Chapter 18: The Bold Move
The sky was gray that morning, clouds thick and heavy, as if the heavens knew Alex's mind was weighed down too.
He stood before the old grave, the name John Stone carved deep into the stone. The air was still. Not a single sound. Just the wind, rustling the dried leaves, and the quiet ache in Alex's chest.
He had no flowers. No candle. Just questions.
"Father..." he began with a low voice. "I wish I knew what you'd want me to do. Raymond says it's time for me to build. Start something. Use what I've learned... but the truth is, I don't even know where to begin."
He crouched beside the grave and sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I've learned about digital assets, crypto, mobile money, value systems... but building something?" He gave a sad chuckle. "I don't even know what I'm passionate about. Or if I'm meant to be like you... or Raymond. Or someone else entirely."
Silence.
But standing there, he felt something stir in him. Not an answer, but maybe a nudge. It's a quiet reminder that people like him don't wait forever. They try. They fall. They get up.
"I can't stay in limbo forever," he muttered. "It's time."
***
Later that day, Alex went to the office building and made his way to Philip's small office which is one of their usual meeting points. Philip's place was always messy in a 'genius working on something massive' way: papers everywhere, computer screens blinking with data, wires and circuit boards scattered like confetti.