Family Business

1: Family Vacation

**Faith POV**

It was finally summer. Sunny, breezy, beautiful summer.

I finally finished high school. I graduated at 17, not because I was a year early, but because I had an early summer birthday. I turned 18 only a few days ago, and had a small celebration with some friends. My parents sent me a text, which was about as much as I wanted from them. They were pretty much always traveling. Besides, I'd see them soon on our summer trip with the Stone family.

The Stone family owned Stone Enterprise, where Derek Stone and my father, Trent Jackson, worked to invest and capitalize on stocks, startups, and underground businesses that I preferred not to know about. I didn't care to know how much money they made or how, I just knew it was way too much. Derek served as CEO, and my father was COO, as well as his closest confidant and friend. Derek's wife, Diane, as well as my mother, Roslyn, hung out all the time, going to country clubs and brunches and living their best lives on their husbands' dimes. Which they deserved, because both Derek and my father had repeatedly stepped out of their marriages with whatever desperate young secretaries were working at the office, and I wouldn't be surprised if Diane and my mom did the same. It really wasn't my business, but I'd never want to be ensnared in a marriage like that, even for all the money in the world.

Our families were very close. We went on multiple trips together, especially over the summer. My oldest brother was five years older than me, and just started law school last year, determined to be the expert legal counsel for Stone Enterprise. He was pretty much best friends with Derek's oldest son, Xavier, who had simultaneously started his Masters of Business Administration. He was destined to be the heir of Stone Enterprise, and both our fathers were very proud of their golden firstborn sons. Then there was Axton, Xavier's younger brother by two years. Axton liked spending the money, and the opportunities such as being a model, athlete, and heartthrob, but he wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about being involved in the family business. I know he served as a bodyguard sometimes, and facilitated some meetings with the sketchy partners our fathers dealt with, but he had no interest in taking over much responsibility of the company. He was much happier taking his inheritance and ignoring the rest. Xavier and Axton had a sister, Jeanna, who stayed on the good side of her father just enough to study abroad and travel almost constantly. She came back for summer trips, but that was basically the only time I saw her.

I had two other siblings in addition to Tristan. Blaine, also two years younger than Tristan, and Makayla, who was a year younger than Blaine. Our parents liked to plan their pregnancies together, which worked out best for our mothers. I was the oddball, the youngest, and definitely the black sheep. Or, maybe Blaine could claim that title. Blaine was a bit of an art freak, and did so many drugs that I think my father is actually relieved that he doesn't want to help with the company. Makayla loved to live the life of the billionaire heiress, spending money on purses, clothes, all sorts of things. She didn't do anything after high school except hook up with guys that are old enough to be our dad, who'd buy her whatever her heart desired. I swear, it was like an Olympic sport for her. She could buy them herself, and she did, but it was way more fun for her to get it from old rich men. She did decide to go to a rich kid college, I think just to join the sorority. Her and Jeanna were unstoppable together, and sure to clean out any designer store they went into.

I was a bit of an outlier in all this. I didn't like to spend the family money, even if I was allowed to, but I wasn't exactly throwing everything away in drugs and alcohol. I know that a good portion of it was likely blood money, and my father always expected favors like trotting around his galas and events as his perfect little daughter. I just tried to stay under the radar. I was awarded a pretty great scholarship after doing well in high school, and got accepted to a moderately priced university. Much to my father's dismay, I'm studying chemistry, which he thinks is a complete waste of time since it's not helpful to the company. Xavier, Tristan, and Axton all went to very prestigious, and expensive, schools where they earned their bachelor's. Xavier and Tristan of course attended the same elite school, where I'm sure they partied like absolute animals. Luckily, I never really had to see those two, except during the summers. Both of them picked on me relentlessly while we grew up, for not being more like Makayla and Jeanna. Those girls loved to be sexy, and dumb, and desired by everyone, especially my sister. I didn't want them knowing anything about me, or seeing me, or using me for their company politics. Tristan and his asshole friend called me a nerd, outcast, loser, the ugly sister, all sorts of things. Especially Xavier, who thought in the same vein as our fathers, that women were there to be pretty and hang on their arms like an accessory. Axton and Blaine were much better. Axton and I got along well, and I adored poor Blaine. He really got the brunt of our father's ire, mainly for his drug use and choice to be a starving artist, but he truly had the biggest heart.