Crushed

William Ferguson had willingly followed the footsteps of his father into the family business, accepting the challenge to continue to enhance the reputation and fortunes of the highly respected Ferguson Trading Company.
The legacy was daunting - his father, Sir Charles Ferguson, a Victoria Cross winner for bravery during WW2, had returned to New Zealand after the war to, in a short time, become the Commonwealth's pre-eminent businessman, confidant to successive prime ministers and governments and most importantly, a beloved husband and father. All of these accomplishments were achieved without blemish, incident or notoriety.
With such a stellar backdrop, what could possibly go so wrong that would crush William Ferguson's life?