I didn’t choose to be the man I have become; I want you to know that. I never imagined in my maddest dreams that I would find myself in a situation where only death could destroy the walls of my Hadean prison and set me free. I just wanted to be a regular family man and live a decent, comfortable life without any major interruptions, tragedies, or disruptive bursts of wealth or fortune. I wanted to celebrate my everyday victories with my family and cry my man’s tears when I failed to get what I desired. I wanted to high-five my wife when I got a promotion and sulk when she was too tired to have sex with me. My humble plan was to gradually improve my life, climb higher, and enjoy every step on the ladder in an appreciative and composed manner. I simply wanted to cherish what I had—inhale it, taste it, touch it, and live it. I never drooled over the ambition-killing numbness of inherited wealth or chased fame or silly stardom that so often was just a sad byproduct of mass delusion and human naïveté.
