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“What’s the commotion out here? Didn’t I say not to disturb me until...”
“Dad.” Asher nodded as he looked between the two of us. “Shall we all go to the office?”
“Come here, sweetheart. Grace, take Miss Wilkinson’s belongings please and store them until our return.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and guided me back to his office, like I didn’t have a clue where I was. “I hope your flight wasn’t too exhausting because we’ve got a lot to talk about.”
I stepped into the office and the emotions hit immediately. It only seemed like yesterday I was in this office, but time had passed so quickly. With a bit of initiative, I headed straight to sit down and noticed Asher took my lead. The sooner this was sorted, the quicker I’d head back to rest.
“Sorry, it’s just a lot to take. You both sitting here together at once. It’s a rare event,” Dad replied as he ran his hand through the grey tinged locks he had left. “I need to talk to you both and I knew if I didn’t get you – Sutton – straight here, then I’d struggle to pin you down for long enough.”
“What’s this about, Dad?” I asked, as I fought back the huffed sound that I was desperate to expel, knowing far too well you never knew when a business meeting could begin.It seems I was right.
“Well…” Dad took a seat and pulled himself tight into his picture laden desk before he picked up a document file. “I’ve been thinking about stepping back for a while from the business.”
“And?” Asher’s eyes sparkled as he looked between the two of us and my fingers grasped the edge of the desk.
“Asher, let the man speak,” I admonished. “You don’t know what he wants to say yet.”
“Thank you, Sutton.” Dad glared at Asher, as he leaned back in his chair before he folded his arms. “As I was saying, I want Sutton to take over as CEO. I’m sorry, Asher. I know it should go to you, but Sutton’s shown more promise. She understands how everything works down to the last penny.”
“What?” Asher screamed; his chair scraped back against the tiled floor. The screeched pitch echoed into my ears, as my eyes squinted, and I scrunched up my shoulders. He started to pace the room, his fingers pulled at his dark hair before he stared at me and pointed. “Why her?”
“Why me, indeed?” I felt a sudden weight of pressure and expectations thrown at me.
“Because, Asher, I had to weigh up the options.” He glared at my brother, shocked at his outburst. “Sutton, you’ve done amazing work in San Francisco and now it’s time to continue your development here.”
My mouth dropped open and the shock finally hit, my motto gone. I had commitments; I had to learn everything before the transition occurred. I couldn’t do that in San Francisco. I had to do it here. Fuck.
“Asher, you will make sure that Sutton knows all she needs to, and then you will support her, as her vice CEO. You’re still a huge part of this business but your sister will be the one in charge. You got it?” Dad declared as he clapped his hands down on the desk and pushed himself up to stand. “Oh, and you’ll do it with a smile on your face. You can learn so much from her.”
“I can’t believe this bullshit. I’ve worked my ass off here and what? Sutton goes on her holidays and lands CEO, it’s bollocks,” Asher blurted out before he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
“He may be right, Dad. I don’t know the clients here like he does. Asher’s the eldest and knows everything about investment, I don’t,” I continued to mumble my concerns in hope that he’d see that this was wrong. It was a mistake.
“Sutton, my decision is final.” He walked over to the window and gazed across the sky and smiled before he turned and pointed at something outside. “Do you see that?”
I stood up and walked over to him and allowed my gaze to trail to the hot air balloon that floated in the sky.
“I want to do that, enjoy life. Not here, Sutton. I’ve built this company, but I need a break. I need time to breathe,” he admitted before he took me back to his desk and sat me in his chair. “Sutton, Asher will help, you don’t worry about that. The CEO of Hillside Investment will also be in contact with our merged investment projects. I’ll ensure that you don’t have a single worry when the time comes for you to fly high on your own. I promise.”
I was stunned, unable to object any longer; my life trajectory had just changed and now I had no choice in my future. I was about to become CEO of Wilkinson Holdings Corporation whether I liked it or not, and Tate Hillside was part of that package. Fuck. Me.
Chapter2
Tate
Hillside Investmentwas my baby; I’d poured blood, sweat and tears into the way it stood today. I lived and breathed the corporate lifestyle. It was my passion; the one area I’d been thankful I had pushed every waking hour of my life into. When the fears had first appeared, I’d worried I’d crumble under the weight of the pressure on my shoulders. I’d learnt the bigger the company, the more financial revenue. I could split them into more smaller units and the dividends at the end would be much higher. It was a better solution for all.
When my father passed away five years ago, I’d been left it all. It had always been my father’s dream to be a CEO of a successful self-made company, a dream even. I could either relish the dream or sink at the first opportunity. It was my choice, and I chose to train for a fucking marathon rather than risk the alternative – failure. I was a ruthless bastard, anyone who chose to stand in my way was crushed with my little finger. I had no guidance or anyone to show me that the decisions I made were right, or what would catapult me through the ranks or how to be a strong leader. I had to learn fast that if I didn’t call the shots, then someone else in this cutthroat world wouldn’t hesitate to stab me right in the back. Business was business after all. Everyone wanted the power and fame associated with the job but not everyone could handle the tough decisions. A business built from hard graft showed a true man’s worth.
I’d made Hillside Investmentindispensable in the public eye since I became the face of the company. Just wait until I made Hillside the top investment firm throughout Europe, and everyone bowed to my needs. Fuck, that would be amazing. I mean, I’d done most of the hard work – the smaller companies assets sat neatly in my portfolio – after I’d purchased and liquidated their assets. I just had one problem. A company that had been grinding my gears over the years and was as untouchable as my own.
Wilkinson Holdings Corporation
This company and the Wilkinson family were the final part of my plan and they needed to be smashed and destroyed. I wanted every person in the corporate world to forget the name even existed; a mere token of my thanks for the attempted battles against me. They should’ve never gone up against me, but now my luck had changed – for the better. The last few years their portfolio had rocketed and now they were becoming a problem. My offers and deals were declined with a better more desirable option from elsewhere. I knew only one other place had the investment capital. The eldest sibling, Asher Wilkinson and the next in line to rule the fortune, had started to work for me. I thought he was my enemy, a thorn in my side. A man I needed to get rid of at all costs, but he soon became a friend.
A friend I never thought I actually ever needed.
But I really did.
