The startup is scaling fast, funding is secured, revenue climbing, and competitors left scrambling. Stripe deposits hit at midnight, six-figure months stacking effortlessly. I sip an iced Americano from La Cabra, refreshing our analytics dashboard, watching the numbers move in real time. A quick bump from the drawer—pure, no filler. Just enough to sharpen the focus, to keep the edge honed. Tonight, it’s sushi at Noz 17 with her—statuesque, sharp, the kind of woman who knows a Patek from an AP without asking. Deals are closing, the product is moving, and my heartbeat syncs with the second hand of my Royal Oak. Things are good.