bench by the window. Julian stood frozen, staring at the floor, unable to look his father in the eye.
James turned on his heel and walked out of the penthouse conference room.
Chapter 7: The Open Road
The midnight air outside The Grand Sovereign Hotel was crisp and clear.
James walked out through the glass doors, the valet bowing respectfully as he passed. The midnight-black Rolls-Royce Phantom was still parked at the curb, its engine idling quietly.
The chauffeur held the rear door open.
James stepped inside the plush leather interior, pulling his phone from his pocket. A single notification flickered on the screen:
VANCE GLOBAL HOLDINGS: PATENT LEASE RE-ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE. PORTFOLIO VALUATION: $450,000,000.
James smiled faintly, setting the phone down on the leather armrest beside him.
The driver closed the door with a solid, satisfying thud, sliding into the driver's seat and putting the car into gear.
The long black sedan pulled smoothly away from the curb, its headlights cutting through the city dark as it glided onto 5th Avenue, leaving the Grand Sovereign, the ruined empire, and the illusions of the past far behind in the rear-view mirror.