At a family BBQ, my mother announced, “You’re old enough—pay rent or get out.” I chose to move out. She laughed, saying a failure like me would end up in a slum. The next day, when I moved into my new house, she brought 20 relatives to mock me—until they saw where I lived… and suddenly went silent.

past the iron gates.

The gates swung shut. The lock engaged.

They were gone.

6. The View from the Top
Three months later.

The October air was crisp, but the water in my infinity pool was perfectly heated. I was sitting on a plush lounge chair on the expansive back patio, wearing a comfortable robe, reviewing a quarterly financial report for my company on continue reading …