Chapter 1 -Grief
Avery Driftwood stood in her father’s office starring out the floor to ceiling windows that over looked the busy streets of Manhattan’s Wall Street. Tears quietly flowed down her cheeks as she thought of her parents, they were the happiest family America has ever seen. Her father was the CEO of Driftwood Enterprises, one of the most powerful investment corporations on Wall Street. The company is one of the largest accounting and investment corporations in the world.
“Miss. Driftwood I’m sorry but we need to read your father’s will now.” Driftwood Enterprises attorney said. He’s a tall, plump man one that stood there lazily with a wooden brief case. Avery turned around form the window and walked over to her father’s desk.
She sat down in the chair that once belonged to her father, when she was little girl she used to sit on her father’s lap while he worked on quarterly reports or research for new investors. Her mother would come by the office every afternoon to check on her two loves.
“Under the unfortunate event if both of your parents were to die, they left everything to you Avery. The manor in the Hampton’s, the apartment on the upper East side, and the Great House outside the city. All of there sixty-three percent shares in the company, all of the money in your father‘s and mother‘s bank accounts.” the plump attorney said sitting down in the chair across from Avery. Around the room stood many of her father’s employees. Among them Thomas Hanson her father’s best friend.
“Avery, your father also left you Driftwood Enterprises. He left a letter that he wants read aloud for everyone to hear.” the plump attorney began to read the letter. “Avery, I love you so much. I never wanted to leave you alone, I promised you when you were just a little girl and used to sit on my lap at the office, I promised that I would live for two hundred years. But fate has its own plans unfortunately. Avery, I know it was never in your plans to run Driftwood Enterprises but please as my last dying wish, I want you to have my company and make it better than I or your mother ever could have. We love you very much Avery. Good bye.”
It was quiet in the big office, Thomas’s mouth dropped to the floor. He believed that his oldest friend Todd would leave him the company not his daughter. “You don’t have to run this company all alone, you can let me run it until you’re ready.” Thomas piped up stepping over to the desk. Thomas has always wanted the company from the first day he meet Todd. Thomas promised himself and his wife, Evelyn, that he would stop at nothing until he has full control of Driftwood Enterprises. But now with Avery in charge he knew what a damper that would put on his promise.
“Is that all?” she asked playing with a pen she grabbed from the ceramic cup she made for him when she was eleven. It said “World’s best Dad!” on the front and on the back was a picture of Todd and Avery.
“No. He also left many private journals for you. And this flash drive.” he pulled out five journals and a flash drive from his brief case and pleasantly handed them over to Avery. She thanked the tall, plump man. “I’m very sorry for your loss but I must be going.” the attorney said shaking hands with Avery and the men that stood around the room before leaving the office.
Avery grabbed her father’s phone and dialed the secretary, “Yes, Mary can you call down for my car please. I’ll be out front.” she said speaking softly to the old woman that has been at this company for as long as her father.
“If there’s nothing more I’m needed for Thomas, I’ll think I’ll be going.” Avery said. Avery’s such a smart, mature girl for a seventeen year old. She knows how to use her charm and brains to get what she wants. Even if it was from Thomas. Thomas shook his head so Avery walked out of her father’s office. Walking down the corridors and in the elevators Avery was stared at and marveled at how strong she has been throughout all of this.
