Chapter 10 The Heir-Apparent

After the trip to the hospital and home, Chase was exhausted and climbed the stairs to her room, and crashed down on her bed. She was used to the long nights but not as much as she used to be. Yet, while her body was tired, her mind remained active.

So she got up and changed into pajama pants and a tank top. Now comfortable, she went over to her desk and picked up a book and sat down on her bed.

"So Voltaire, what do you have to share with me today?" she asked and opened the book.

As she started to read Voltaire, she could feel the mind start to become satisfied and get ready for sleep. That was when Hurricane Victoria stormed into her room. Chase sighed and put down the book.

"You girl's have inherited your mom's habit of sloppy dressing for bed," Victoria said to Chase as she stood over her oldest granddaughter's bed.

"It is comfortable, Grandma," Chase said.

Victoria huffed, "What is wrong with that drug damaged brain of yours, I've told you a million times to call me Victoria; Grandma makes me sound too old."

Victoria shook her head, "What is this with you suddenly reading? When I read to you, you would run off screaming."

Chase sighed, "You would read me the Wall Street Journal."

"Of course I would, you're the heir-apparent, and you'll be taking over Davis Enterprises someday."

Chase nodded, "Okay."

Victoria sat down on the bed next to Chase, "I can't believe your mom took the most beautiful flower in my garden way from a place it could thrive," she smiled, "Well, next year when you're attending NYU you can make up for all the networking you are missing out on."

Chase shook her head, "I'm not going to NYU, Grandma."

"Chastity Elizabeth Adams, you need to attend a school where you can also work and learn how to run the company that gave you all this."

Chase sighed, "I've decided to attend William and Mary or University of North Carolina in Wilmington."

"William and Mary is good, you can make some good connections there."

Chase sighed, "That is if I even decide to take over mom's Company. Maybe my heart lies elsewhere."

"Chase, what has this place done to you? You use to be the most elegant and focused girl. I can remember you sitting on my desk listening to me make deals and now what do you want to be, some minimum wage waitress in some second rate club?"

Chase sighed, "It allows me to have my own money."

"Come with me back to New York and you won't have to work. There are plenty of guys so you don't have to worry about being single. If you have to work, you can work with me, and you'll even have your own office."

"Is that your opinion?"

Victoria nodded, "Yes, it is."

"Opinions have caused more ills than the plague or earthquakes on this little globe of ours," Chase said.

"Voltaire, Chase? Not so original.

"Virtue debases itself in justifying itself."

Chase shook her head, "Man is free at the instant he wants to be."

Victoria smiled and nodded, "So you did do something other then network with crack heads when you were in rehab."

Chase nodded, "Yeah, and I can do more."

Victoria smiled, "C'mon do you really want to do this?"

Chase nodded, and smiled slightly, "If it will get you out of my hair."

"Not likely, since you're walking in half armed, and with no experience."

"So confident are we?"

"It's common sense never to get in a battle of wits with an elder."

"Common sense is quite rare."

Victoria nodded, "I gave you that one, prejudice is an opinion without judgment."

Chase smiled, "Whatever you do, crush the infamous thing, and love those who love you."

"The secret of being a bore is to tell everything."

"Love truth but pardon error."

Victoria shook her head, "Exactly, now I'll have to pardon Lucas for giving you girls' books."

"What we find in books is like the fire in our hearths. We fetch it from our neighbor's, we kindle it at home, we communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all," Chase shot back.

"His reputation will go on increasing because scarcely anyone reads him."

Chase was looking but couldn't find a weakness to exploit. She couldn't find that loop hole. Victoria was good; Chase needed to be better for one more line.

Victoria smiled knowing she had Chase. Her granddaughter put up a good fight but she walked into the ring with a veteran fighter. Now, it was the time for final blow.

"It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong," Victoria said and stood up and walked to the door.

Chase looked at her dumb founded. Victoria smiled, "Never mess with someone who has more experience and was the one who taught you to read."

Chase was taken aback.

"You see, Chase, I'm right and you're wrong and you know it. So, we'll discuss you coming back to New York with me later," Victoria finished and left.

Chase shook her head and closed the book, "Whatever you do, crush the infamous, and love those who love you."

She lay back down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. How was it that her grandmother could easily disarm them, all four of them. She attacked her with Voltaire and was easily beaten by her. Her mom would argue with her, then there was some sort of guilt thing that was pulled, and her mom was down for the count. Izzy and Trin were no match for her either. Trin didn't even try.

Chase just shook her head and slipped under the covers. She needed a nap. It was too long of a day and too long of a night, and this day wasn't getting any better. So after pulling the covers over her head, she closed her eyes and slept.