Damien’s POVI found myself seated where I was expected to be. Gerald Harington occupied the head of the table. I sat to his right, with Zara at my side.Elegant.Subtle.Deliberate.I almost applauded the man’s restraint.The dinner followed the same pattern as all the others. Thirty people, all of whom had built and sold something for a living, traded pleasantries in the language of acquisitions, market saturation, tax liabilities, succession planning, and expansion.Gerald asked most questions directed my way.“Tell me about the Midwest expansion.”I responded.“What, in your opinion, makes a hospitality brand great?”I told him.Then he asked something that took my breath away. “What do you think an empire is for, Damien?”I set my knife beside my plate before answering.“To outlive the founder,” I said. “If it cannot survive his or her absence, it is merely a monument to the person who built it.”Gerald regarded me for a long moment. Something like interest flickered across his e
Last Updated : 2026-08-09 Read more