Excerpt from Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore’s Testimony
Excerpt from Elo?se Hawtrey-Moore’s testimony
EHM: I don’t have much to say about my mother.
The loss pains me, though I admit we didn’t have a particularly close relationship.
Everyone knows Antonia. She made herself.
Do you know what it takes to keep an empire standing?
I’ll tell you: it takes time. Time you owe to your family, to your health, to your peace.
Mom invested all her time in her work. Her health wasn’t the best. That’s why we divided the company.
She split the crown in two and handed part of her empire over to me.
I’m not sure if it helped lighten the load on her shoulders, or if, in the end, it made things worse.
(The officer in charge hands her a tissue. Miss Hawtrey-Moore dries her tears.)
AM: Was it very hard for you to take on your mother’s role in the company?
EHM: It wasn’t hard. I wouldn’t describe it that way.
I love the work. I’m just the face of it, everyone knows that.
The people on the board handle everything else.
I’m grateful my mother taught me how to take control, you know?
But it’s her company. It’s always going to be.
I want to be like her. Daughters always want to be like their mothers, right?
In my case, I’m not talking about running her multinational empire.
I’m talking about creating my own. I never wanted to be the heir.
AM: So, will your father take control when that happens?
EHM: Are you referring to Tim or Laurent?
(The officer reviews the papers.)
AM: Mr. Timotheo Larousse. If I’m not mistaken, Laurent Dubois already owns a large part of Antonia’s shares.
EHM: Laurent has enough of his own. Tim… I don’t think he will, no.
AM: Why do you say that?
EHM: Dad doesn’t like hard work. He wouldn’t know what to do with so much responsibility on his shoulders. He’d try to do everything possible to make sure I continue the family legacy, or something like that. I mean, he will. Now that Mom isn’t here.
AM: Miss Hawtrey, do you…?
EHM: Hawtrey-Moore.
AM: Miss Hawtrey-Moore. Do you know anything about your mother’s inheritance? Did she ever mention anything about it?
(Silence.)
EHM: We never talked about it. Please don’t ask me any more questions about her. I don’t think I can handle it.
AM: And about your father? What can you tell us about Timotheo Larousse?
(Miss Hawtrey-Moore tightens her lips, visibly distressed by the topic.)
EHM: He’s not my father. I love him, but… I don’t know, he’s never been a father to me.
AM: Would you say that Mr. Dubois has been?
(Silence. The officer repeats the question.)
EHM: No, no. There’s always been two men in my life, but I’ve never had a father.