On her way to work, she stopped and bought a huge soft pretzel. She hadn't eaten one of those street-vendor delights in years, but since they always made her happy as a child, she opted for the joyful treat.
Then, in an even more surprising move, she decided to do something she normally would never do. She decided to call her brother. Robert Westerley was probably busy preparing to take over their father's company, so she knew he'd be awake. Whether or not he would be available to talk was another matter.
Constance didn't speak much to Robert these days. The two of them didn't dislike each other; they simply didn't have much in common anymore, so they didn't have much to say. From an early age, Robert dreamed of running their father's company. And their father, Burton, was more than happy to have a willing heir.
Burton Westerley ran the largest of the family companies: Westerley International. His five brothers and sisters had done reasonably well in life, running smaller companies or pursuing other careers. But they hadn't done as well as Burton. He had grown his piece of the family business into a money-making machine.
Westerley International was a global construction powerhouse that would build anything, anywhere. They specialized in dams, canals, bridges, sea walls, and other projects that dared to mess with Mother Nature. Westerley International could move mountains and could probably divide a sea. The company was a force that could not be ignored in the world. The press rarely did.
For as long as she could remember, Constance was embarrassed by her family's wealth and appalled by the company's reputation. They cut corners on many important issues that were important to local people. Citizens of countries with Westerley International projects were rarely happy with the company.
Over the years, Constance had engaged in a few discussions with her father about this. Burton was an imposing CEO and just as imposing a father-she almost never got her way with him. In the end, she realized that she couldn't change the company's ways, so she decided to stay as far as possible from the family business. Robert could have it.
Instead, Constance had followed the path of her favorite uncle, Earl Westerley, who was a judge. She even went to law school because of him. Of course, a law degree appealed to her for other reasons. It would help her understand her family's complex system of corporations, properties, trusts, and everything else legal. And it would help with her dream job of being a philanthropist.
Burton and Teresa Westerley were quite proud of their daughter's legal studies. After all, lawyers turn into judges and even politicians. The Westerley family understood the need for powerful people like that, especially those who were on the family's side. How else could the next generation of Westerley businesses thrive? Her parents were prepared to use their considerable influence to make sure Constance's law career was a profitable one.