The day of Max's graduation wasn't only a ceremony for students wearing caps and gowns, it was marked as a pivotal event for the Stern family. It had become a date written into the Stern calendar, circled in red, stamped with authority.
Dennis Stern himself had sent word, and when Dennis called for the heirs of the family to gather, there were no excuses. Every member was expected to be there, regardless of their projects, their businesses, their travels, or the grudges they held against one another. No one ignored Dennis Stern.
It was tradition, almost a ritual, for Dennis to call such gatherings, but this time it carried a different weight. The set date had been given months in advance, ensuring none of the heirs could pretend they had not been warned. Even if they hated standing in the same room as one another, they were bound by the command.
