It showed Gerald pushing past Duane, Duane stumbling and apologizing. Then Gerald slapping him across the face. Gerald's confident expression crumbled. "That's... that's not..." "That's not you?" Leon's voice was cold. "I mean, it looks like me, but—" Leon tapped the screen, zooming in on Gerald's face. "It is you, Mr. Sterling. Crystal clear." Gerald's hands started shaking. "That was a misunderstanding. The man bumped into me—" "He apologized immediately." "I was having a bad day—" "You called him a wretch." Gerald's face went red. "I didn't mean—" "You told him he shouldn't be allowed in the building." "Please, you have to understand—" Leon closed the tablet. "The man you assaulted is one of our staff members." "Your staff?" "Yes. And at Wordsworth Tower, we value respect for all our employees above everything else." Gerald leaned forward desperately. "I can apologize. I'll apologize right now. Just tell me where to find him." "That's not all, M

Francis stood in the private meeting room, his shoulders slumped, his face drawn with exhaustion.Duane sat across from him, his expression unreadable."Please," Francis said, his voice breaking. "Please, Duane. I'm begging you.""Begging me for what?""Forgiveness. A chance. Anything."Duane leaned back in his chair. "Why are you here, Francis?""Because my life is falling apart. Because my sister's bankrupt. Because our family has nothing left.""And you think I can help you?""I know you can."Duane's eyes narrowed. "So you're only here because Gloria has nothing now. If she still had money, you wouldn't be here, would you?"Francis flinched. "That's not—""That's not what? True?"Francis looked down at his hands. "I won't lie. Part of me is here because things are desperate. But that's not the only reason.""Then what's the other reason?""Because I've been thinking. About everything we did to you. Everything Gloria did. Everything our parents did."Francis's voice shook. "It was

Duane stood at the edge of the golf course, watching John Smith line up his shot.The afternoon sun was warm, the grass perfectly manicured, the air filled with the quiet sounds of wealth and leisure.He didn't particularly care about golf, but John had been insistent that morning when he'd called."You need to attend social gatherings, Mr. Wordsworth. Meet new people. Build your network."Duane had resisted at first, but John had made a good point."I can tell you're new to being rich. The way you carry yourself, the way you interact with people. It's not a bad thing, but it makes you vulnerable. People will take advantage if you don't know how to navigate their world."The words had stung a bit, but Duane knew they were true.Having Catherine Hartwell as an ally was valuable, but he needed more connections, preferably across different sectors of business and politics.John took his swing, the ball sailing cleanly across the green."Beautiful," he said with satisfaction.Duane nodded

"Why not?" "Because you'll slow us down. Beginners always do." Duane selected a club from the bag. "How about we make it interesting?" "What do you mean?" "A wager. Just between you and me." Graham's s eyes lit up with interest. "What kind of wager?" "A simple golf game. Three shots each. First person to hit that target wins." Duane pointed to a flag about two hundred yards away. "And what are the stakes?" Grahan asked. "If I win, you bow before me, lick my feet, and leave this golf course immediately." Graham burst out laughing. "And if I win?" "I do the same. And I'll have Leon spank me publicly." Graham's laughter grew louder. "You're serious?" "Completely serious." "This is too easy. I accept." John looked worried. "Mr. Wordsworth, are you sure about this?" "Very sure." Graham rubbed his hands together eagerly. "This is going to be entertaining. I'll go first." He set up his shot carefully, taking his time to line up the angle. Then he swung. T

Gloria pushed open the apartment door and stopped in surprise.Her entire family was gathered in the living room, her mother sitting on the couch with Francis beside her, her father in the old armchair by the window.They all looked up when she entered."You're all here," Gloria said, a smile breaking across her tired face.Her mother stood and walked over to hug her. "We thought we should spend the evening together as a family."Gloria hugged her back tightly, feeling tears prick at her eyes. For the first time in weeks, something felt normal. She sat down on the couch, and her mother took her hand."I have good news," her mother said, her voice hopeful. "Mrs. Chen called me today. She's willing to give us a loan."Gloria's heart lifted. "Really? How much?""Five thousand dollars. It's not a lot, but it'll help us get through the next month.""That's wonderful, Mom."Her father cleared his throat from his chair. "I have news too."Everyone turned to look at him."My old friend Payto