enraged, incoherent shouting. The sound barely registered to

ene was devolv

floor, the sharp crack silencing the room. He pointed a trembling fi

She's a nobody, Grandpa! A high-school dropout from Ohio! T

y time this company hit a technical wall, who was it that sat at that kitchen table for three

rill. "That's not true! Doug was just too busy with executi

"See? She doesn't even have a college listed. She probably doesn't even know wha

ego needed. He strode to the liquor cabinet, poured a generous a

way down his throat,

glass down. "They all do. And besides, I don't need h

m. Karen and Chloe exchanged ecstatic glances. To them, the

rling. A ruthless predator who could smell weakness from a mile awa

is chest puffed out. "Once Sterling's money is in, Puckett Innovatio

tried again, his voice weak. "You mus

hurled it into the fireplace, where it shattered against the stone. G

"She knows I'm about to become a titan, and sh

inspecting his hand for cuts. "Don't you worry. I hope she freezes

ned street of the Long Island suburb. The wind was pick

ing sound on the asphalt, unnaturally

an in a cocktail dress and bare feet, dragging a broken suitcase at this hour. She met his g

d managed to grab. The screen lit up her

s over sixty dollars. A bitter laugh escaped her. Sh

urse and kept walking. The subw

ricocheting off the chandelier. They were celebrating Doug's "freedom." He had his arm around Chloe, already f

g down at the drunken celebration. He felt a profound sense of dr

an to change. The mansions gave way to smaller houses, then to rundown apartment

d by the angry barking of a dog. This was the edge of Broo

feet. But her gaze was fixed forward, her expression re