JOB HUNTINGThe transition from the boardroom to the pavement was not a gradual descent; it was a vertical drop into a world where Robert’s name, his history, and his accumulated wisdom were worth exactly zero. As he stood in the sterile, fluorescent-lit waiting room of Doms Luxe, he felt the fifty-dollar bill Linda had given him last night pressing against his thigh…a reminder of his current market value.The office was a cramped, glass-walled cube situated at the edge of a vast, multi-level parking structure. The air tasted of exhaust fumes and stale coffee. When Robert was finally called in, he didn't face a seasoned executive or a human resources specialist. He faced a man in his late twenties with a headset around his neck and a distracted expression."Name?" the interviewer asked, not looking up from a clipboard."Robert Williams," he said, his voice instinctively carrying the resonance of a man who once commanded thousands.The younger man looked up then, squinting at Robert’

ATTENTION TO DETAILHe adjusted his sitting position as he waited for Jack’s response on the matterJack stood up, his tall frame cutting a sharp silhouette against the golden sun. He walked to the edge of the balcony, resting his hands on the cool stone railing. He looked down at the city, perhaps toward the very district where the Smith mansion sat in its decaying glory."I know the clause very well, Harnes," Jack said, his voice turning ice-cold. "I read every word of that contract I signed. My grandfather wanted to ensure I was not alone. He wanted to make sure the Rothwell name continued." Jack said"Then you understand the urgency," Harnes pressed. "You need to begin the vetting process. There are dozens of families…true families, not like the Smiths…who would kill for an alliance."Jack turned back toward Harnes, a predatory glint in his eyes. "You think I am going to spend my first year of power auditioning debutantes? You think I am going to let some socialite into this h