Adrian Foster watched intently as Helen cared for Richard Collins. Her every gesture was imbued with tenderness: the way she smoothed his jacket, the way she held his arm as they walked, even the affection hidden in her voice when she called him "Rick." It was evident there was a deep bond between them, something money couldn't buy.
For a moment, Adrian allowed himself a moment of private reflection: spending tens of millions to save a family's stability might seem crazy to many, but for him, it was satisfying. There was an old saying his father used to repeat:"It is better to sacrifice a fortune than to break up a home."And at that moment, he understood the true meaning of those words.
A faint air of loneliness struck him at the sight of the couple so close. He shook his head, as if trying to dispel the thought from his mind. He wasn't alone. He had Emily Carter, and she was beginning to mean more than he'd expected.
The night in New York was stifling. Summer had settled in with all its harshness: even after sunset, the heat clung to her body like a second skin. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she jogged through Riverside Hills, her residential area. She tried to cool herself by running her tongue over her lips, but all she felt was a salty, metallic taste.
What bothered him most wasn't the heat, but the lack of a breeze. The air was heavy, thick, as if thunder were waiting to crash at any moment. Clouds gathered overhead, black and threatening, and the sky seemed about to collapse on the city.
He decided to cut his training short and head home. As soon as he entered the building's lobby, he ran into Mrs. Patterson, one of the oldest residents in the neighborhood.
"Back from running, young man?" asked the old woman, about eighty years old, her silver hair tied back in a bun. Her dentures didn't hide the wrinkles on her face, but her eyes shone with a surprising vitality.
Adrian smiled politely, though inside he just wanted to avoid the conversation. He knew the local elders were experts at trapping anyone with endless chatter.
—Yes, Mrs. Patterson. You should go back inside. It looks like it's going to rain hard.
The old woman looked up at the dark sky and sighed.
—It's going to rain... and my daughter is getting married.
Adrian froze, blinking incomprehension.
"Excuse me?" he asked, puzzled.
She looked at him mischievously.
—What I mean is, life goes by fast. Do you have a girlfriend, Adrian?
He gave a small, nervous laugh.
—Yes, ma'am, I have someone special.
With those words he tried to end the conversation, but the old woman's insistent gaze reminded him why he had learned to avoid overly curious neighbors.
He went up to his apartment just as the sky exploded. A thunderclap rumbled so loudly it seemed to shake the windows. A flash of lightning lit up Manhattan as if it were daytime, and immediately the rain fell violently. The drops pounded the windows as if trying to penetrate them.
Adrian didn't mind. He had always loved storms. For him, they were a natural spectacle that cleansed the air and, in a way, the soul. He took a hot shower, letting the water run over his tense muscles until every fiber in his body relaxed. When he got out, he decided to make something simple for dinner: baked chicken wings, a meat and vegetable stir-fry, and a light tomato soup.
The food was delicious, but as he sat down at the table he felt something was missing.
"Exactly..." he murmured, standing up.
He opened his private wine cellar and took out a bottle of French red wine. He uncorked it, poured a glass, and toasted himself.
"To new beginnings," he whispered.
Dinner lasted more than half an hour. After clearing the table, he settled into the studio, turned on the LED lights, and launched the camera. It was time to launch his latest Twitch stream.
As soon as it appeared on screen, the chat was filled with messages:
[Hey, we thought you were under arrest!]
[Or were you busy "flirting" on Fifth Avenue? 😂]
[You were missed, bro.]
Adrian smiled, used to the mocking tone of his followers. He knew they loved him, even if they showed it in their own way.
—Guys, I'm not here today to play or hang out like usual. This broadcast is different. I came to say goodbye to you.
The chat exploded with a mix of memes and emojis, some sad, others mocking.
[Fire me? Don't fuck with me.]
[LOL, another streamer who says he's retiring and comes back tomorrow?]
[I don't believe you at all, Adrian.]
He raised a hand, asking for virtual silence.
—I'm not kidding. I've made a decision. I bought a company a few days ago and officially became its CEO. I don't have time to do live shows every night anymore. Besides, I met someone... and I want to put all my energy into winning her over.
The chat paused for a second.
[HE BOUGHT A COMPANY!?]
[What kind of millionaire plays with us online?]
[Brother, are you really rich? And we thought you were just another one of the crowd...]
Adrian leaned back in his chair, letting out a laugh.
—I know many think I'm just making this up, but trust me: I'm young, I'm rich, and I have my whole life ahead of me. You've been an incredible part of my journey, but now it's time to say goodbye.
He paused, looked straight into the camera, and added:
—To thank you all, I'm going to leave a gift. On the screen, there's a drawing for two hundred thousand dollars. I don't want you to spend it on skins or virtual crap. Use it for something real: travel, invest, find something that makes you happy.
The chat erupted with disbelief, friendly insults, and digital tears.
Adrián watched them with a mixture of pride and nostalgia. He knew that this stage of his life was ending. And although it was hard to close that door, he had learned that in order to continue growing, he had to leave certain things behind.
Turning off the camera, he remained silent, listening to the storm outside. The roar of thunder seemed to mark the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
"It's time to say goodbye..." he murmured, with a half smile.