vehicles, and his country-club membership to stabilize the business.
It survived, but only after he learned what pride cost when nobody was secretly carrying him.
Vanessa finished college with student loans and took her first real job.
Mom began calling without asking for anything.
I answered sometimes.
Slowly.
Carefully.
A year after graduation, I stood on the rooftop of Asteron’s new headquarters as city lights came alive below.
Fifteen billion had become eighteen.
But that wasn’t why I smiled.
Downstairs on my desk sat my framed diploma.
Beside it was
