“Do you currently have clients?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
She hesitated.
“Three active accounts.”
“Three paying clients?”
“Two paying. One is a prospective partnership.”
Captain Vale nodded.
“Thank you. I want to be clear that independent consulting can be legitimate employment. The question is not whether you work today. The question is whether you can establish ten years of continuous lawful employment as required by your father’s trust.”
Liora looked relieved.
For a moment, she seemed to believe he was helping her.
Then he picked up the first document.
“You began describing yourself as an independent stylist eleven years ago, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Were you working during that entire period?”
“I was building my business.”
“Were you earning money from clients?”
“Not consistently.”
“Were you employed elsewhere?”
“Sometimes.”
Captain Vale placed a page on the document display.
“Let’s look at your employment history.”
He walked her through it carefully.
Her first job after college was seasonal.
Four months at a clothing store.
Then a gap.
A short position at an event-planning company.
Another gap.
Several freelance projects.
Then the boutique.
Three weeks.
Liora began twisting a ring around her finger.
Captain Vale continued.
“Your consulting business was formally registered eight years ago, correct?”
“Yes, but I was working before that.”
“Some of the earlier work is documented. The question is whether the employment was continuous.”
He indicated another page.
“After leaving the event-planning company, were you employed for the following seven months?”
“I was developing my portfolio.”
