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Chapter 15 - Behind BarsIn the sterile, fluorescent-lit dayroom of the federal penitentiary, inmate 84920—Ethan Miller—stared blankly at the wall-mounted television.

His face was gaunt, his orange jumpsuit stained, and the other inmates gave him a wide berth. On the screen, my face filled the frame, glowing with absolute confidence and unstoppable power.

"That's your ex-wife, right, Miller?" a burly inmate sneered, walking past and tapping the screen with a tattooed knuckle. "Looks like she took everything you owned, your company, and your entire legacy. Must sting knowing she used your own playbook against you."

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Ethan didn't answer. He couldn't. His throat felt dry, choked by the crushing realization that his entire life’s work had been an illusion—a castle built on sand, washed away the moment the tide turned.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a frayed piece of paper where he had spent weeks calculating equations that no longer mattered. Nothing mattered anymore. The game was over, and he had lost absolutely everything.

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