Valiance And Love | ✓

Chapter Two

Our greatest weakness
lies in giving up.
The most certain way to
succeed is always to
try one more time.
-
Thomas A. Edison

______________________________

"Are you serious?" Cassy asked for the fifth time, causing me to roll my eyes.

I sit back on the couch, glaring at her. "Yes, yes and yes! My parents want to meet me for God knows what."

Let's ask God. Maybe he can tell you the secret.

Shut up!

"Do you think it's trouble?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. They usually only call me when they need me to attend a party or meeting and play the role of the perfect daughter." Cassy chuckles, shaking her head. She's been my friend for the past five years and she knows very well about my parents and my relationship with them.

It's approaching eight thirty, which incidentally is when I'm supposed to be at Hartfield for a mandatory meeting. I know nothing about the meeting or the reason for my mandatory presence in this meeting. I haven't set foot in that building since I graduated. They hated me once and now they're filled with guilt and sympathy, both of which I don't want from anyone, especially not them. Though I don't like meeting them, I religiously attend all the meetings out of respect for my grandmother, Ms. Caroline Hart who passed away when I was ten. My only family who ever loved and cherished me. 

Considering Hartfield is a good thirty-minute cab ride away with the rush-hour traffic, I'm already going to be half an hour late, and that's if I get off of the couch and into my car. Based on the way my head feels, it's going to take me a while to get moving. I groan when my phone rings again. This is the one and only time I'm going to grace the brainless drones at Hartfield with my presence. I don't get why I can't be a silent partner. I'd sell my shares if it meant getting away from my useless, bag-of-dicks family but unfortunately that's not possible. Most of the company's shares are in my name as it was written so in my grandmother's will.

I'm hoping we can get through whatever paperwork is necessary quickly, so I can get back to work. I have a hell lot of work to do today. I grabbed my phone and walked out of my office building with Cassy following me, complaining the whole time about my parents.

It's nine o'clock by the time I get in the car. We sit in traffic for what I predicted to be a half hour, and the entire time my phone rings. But I don't answer. I'm late. The world isn't going to end. I put my phone on silent and closed my eyes. I spent the rest of the trip half asleep. After a journey of half an hour, the car stops. I sigh as I step out of the car.

The security guard takes a cautious step forward. "I'll need to see some identification, ma'am." He's older, probably in his seventies, well past retirement. His name tag reads Rob.

Is that robbery rob?

Shut the hell up.

I wonder how many years he's wasted here, doing this thankless job in the pit of my family's personal merry-go-round of hell.

"What?"

"Your identification, ma'am." He looks me up and down, as if I don't belong here. Which I don't. 

"Hi there," Cassy interrupts with a smile. "She's Allison Hart, daughter of Samuel Hart and Helen Hart. I'm Cassandra Wilson, nice to meet you," she said, holding her hand for him to shake.

Rob looks a bit taken back with the information provided by Cassy. He hesitantly shakes her hand. "I'll get your pass, Ms. Hart."

"It's just Allison, and thanks." A pass magically appeared, and Rob pressed the button because clearly I'm incapable of managing simple tasks, either that or he's treating me like this because he believes it's necessary to keep his job.