an office in a luxurious country house There are paintings on the walls, expensive whiskey and a photo of his family in a silver frame on the table. A man of about 55 sits in a leather chair, twirling a gold pen in his hands. A soft sunset is outside the window, but he doesn’t seem to notice it

He looked up from the blank sheet of paper on the table. This sheet... There was something symbolic in this emptiness. This is exactly how his soul looked in recent years

Damn it... How did this happen? he muttered under his breath

Everything used to be simpler: build, earn, win. It was like a game where every deal was a move, every victory was more proof that he was better than everyone else. But now? It’s hard to even get his thoughts in order

He stood up and walked over to the window. The sunset painted the sky in golden and pink tones, reminding him of the past, when life seemed bright and rich. He was just starting out then: first projects, first risks... How long ago was that?

A faint smile flitted across his face, but quickly faded. Success... Status... Money... All of that no longer warmed him. Friends had become colleagues, family had become a familiar background. Even the hobbies that had previously captivated him had lost their flavor

What's the point? he asked out loud, looking at his reflection in the window glass

As expected, there was no answer