I’ve never pretended to be good saintly virtues were never in my repertoire. I was born into power, into legacy. My family has been in the energy sector for generations. I own Vance Global a multinational petroleum empire with assets in crude oil extraction, pipeline infrastructure, and one of the largest chains of fuel stations across the globe.

Put simply, I control the veins and arteries of this modern world. With a flick of my fingers, I can make or break fortunes. Influence governments. Shut down cities. When you sit at the top of the fuel chain, you don’t ask for things you take them.

I had it all. Still do. Wealth. Power. Access. Enemies. Of course I had enemies. When you build an empire this large, people either want to worship you—or destroy you.

But then she happened. She owned a tiny bakery on a quiet street in a neighborhood I usually wouldn't bother to drive through. One rainy afternoon, my car broke down rare, inconvenient, and frankly humiliating. While my driver arranged a backup vehicle, I wandered off in search of coffee and stumbled into her shop.

She didn’t know who I was. Didn’t fawn. Didn’t flinch. She offered me a blueberry scone, smiled like the sun had personally blessed her, and said,