The second I stepped out of the ballroom, the freezing night air rushed toward me. Standing on the terrace of the skyscraper, I looked down at the endless sea of lights covering Avermont City.
The city was dazzling, but the sky above was empty and spotless, with not a single star in sight.
When I was little, I used to lie on the roof of my old house and count the stars. I often wondered if my father in Avermont City was looking at those same stars.
Later, I learned the truth. The night sky of Avermont City wasn't filled with stars, only the reflection of neon lights.
And the reason I had climbed all the way here wasn't because I chased after some distant stars. It was because I had clenched my teeth and forced myself forward, inch by inch.
The next day, I declined every business invit
