Shortly after this, the Hayes Group officially declared bankruptcy.
Howard, who had once been at the peak of fame and glory, became the biggest laughingstock in San Francisco.
The young heir of a wealthy family was plunged into crippling debt in the blink of an eye.
As for me, I seized the opportunity to acquire all of the Hayes Group's assets one by one. Smart people don't waste time on silly romantic drama. The energy spent on that is better used expanding one's business empire.
It was two years before I heard any news of Howard again.
He had just walked out of a casino when he learned that his now homeless parents, dazed and distracted, had been hit by a car and were killed brutally on the street.
This devastating blow completely shattered his already fragile mental defenses.
He
