Promises Forgotten
Chapter 54

While Stacy, Elliot, Evie, and I drove together, Stacy and I went in the back way to the office, meeting up with Jason and his full security team. Evie would enter through the front and find a space to watch the press conference. Elliot wanted to see it, since I refused to tell him what was going on in the company beforehand. He had asked his mom multiple times to check her phone to see the stock prices of A.A.W., as he called it.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled up my talking points on my tablet, choosing to not go with a prompter because it just seemed silly. Adrian was worried about it, but he just wasn’t used to being in the limelight. Not while I was around. Looking around, I looked from Adrian, but he wasn’t anywhere.

“Where is he, Stace?”

“I don’t know! I called Nicole but she said he left at six in the morning, and she hasn’t heard from him either.”

Cursing, I looked at my watch. We did not have time for this. We were supposed to go out in five minutes. I wanted to go over the details and where we would switch in about the details of his next steps for the company.

“Boss.” I saw Joe, and his face was serious. My eyes narrowed and I followed him. Turning the corner, I saw Adrian, head in his hands as he was sitting on an office chair.

“Adrian, where the hell…” I froze as Adrian looked up at me. “Are you f*****g drunk, right now?”

His eyes started to fill with tears, and I shook my head. Going over to him, I grabbed his shirt and pulled him up. He could barely stand on his own. He smelled of whiskey and his eyes were bloodshot. My jaw was set, and I pushed him against the wall. I motioned to Joe to watch him and went back out to Stacy.

“Do you have eye drops, Stacy?” I whispered.

Her face turned to me and then she looked where I had just come from. “Shit. What did he do?”

“Stacy, please.”

She shook her head. “I don’t, Zach. But I know who does.” Whipping out her phone, she started to talk quickly as she paced.

Two minutes passed and I saw Evie coming toward us with Elliot in her arms. I reached out and grabbed Elliot. She looked pissed and rightfully so. I’m just as pissed but I can’t do anything right now.

“Where is he?”

I nodded to the corridor and watched as she disappeared around the corner. After a minute, I heard a hard hit and I winced. Stacy looked from me to the corner, but didn’t make a move. Two more minutes and Evie came out with Adrian. He looked more sober and was at least standing up straight, not swaying or stumbling as he walked.

“He can’t talk. You’re going to have to f*****g wing this, Z.” Evie looked at me, worried.

I nodded. “Nothing new.” I glared at him. “You are a f*****g idiot, and we will talk about this later.”

Nodding to the security group, I passed Elliot back to Evie, who went with some of the security off to the side. I walked up with Adrian behind me. Stacy and Jason, with two other members of his security team, also followed. We made sure the board was sitting in the front row, as well as the heads of the departments behind them. Poignantly, I ignored my father, never looking at him once. The multitude of press were behind them. The flashing of all the cameras would send a normal person into a seizure, and for a moment I had to close my eyes.

I placed my tablet down on the podium and looked out over the crowd. Taking a slight breath, I smiled.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I hope everyone had a good morning.”

There were more flashes.

“I appreciate you all coming out for this press conference. We wanted to share with our company, as well as the world, the next steps that Anderson and A. Wright Group will be taking moving forward. The last time we had a conference, I took over as CEO and I feel as though we have achieved monumental success and growth over the last few years.”

Smiling, I gave a moment for the flashes of the cameras. My eyes looked over the words on my tablet and I sighed. Reaching up, I locked my tablet and flipped it closed. Stacy squeaked behind me, but I looked and found Evie off in the corner, a smirk on her face. She wiggled her eyebrows and I had to hold in a chuckle.

“When I took over this company, it was at the request of my father. He had stepped in after my grandfather and he made it more successful than I think my grandfather could imagine. Using that as a stepping stone, I decided to push the boundaries of what the company could do, as well as how our company operated. It was a success and the growth tripled over the last three years.”

I paused again for a second. “There was an issue, though. My grandfather, who was a hero and a role model of mine, never wanted the company to be in my hands. Not because I couldn’t handle it, but he had a different idea for my future. After finally coming to a head where I think I have finally built a perfect foundation, I wanted to provide the company with the best chance and the true heir to the Anderson and A. Wright Group.”

Moving, I gestured to Adrian to step forward. He looked a little pale, but he stepped up with confidence. Putting a hand on his shoulder, I looked back over the crowd.

“This week will signify the end of my time as CEO for the Anderson and A. Wright Group. My brother, Adrian Anderson, will not only be taking up the mantle as CEO, but also as Chairman of the Board.”

The crowd erupted. Security stepped up, but no one pushed forward. It was all noise, mostly people trying to ask questions and wondering what was going on. Smiling, I patted the back of Adrian.

“My brother will be issuing a statement, as well as the changes and plans moving forward, at a later time. I beg your forgiveness for him not speaking about it now. He is…” I looked at him and then smiled back at the crowd. “…not used to all the attention. God knows I’ve paid for some of the reporters’ houses over the years.”

There was a chuckle through the crowd and I nodded. “This is a transition that is going to be huge for this company. I have more faith in my brother that I have in anyone, including myself, leading this company. My grandfather wanted Adrian to be the true legacy of this family and I have no doubt he will rise to the occasion.” Laughing, I looked back over the crowd. “Let’s be honest, he went to more business classes than I did, considering how many times I got caught ny the reporters skipping class.”

This earned another chuckle from the crowd. I took a breath and let Adrian step back. “We wanted to tell the Board, as well as our heads of departments, with everyone. I kindly ask that all of you head up for your individual meetings. Adrian will also be headed up as well, making sure everyone receives their information with everything you need moving forward. Once they have left, I will be happy to answer any questions the press has in regard to the company.”

There was a huge shuffle and I turned back to Stacy, Adrian and Jason. “Jason, stay with me, please. Stacy, please go with Adrian and make sure he gets some water and some carbs in him. I don’t want the f*****g Board or the heads of the departments knowing he’s drunk off his a*s.” My light tone turned harsher.

“Of course. Evie gave me some wash and spray as well. I’ll take care of it.” Stacy led Adrian off the stage.

“Make sure you take Joe. He will be taking over for Jason, so he should be with Adrian as well.”

Stacy nodded, but didn’t reply. I looked up at Jason and he smiled. “It wasn’t too bad. Short and sweet. Personally, I would have tossed him to the sharks for showing up drunk.”

“That’s why you aren’t CEO.” I chuckled.

Turning back, I saw the reporters setting up in the front rows. Sighing, I moved the podium back to where everyone was standing and unbuttoned my jacket. I went down and sat on the edge of the stage, smiling brightly at everyone.

“I hope you don’t mind that I get comfortable. I’ve been on my feet for a while today. Started at the company at 4 a.m and been going ever since.”

There were smiles in the crowd and I nodded. Looking up, I saw Jason looking at me again like I’d grown another head. “I mean, you’re welcome to stand, but I’m offering you to take a seat. We might be here for a while if they have a lot of questions.”

“Alright alright.” Jason unbuttoned his jacket and sat on the edge of the stage as well.

I looked around and saw Evie, smiling brightly at me. Elliot wasn’t looking up at the phone, though. She looked at him and then me. She made a zig zag motion and I assumed she was talking about the stock prices. Nodding, I rolled my shoulders.

“Everyone ready? Who wants the first question?”

A few hands went up, but I saw my usual girl sitting three rows back. “And here I thought you retired, Jasmine. I’ll give you the first one.”

She stood, her phone out. “When did you decide to quit as CEO?”

“Ouch. Quit? That’s a bit harsh.” I let out a breathy laugh. “Honestly, I was thinking about it since before I left for France. It was finalized two weeks ago, and I am still CEO until Sunday. Then, I will be passing on the title of CEO to Adrian.” I put my hand up as hands whipped into the air. “Before you ask, I have fully taken over DV Holdings, a company that I started in college and will continue to nurture and build.”

“So you will be moving to LA.”

Smiling, I tilted my head. “Not a question.”

“Will you be moving to LA for business, then?”

“Partially, yes. The main office of DV Holding is in LA, but I do expect to expand internationally within the next few years.”

Hands went up again. “Do you really think your younger brother has what it takes to be CEO?”

“I think he has more what it takes than I do. He is smarter and more creative than I will ever be. Working with him at DV Holdings has only served to show me it was too small time for him. He will skyrocket this company into a growth that it has never seen before, and I will happily watch as my brother excels.”

“Don’t you think you aren’t giving enough credit to yourself?”

My eyebrows rose. “Is that a hidden compliment from the press? I will take it!” They laughed with me. “I did many things with the company and there are things I did behind the scenes that provided a great foundation, but the growth was the result in that shift, not true growth. DV Holdings has and always will be my dream. One my grandfather helped me build and one I will continue to build. Just as my father did with this company and Adrian will do.”

“In some of the photos you have released recently, you are wearing a ring, is it true that you are married?”

My eyebrow raised. “Well, it seems we have a detective in the house. I did say I would answer questions about the company, not about my personal life.”

“The people want to know if the playboy bachelor is off the market.” I heard a familiar voice shout out.

“When is the last time you used the headline ‘playboy strikes again’? Years. Literally years. Will I never live that title down?” I chuckled to myself, giving a glance over at Evie. She was smiling and shrugging.

The reporters chuckled. “Is it to Jennifer Sinclair?”

Leaning back, I rolled my eyes. “I think I already spoke in regard to my relationship with Miss Sinclair. We are friends and will continue to be, but we are not and never will be lovers. To answer your question though, yes, I am married.”

Everyone started to talk at once and I put my hand up. “I know you are all curious about my personal life…”

“How hot is she? Is she a model?” A young voice pierced through the crowd and I sighed.

“Who said that? Stand up for me for a minute.”

A young kid, maybe eighteen or nineteen, stood up, his phone held up, filming. I smiled and waved.

“I have a question for you. Is your girlfriend hot?”

“I…I…don’t have a girlfriend.”

My eyes widen in mock shock, and I could hear a few chuckles in the crowd.

“If you don’t even have a girlfriend, why are you asking if my wife is hot? If she is a model? Do you think your next girlfriend is going to be a model?”

He shook his head.

“Then why do you assume my wife is a model?”

His face turned red and he slowly sank back down into his seat. I let my eyes sweep over the group of reporters.

“I understand I have been a piece of news ever since I was in high school. I think my first front page tabloid was by our veteran reporter, Jasmine. What was it?”

“‘Heir to the Anderson fortune, drunk and delirious at sixteen.’” She chuckled. “Something like that.”

Nodding, I smiled. “I have given many of you some of your best photos and articles that jump started your careers and, at the time, I was happy to oblige.” I paused, letting the grin drop slowly from my face. “However, now, I have a family. People I want to protect. Stepping away from CEO also has me stepping out of the limelight as well. It’s time that I focused on my family, and I ask that you respect that.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and narrowed my eyes before I continued. “I will be around, with my family, for a few days. I won’t lie. I ask that if you do see us, I welcome any photos you wish to take of me, but please don’t include my family. I don’t wish to subject them to you all. No offense.”

The room laughed.

“Any and all questions moving forward in regard to the company can still be requested through our PR department. You can even reach out to DV Holdings PR and, while it might take a little longer, considering that we are a much smaller company, we will get back to you. Adrian will settle into the role and get more comfortable with you all. He’s going to have to, because I know you guys, but give him a chance and understand that he is also married. Give him the courtesy you would want provided to your own family.”

A few of the cameras and phones came down, so I was able to see the faces of the press who I have probably grown up with chasing me around for years. We would be flying away, and I wouldn’t be seeing these people, hopefully, ever again.

“If there are no further questions about the company, I’m going to go ahead and head up to enjoy the view from my office a little while longer.”

Jumping off the edge of the stage, I buttoned up my jacket and smiled at everyone. The camera’s flashed again and I nodded to the group.

“Have a wonderful day, everyone.”