Chapter Text
Anthony sat in his mother’s office, nursing the mother of all hangovers, and tried not to look directly at the overhead lights. He was sporting a two-day-old beard, a gray t-shirt from his college days, and some well-worn jeans, along with sunglasses to help ease his pounding headache.
Violet slid a tablet across the desk to him, which displayed a paparazzi photo of him making out with Siena Rosso, society darling and wannabe singer–not to mention his latest fling. They were in the park and his hand was quite clearly…wandering.
“Really, Anthony,” Violet began, exasperation evident in her tone. "How long are you going to go on like this?”
“Sorry,” he mumbled as he sank down further in his chair.
“No, you’re not,” she challenged sharply. “If you were sorry, as you’ve claimed to be so many times, you would have changed your behavior by now. You are the firstborn of this family and the heir apparent to the Bridgerton Corporation, but apparently, I need to remind you that’s not set in stone.”
That caught his attention. Anthony’s head snapped up and he looked at his mother for the first time since he entered the office. “What are you saying?”
“How can I trust you with the company when this is how you behave?” She pointed at the photograph again. “Your father and I worked too hard and too long to build this life to watch you squander it in the interest of a good time.”
“Mom, you know I can handle it.” He sat up straighter in his chair.
“I know no such thing. All you’ve done since your father died is get drunk and embarrass yourself at parties. That is not the reputation I want following this company. I’ve been thinking perhaps your sister would be the safer choice. She’s smart, and Simon will be a great help to her.”
“No!” he shouted. “We agreed that when you retired, I would take over. You can’t back out now!”
Violet leveled him with a gaze only a mother could manage. “It’s my company and I can do what I like with it.” Suddenly her expression softened and shifted. “I’m not saying I’ve made up my mind, but I need to see some changes if you want me to entrust you with this kind of responsibility.”
“What do I need to do?”
“Grow. Up.”
“Can you be more specific?” he asked, his brain reeling from the prospect of losing his chance at continuing his father’s legacy–ironic as he’d spent the better part of the last decade running from it as fast as he could.
“Stay out of the tabloids, for a start,” Violet said with a wry laugh. “Find a decent woman to spend your time with. I know asking you to forgo women entirely for any length of time is too much to ask, but at least find one with some self-respect and half a brain.”
Anthony winced at his mother’s words. He did have a propensity for eager, not particularly bright women who were happy to end up in his bed or have him in theirs.
“What else?” he pressed.
Violet shook her head. “This isn’t a checklist you can mark off, Anthony. Show me you’re the man I have spent my life raising you to be. I’ve given you space the last several years–clearly too much–but I had hoped you would eventually settle down on your own. Apparently, you need a push, so this is it. Grow up, settle down, or I will give the company to Daphne.”
Anthony sprang to his feet and fought a violent wave of nausea from the sudden movement. “She doesn’t even want it!”
“But she’ll take it if I ask, and she’ll do a wonderful job. She’ll make your father proud.”
Unlike you was the implied end to that sentence. Anthony frowned.
“Fine, I’ll take it under consideration.”
“You’ll do more than that if you really want all this,” she said, gesturing to the expensive office in which they found themselves. “If you’d like a quiet place to think, your office is available. You remember where that is, don’t you?”
“Yes, mother,” he grumbled, feeling like a child after a scolding.
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Shoulders slumped, he exited his mother's office thinking fast. What was he going to do? Sienna wouldn’t meet his mothers expectations.She was too, well, exhibitionist.
“Will” He said to his mothers assistant, "I need to see you in my office” then he paused looking around slightly lost. “Where is it?”
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One hour later sitting at his desk, feeling completely chastised by Will’s obvious condensation, he had a list.
- Pretty but not flamboyant
- Easy to talk to
- Steady, not scandalous
- Family oriented or more specifically gets along well with his crazy family
- Compassionate
- Loyal
Now who did he know that could check all those boxes?