Everything You Wanted Me To Be.

Chapter 59

We arrive at Atlas's the crowds are huge so the driver pulls into the under ground service entrance. Graces eyes are fixed on mine I can tell. I take a deep breath. We arrive by the door and I climb out, I help Grace and Enzo gets out himself. My mother is going back to the hotel she doesn't want to be party to this seen as it was her generation that fucked it up. We find the lift and our publicist is waiting.
"Mr Atlas, Mrs Atlas, the press conference is set up for you both. You'll both make your statements one after another and then there will be a press Q&A." I nod and grab Graces hand and squeeze. This is huge for her, she's officially going to be the wife of a high profile fuck up case. If only they knew. We arrive on the conference floor. Everyone leaves us for a second and I turn to Grace.
"If you don't want to do this say now and I'll get Enzo to take you to the hotel."
"I'm okay, you'll be there right." I nod.
"I can do this for us." She continues and I smile.
"I love you so much, I'm so sorry about this." She nods and says nothing.
"Wait here. I'll come grab you when it's time Enzo will be right here waiting with you." Enzo steps forward and smiles at Grace he nods at me. I twist my neck to click my shoulders take a deep breath and walk out infront of the journalists. There must be atleast 500 here.

"Good Morning All,

Firstly I'd like to welcome you to Atlas Publishing. Of all the companies I proudly inherited this is my favourite which is why I've chosen to give this press conference here.

I recently became the CEO of my Fathers Dynasty. Whilst I'm incredibly proud to own such a collection of companies and stocks there is a dark history that has came out recently. One of great sadness and misunderstanding.

During my fathers time at the helm of Acorp, another branch of the Atlas name. He was charged with the responsibility to demolish and reconstruct a block of flats. As you have all heard within that process two people sadly lost their lives. I make it crystal clear stood here infront of you that all the evidence I have been presented from my council, the police and the city officials rule that no foul play occurred. Instead it was human error. Acorp would like to subsume some blame for these two individuals dying. We sent an engineer in to do the final sweep and they missed two people. Two people that I have recently came to be told is my wife's parents.

The engineer whom wrongly signed off the building died in recent years. There are other factors at play though. We believe strongly that the individuals were not in the building when the sweep was done. Instead they entered the building on the intention of protesting and were unfortunately missed.

Acorp issues a formal apology to any of those who were upset during this awful event. We have made the decision to donate all proceeds from the annual fundraiser to help the homeless and orphaned children. I'd like to invite my wife to say a few words about her late parents.

Thank you."

I notion to Grace who stands up tall and smiles I nod at her and she walks out and onto the podium.

"Hello,

I'm Grace and I'm proudly and recently married into this wonderful family that is the Atlas name. I was very fortunate and grew up in England with two loving parents. It wasn't until recently I learnt that these parents were not my biological ones. On their recent passing I was left a letter in which my biological parents wrote before their unfortunate death.

It confirmed to me that they were my parents and partook risky activities. They were strong advocates for global warming and believed demolishing buildings was a key driver of that. Within the letter they detail a number of protests they attended. It's my belief that they did the same in this occasion.

I was fortunate enough to be placed with a lovely family. Who have loved me as their own and raised me to be the person I am today. I hold Acorp no more responsible than the man who runs it. Both are innocent parties that have been clouded by a sad past.