truth did not need to erase that.
Adrienne’s civil lawyer asked if I would sign a non-disparagement agreement.
Only if reciprocal and allowing truthful legal disclosures.
We did.
I stopped discussing her publicly.
She stopped discussing Ilaria.
Best clause in the whole case.
Privacy returned.
Then Adrienne requested permission, through counsel, to send Ilaria one apology letter after probation.
Maya advised against it at that age.
I declined.
Not forever.
Not revenge.
May you like
Ilaria was five.
She did not need Adrienne’s emotional needs added to kindergarten.
