NIKOLAI
The murmur of the city seeped through the closed windows, blending with the constant hum of the air conditioning. In front of me were three open folders, each with different proposals for the villa that Carlton and I were building. My brother had called less than an hour ago, excited like a child with a new toy.
“Nikolai, the investors want more. Modern urbanism, green spaces, sustainability. They say the villa could become a model to follow.”
His voice still echoed in my head. I should be excited, I knew it. Carlton was right, the project was having unexpected success. But no matter how much I forced myself to read line after line, the numbers blurred together, and the graphs seemed like useless smudges.
The idea of modernizing the office crossed my mind. Who in the 21st centu
