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"You wanted to earn it," Nikolai offered

I nodded "After that, I worked h to see that happen, but I proe She helped me with the application and paperwork for financial aid College was everything I expected it to be I had to work twice as hard as everyone else to get equal grades But no one knew aboutfield because that hat it would be like after school As soon as I began et et me into the world of Clifton Hayes"

"So you went on to Harvard," Nikolai said

"It was a whole new life Going fro-city Boston But I loved it For the first time, I felt like I fit somewhere There were a few tiress, but I couldn't do it"

"Why not?"

“Because I didn’t want to be teht offermore than to work for TDS, but I wanted it to be on my terms”

"So what did you do?"

"I began studying things beyond what I was learning in school I read everything I could about Cliff and his business I studied thethe trends in real estate develop down the pipe before they actually did"

"What does that mean?" Nikolai asked

"Real estate develop to want before they want it You have to knohich area of the city is going to be the next Soho or Tribeca I was in rad school when I was sure I’d found that area I took a chance and began interacting with the community of people that was already there Especially the shop owners and residents of the sraduation, I ratiateto sell and who’d need bigger incentives About six months after I moved, I saw the trend that I’d predicted start to shift my way, so I reached out to Cliff and made him an offer he couldn't refuse"

"What was the offer?"

"I guaranteed hiet everyone in a one-block area to sell to hi the luxury apartments and commercial storefronts that TDS is known for I basically told Cliff I could negotiate the deal for hi If I succeeded, I wanted ten percent of the deal" I laughed and shook my head "God, I had a lot of balls"

"But he took you up on it," Nikolai said

I nodded "He did While the deal was huge for uy like Cliff I' part in his willingness to take the deal I h lanced around the rooain "I was able to pay off all h money in the bank to last a while Cliff was so ied to do that he made me senior account executive No entry-level job," I said with a smile

"A ently before pulling back and saying, "So that's why you're in such a high-level position at such a young age"

Since he didn't really need an answer, I didn't say anything I couldn't tear my eyes from his I was still in a complete state of shock that theabout things that lovers talked about, not just two guys who’d hooked up After aafter that and then, I don't know, I guess we just became friends"

"Why not put the rumors about your relationship with him to rest?" Nikolai asked

"How?" I asked hi a ru that isn't true? Cliff told o that people will believe what they want to believe He doesn't care what they say about hiet the ether, but I didn't care The trade-off is worth it”