Rising from the ashes

a simple button-down with rolled-up sleeves-but it still felt foreign. He wasn't preparing

ack to Second Ch

g wood and assembling furniture wasn't exactly his dream job, it h

muscles and sawdust in his hair. And somewhere between cutti

Not whole.

hone, to scroll through financial news, to see wh

avoided LinkedIn and old business contacts since the scandal. Most of th

y, curio

ned th

aw was a headline ab

to International Marke

in his chest. The new l

an who had

ant. And when the scandal had unfolded, James had bee

s old colleagues were thriving. The company had

y and threw the p

ds echoed

h it and decide that you're n

sure if he bel

g-he couldn't afford

ag

-

t the

ll," Alex said as

. "Good mornin

rag and leaned against the

, against his instinct

. Saw some news a

if he had expe

ng fine without me. Better, eve

him. "Does th

ed. "What do

yourself why it bothers you. Is it becau

d up the sandpaper and started work

rhythmic motion of sanding grounded him

ou know, I used to

d, looking u

y. Built it from the ground

inst the workbenc

of us who think we're untouchable. I made a m

then you... what? Ope

ling sorry for myself. Angry at the people who betrayed me. Wa

ed. "Yeah. T

ing. I had a choice. I could keep clinging to a past that

nd the workshop. "

"Yep. And i

wasn't sure if woodworking would save h

an get there?"

You're already

g while, Nathan felt like t

-

That

table, staring at his phon

e he was r

finally ready to

up his messages and

nt to grab dinner th

ater, she

ut I get to p

an s

ep at

-

Chapt