Interview With One Of My Characters X

Good afternoon, Mrs. White. It’s very generous of you to be my guest today. I hope it wasn’t a nuisance to come here for the interview?

A: It was a little bit, but don’t worry. I have an excellent Assistant who is always by my side.

Q: I invited you here today to introduce you to my readers and followers and learn a bit more about you, your family, and your business.

A: Well, young lady, I hope you don’t ask me too many personal things. I am very much able to get up and walk out should I become upset.

Q: I understand. Let’s start with the introduction. You are Mrs. Victoria Carpenter-White, owner and CEO of White Diamonds. Is that correct?

A: Yes, it is. And it’s my pleasure to be here today.

Q: ‘White Diamonds’ is mainly in the White families’ hands, right? Can you please tell us more about the company?

A: Of course. You are right. White Diamonds, as the name says, belongs to the White’s. It was founded by my grandfather, Edward White. My father inherited and maintained it. When my husband Henry took over, he continued my father’s legacy. White Diamonds was a respectable diamond and jewelry store in Southern California, and after a lot of arguments, I finally talked Henry into opening a second location. After Henry’s untimely passing, I took over the lead and expanded White Diamonds to become a global conglomerate specializing in diamonds and colored gemstones. The corporation now spans every aspect of jewelry production, from digging to designing and manufacturing, and employs around eight thousand people worldwide.

Q: You brought the ‘White family tree’ with you. Who will we meet in the story? Starting from right to left, I figure it will be the bold names, right? Jessica Edwards, Eugene Williams, Ryan and Sarah Edwards, and Kaitlyn White, your granddaughter.

A: I’m not sure what to tell you, Aurora Jean. While I was asked several times by my grand-nephew and niece, and by my attorney, to have Kaitlyn formally declared diseased and removed from my will, I still can feel her. She is alive, not dead, as everybody says. There has always been a very unique connection between my granddaughter and me. I suspect that connection would be cut by one of us passing away, but this isn’t the case. I still suspect she might not show up in the story… no matter how much I wish her to return home.

Q: What is the main thread through the story about the family saga of ‘White Diamonds’?

A: (laughs) Oh, Aurora Jean… you make me giggle. ‘White Diamonds’ is not a ‘family saga’, as you called it, but a fight for the company to determine who will be my successor… I’m over 80 years old now. To say the vultures patiently wait in the trees would be wrong. They already started circling ten years ago. The value of ‘White Diamonds’, a global conglomerate in the jewelry business, is immeasurable. Not only would the new owner become immensely wealthy, but they would also get a carte blanche to divest the company and bathe in money or continue my legacy with access to the diamond cartel. ‘White Diamonds’ cannot be kept and steered by a corner-market owner. A corporation like that demands a leader who is familiar with the goods. Since ‘White Diamonds’ is a family-owned company, the successors’ choice is limited.

Q: It seems ‘White Diamonds’ holds your heart and blood, Mrs. White. Your eyes are sparkling when you talk about the company.

A: Of course. When I took over from my late husband, I was a bit overwhelmed… but then I decided to take over for good and learn how to lead that carriage. And that’s what I did. When Henry passed away ‘The Diamond Corner’ was located in a business building in Sherman Oaks and had roughly three hundred somewhat employees. Fifteen years later, we moved into our own headquarters, which were built by the company. We had over two thousand employees, and we were still massively growing, particularly internationally.

Q: It’s been quite some time since you are the CEO and owner of ‘White Diamonds’. Do you think the company has reached its goal?

A: (chuckles)… No, young lady. ‘White Diamonds’ does not have a ‘goal to reach’ or any kind of limit. In my dreams, it will grow forever. But without the right successor, that won’t be possible. In this book, I’m afraid we will have to sift the chaff from the wheat and determine who will have the strength, the knowledge, and the blood to live for this company the way I did.

Q: Are you sure there will be a successor for ‘White Diamonds’? Kaitlyn is not around anymore to count as a possibility.

A: (sighs) I’m not too old to recognize hard work, honesty, excellent or other leadership, knowledge, determination, greed, rejection, or even hatred. This is not going to be an easy decision. Sometimes, I ask myself if I did right to have waited that long… I fear the hot temper of the ‘White family’ could take over. I don’t want to fight to the death… but I will if I see it’s necessary.

Q: What…

A: (interrupts) – I’m very sorry, Aurora Jean… I will have to cut this short. I set up a management meeting later this morning and must leave. I’m sorry for that… Thank you for the invitation. It was a pleasure to be here.

(Leaves – only the softly fading thump of her cane tells us she was just here…)

Well… That was surely interesting…