Free Playing the Game. (Business and Pleasures) by Valentina Lovecraft Page B

I shall now begin the last will and testament reading of Michael Altman’s executer.”
     

 
    Chapter 3
     
     
    I t had already been a ridiculously long morning. Rin had arrived at the offices of Goldberg and Sidman moments before the reading was due to start and had dashed into the room taking the closest available seat. She hadn’t even spotted him yet, but she knew he was there somewhere; she just didn’t want to look about too much as wherever  he may be, he might catch her looking for him. That would be unacceptable! She was not here to socialise.
    T he reading had ended and it was clear why she was one of the few non-family members in attendance.
    Michael’s beloved company had not been left to the shareholder's final decision on ownership, as most of the work force had speculated. It was  Michael’s wish that it instead be left in the hands of Anaise and Rin to co-run; their various foreign offices could be handled better with a partnership than one new fledgling chairman.
    This was massive. Of course, Michael Altman had been the chairman; he was the company founder, but there had never been a vice chairman. Anaise had been a managing director when Rin had begun working there and there had been a recent shakeup when she made senior executive director. She had always been the obvious successor.
    Rin had worked her butt off rising from the ground up; she had eventually made it to manager, which had made her family so proud, but Rin wanted more and her drive had caught the eye of Anaise, and by extension, her father the chairman. From there she proved herself capable over and over, earning herself the title of deputy general manager then onto general manager and eventually managing director. There had been talk of her running the Milan office only weeks ago, but she had been gunning for executive director at the time.
    She had never imagined that Michael would have willed his company to be dictated by a non-family member.
    She wanted to laugh out loud, or do something crazy ! What on earth? I had somehow skipped to the top? Michael must have forecasted my constant rise in the company, but had not figured he would be leaving this earth so soon. This was going to cause a lot of friction among the board of directors for sure. She was only on the first rung of the executive titles and hadn’t been there long.
    Anaise lowered herself into the seat next to her. Rin looked at her, unable to form the right words.
    “Congratulations.” Anaise simply said with a strange look on her face.
    It only occurred to Rin then, that it may also be a big issue for Anaise ; that she would be muscling in on her family right.
    She swallowed the lump in her throat.
    “Congratulations to you!” She managed in a strained voice,
    “I have no idea why I have been g-given this opportunity Anaise, but I won’t let you or your father down.” Rin swallowed again and paused for Anaise to say something.
    Anaise just sat staring at the front of the room while people gathered their things and left.
    They sat in awkward silence until the room was virtually empty. Anaise sighed. The shell of coldness that Rin had perceived on her friend moments ago, felt as though it had cracked.
    Rin felt she should say something, but as she opened her mouth…
    “Look, I don’t know how to process this at the moment Rin. It’s a big fucking deal for me. For you too, I know that. But I’ve work ed hard, and for so long in my fathers shadow, it kind of feels like a slap in the face that I have to share the responsibility of my own birth right with someone else.” Anaise frowned.
    “Someone who isn’t even family.” She added quietly.
    Rin blew out the breath she had been holding and leaned back in her chair.
    Yeah that was fair enough, she understood why Anaise was pissed. She couldn’t very well argue with her, but she really didn’t know how to reply. She was too excited at her new status to let herself feel too guilty. Plus, if she said the wrong