“What is that?” I asked, walking over to the desk.

“My personal shares in Harrington Green Energy,” Blake said. “And the original land-use contracts.”

“Your mother wants those,” I said.

“She wants the technology behind them,” Blake said. “But she cannot touch them without my signature.”

He sat down at his desk and looked up at me, his eyes tired and shadowed.

“She tried to take the boys from you to break me,” he said.

“And to keep me quiet about the water pollution,” I added.

“Yes,” Blake said. “If you were discredited as an unfit mother, your research would mean nothing to the board.”

I looked at him, seeing the genuine regret in his face for the first time in years.

“You let her get this far, Blake,” I said softly.

“I know,” he said, looking down at his hands. “I was blind to her methods because I wanted to protect the legacy.”

“The legacy is a lie if it is built on poisoned water and stolen children,” I said.

“I agree,” Blake said. “That is why I am giving it up.”