CHAPTER 76 A THOUGHT.

But there was no time to contemplate. With the ticking clock of Mr. Foster's ultimatum weighing on him, Anderson knew he needed to make a decision, and quickly. **The Bar** It was a dimly lit, smoky establishment, the kind of place where people came to drown their sorrows or forget about the troubles of the day. The bartender, a grizzled man with tired eyes, barely looked up as Michael slumped onto a stool at the bar. "Whiskey," Michael said, his voice low and steady. "Make it a double." The bartender complied without a word, sliding the glass across the polished wooden surface. Michael took a slow sip, savoring the burn of the liquor as it coursed through his system. In the haze of the alcohol, Michael's thoughts drifted back to the conversation with Mr. Foster. The ultimatum was a heavy weight on his shoulders, pressing down on him with each passing minute. "How did it come to this?" he wondered to himself. He had worked tirelessly to build his career, sacrificing everything fo