Drake was marvelled, almost amused, even. Everyone at the Billionaire's Club warmed up to Franklin, but never to him.
Drake stood out like a dark, unmoving pillar in a room full of men who bowed easily. He was the only one who did not hold shares in Franklin's empire, and Franklin owned none in his.
Their separation was deliberate, strategic, and hostile in its own quiet way.
His reason was simple. Franklin was becoming too powerful, and someone had to draw a line.
Drake had refused Franklin's offer in front of his own board, causing confusion so thick it nearly cracked the table. No one refused Franklin, not with the pedigree he carried, not with the terrifying trajectory of his wealth. But Drake did, and he did so without flinching.
Because he understood exactly what Fra
