The crisp January air offered little comfort to the roaring fire in Dean’s office.
He sat behind his imposing desk, the year-end financial reports spread before him like a battlefield map. The numbers was a testament to the Moore Conglomerate's explosive growth.
"Another year, another victory," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He tapped a pen against the mahogany.
The reports detailed a staggering expansion: new outposts, an increased workforce, lucrative deals sealed, territories firmly under his control. Yet, the taste of triumph felt ash in his mouth.
The celebratory shouts from the mansion’s grand hall which was a testament to his men’s revelry drifted up to his office.
They were celebrating his success, their success, the success of the Moore Conglomerate. But Dean
