Chapter 40

• RICHARD'S POV
• There was something about receiving an invitation from the mayor that Lifted my spirits, an unspoken acknowledgment of my significance in the city's business landscape. I needed that boost, especially with the dark cloud of familial betrayal and Legal threats looming over me. And as I dressed up in front of the grand mirror before heading out, I convinced myself that today was about possibilities, not problems.
• The venue was bustling when I arrived, a hive of the city's business elites. I adjusted my tie one last time before stepping out of the sleek black car. The crisp evening air was a welcome hideaway from the stifling tension that had been building up back home. Tonight, I would shake hands, smile, and pretend that my brother’s looming threat was just a figment of my overactive imagination.