It was about closing the last door.

A man like Marius, even ruined, even bankrupt, even disgraced, is dangerous as long as he has room to maneuver — and the room a man like that maneuvers in is other people’s willingness to extend him credit, to give the charming fallen titan one more chance, one more loan, one more benefit of the doubt.

I had watched him talk his way out of consequences for ten years.

I did not intend to leave him a single lender in the world who was not me.

So when the banks auctioned his personal debts in the wreckage of the bankruptcy, Sinclaire bought all of them, quietly, at a premium, until every dollar Marius owed anyone on earth he owed to a company I controlled.

It was not so that I could torment him.