{"id":22070,"date":"2025-12-01T14:22:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T14:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=22070"},"modified":"2025-12-01T14:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T14:22:42","slug":"22070","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=22070","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

Beside the makeshift bar,\u00a0Mike<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0was holding court. My best friend since our freshman year at university. The man who had borrowed money from me to start three failed businesses. The man who was currently slapping my back with a little too much force as I approached.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere he is! The man of the hour!\u201d Mike slurred slightly, raising his glass. His face was flushed, his eyes glassy with envy thinly veiled as affection. \u201cTo David! The architect who finally built something that\u2019s going to last\u2014a legacy!\u201d<\/p>\n

The crowd cheered. My colleagues, our families, even Mike\u2019s wife,\u00a0Jessica<\/span><\/strong>, who looked tired and worn down by Mike\u2019s constant unemployment, raised their glasses. Her eyes flickered towards me, a hint of sympathy that was quickly drowned in her own resignation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Beside the makeshift bar,\u00a0Mike\u00a0was holding court. My best friend since our freshman year at university. The man who had borrowed money from me to start three failed businesses. The man who was currently slapping my back with a little too much force as I approached. \u201cHere he is! The man of the hour!\u201d Mike slurred…<\/p>\n

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