The Roaring Ridleys

Prologue

A gold envelope, the symbol of the most exclusive thing in New York City, was what everyone who was anyone eagerly awaited in the mail as summer approached.

And what might the little envelope contain?

An invitation, of course, to the most prestigious party in New York and perhaps even the entire United States.

Gossip about who would be lucky enough to attend was rampant in cafés, hotel lobbies, and on the subway.

Reporters scoured every available source for information about the family hosting the event. It was a spectacle, to say the least.

The Manhattan Herald

Metropolitan Musings

Mr. Edward Ridley and Mrs. Caroline Ridley of the Ridley Line are not only taking over the industry but also the hearts of the city.

They have now adopted seven children from diverse backgrounds worldwide.

Their little Seven Wonders, each with a unique story, are the new talk of the town.

Amelia comes from Paris, Adesua from Illinois, and the youngest daughter, Kavita, is from India.

Now for the handsome boys: Omar is from Egypt, Diego is from Argentina, Wei is from China, and Henrik is from the United Kingdom.

The Ridleys have put them in the most prestigious private schools and are finally happy that their family is complete.

To celebrate their big, new family, they will host what they are calling an inaugural annual party this summer—the first of many, they say.

We at The Manhattan Herald are one of the fortunate few to have received a golden invitation early.

Be on the lookout for one special invite, fellow New Yorkers!

So much time had passed since that grand momentous occasion.

This set a precedent of what the Ridley family would soon be known for.

Now, after twelve years, the Ridley family’s philanthropic ways, from supporting education in underprivileged communities to funding medical research, had risen to a level that surpassed even the esteemed Astor and Vanderbilt families.

Every year, Edward Ridley’s favorite printmaker had to assemble a team of twenty to cope with the overwhelming demand for invites.

The phones rang incessantly for weeks. Socialites and aspiring socialites alike went through hell and back to secure an invite, from sweet-talking anyone who’d listen to offering substantial sums to friends of friends who knew the Ridleys.

Was it all a little much? Maybe, but you’d be forgiven for going to exorbitant lengths.

After all, the Ridleys’ Annual Summer Party had evolved into a mecca of sorts, where the most influential gathered to discuss their new business ventures and make connections, and the wealthy gave back to the less fortunate communities through hefty donations.

On the Gold Coast of Long Island, this party offered more than just decadent food, loud luxury, and dancing; it had become an opportunity for social climbing and finding a suitable partner to maintain your place in society’s good graces.

It was where you could seize the attention of someone capable of changing your world.

A rising young professional plucked from oblivion could arrive at the Ridleys’ party as a nobody and leave as a star.

To attend was to have a shot at becoming like Edward Ridley himself: the embodiment of rags to riches.

Whatever it took to get to 17 South Hampton Lane in East Meadow, Huntington, people did it every single year, using trains, ferries, vehicles, and for some local Long Islanders, even horses.

Luxury cars filled the impeccable elm-tree-lined driveway and front lawn.

This year was a little different, but all the same nonetheless.

All because the youngest Ridley daughter, Kavita, had recently gotten engaged.

So of course, Mr. Ridley had to make this year’s party a grand occasion.

He strived for perfection in every last touch, and that included his seven children being the centerpieces that caught the guests’ eyes.

And the three Ridley daughters, now of age, had everyone’s attention.