They were known in Connecticut as part of a long established family with impressive surnames and exclusive club memberships, but what they lacked was true financial stability, and that responsibility fell squarely on my shoulders as I became the engine keeping their legacy from collapsing into irrelevance.

I leaned back in my chair as the leather creaked softly in the silence, while the air conditioning hummed steadily and distant sirens echoed faintly far below, making the office feel less like a place of work and more like a carefully designed cage.

I unlocked my phone, the bright screen stinging my tired eyes, and typed a message to Victor, who was supposed to be attending a major fintech summit in Singapore at that very moment, “Take care of yourself, I miss you, and I hope the meetings are going well, please remember to stay hydrated.”

The message delivered instantly, and the double check marks appeared without delay, confirming that he had seen it, yet no typing indicator followed and no reply arrived, leaving only silence hanging in the air.