Chapter 2 - The Cost of Ambition
I guided my father to the plush velvet sofa, ignoring how the dampness of his clothes seeped into the expensive fabric.
None of those materialistic things mattered to me anymore.
I hurried to the guest bathroom, grabbing thick, warm towels, and returned to gently dry his shaking hands and face.
As I wiped away the grime, I finally took a good, hard look at the man sitting before me.
His cheeks were sunken, his skin pale and lined with the deep exhaustion of poverty.
The sturdy, invincible hero of my childhood had been reduced to a shadow, and I was the one who had let it happen.
“Dad, when was the last time you ate a proper meal?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
He looked away, his gaze settling on the roaring fireplace.
“A couple of days ago, maybe,” he muttered softly.
“Things have been a little tight since the shelter had to close down for renovations.”
The word 'shelter' hit me like a physical blow to the stomach.
My father, the man who had bought me my first computer by working triple shifts, was homeless.
While I was drinking thousand-dollar champagne and buying sports cars, he was sleeping on the streets.
A sickening wave of nausea washed over me.
“I am so sorry, Dad,” I cried, burying my face in my hands.
“I was so blinded by my own success that I forgot the man who built the foundation for it.”
He reached out, resting a remarkably gentle hand on my bowed head.
“It’s okay, son,” he said kindly.
“I always knew you were destined for greatness, and I never wanted to be a burden to your new life.”
His forgiveness only made the guilt burn hotter in my veins.
Upstairs, I heard the slamming of doors and the heavy footsteps of Serena’s hired movers dragging her luggage out.
She didn't come to say goodbye, and I didn't care.
I immediately called my private chef, ordering him to prepare the most comforting, hearty meal possible.
Then, I led my father to the master guest suite, running a hot bath for him and laying out my softest clothes.
As he rested, I walked into my home office and locked the heavy oak door behind me.
I turned on my monitors, staring at the stock tickers and corporate data scrolling across the screens.
Serena’s threat echoed in my mind, a dark promise of the storm that was about to hit.
Her father, Richard Sterling, was a ruthless venture capitalist who owned a massive stake in my company.
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He was going to try to ruin me, to strip away my title and my wealth.
But I was a self-made titan for a reason, and I was about to show the Sterling family exactly why they should fear me.
