I am Andrew Castela, and this is my story. For as long as I can remember, success has always been my main objective. Growing up in a wealthy London family—my father, the CEO, and I, the heir to a chain of hotels that we manage alongside our other businesses—my parents instilled in me the importance of discipline and hard work. I have always been competitive, always striving to be the best, whether at school, in sports, or later, in the business world.

My journey began at Harvard University, where I graduated with honors in Economics. Harvard was the first stage where I could demonstrate my skills and ambitions. It wasn't just about learning; it was about being the best. Every class, every exam, every project was an opportunity to prove my worth. My peers saw me as someone determined, though I knew some considered me arrogant. For me, it was simple: I had a goal, and nothing would stop me.

When I started working on Wall Street at my parents' company, the largest financial firm in the country, I began like any recent graduate, but for me, it was just another battlefield. I quickly stood out, not for being the nicest or the most popular or the CEO's son, but because my results spoke for themselves. I understood the markets like few others and was willing to make decisions that others would hesitate to make. Yes, that meant being ruthless at times. Restructuring, staff cuts, risky decisions—it was all part of the game to maximize profits.

By the age of 30, I was promoted to vice president. This early success only solidified my approach: focus on results above all else. I knew I wasn't loved by everyone, but I also knew I was taking the company to new heights. Being a leader often means making tough and unpopular decisions, something I was more than willing to do.

When I turned 40, I was appointed CEO of one of the largest multinational companies in the world. My father decided to retire when he saw that I was ready to take the lead. Under my leadership, the company thrived like never before. Implementing drastic reforms and focusing on efficiency and innovation were my main strategies. Profits soared, stocks hit record highs, and the company became a global giant. However, these achievements did not come without criticism. Many saw me as a cold and distant leader, someone who preferred intimidation to inspiration. I understand these criticisms, but I've always believed that achieving great things requires a certain degree of emotional detachment.

My personal life has always been a mystery to many. I prefer to keep my privacy away from the spotlight. I'm not the type to share intimate details or seek validation from others. My satisfaction comes from numbers, results, achievements. Charity events and networking are part of my role, but I never fail to assess each situation with a critical and calculating eye.

Despite all the controversy surrounding my leadership style, there's no denying that I've been effective. I transformed the company into a profit-making powerhouse and left an indelible mark on the business world. I am an example of how determination and intelligence can take someone to the top. Yes, my coldness and arrogance are traits that many point out, but they are also what allowed me to make difficult decisions and achieve my goals.

I continue to shape the business world with my relentless vision and innovative strategies. My name, Andrew Castela, is synonymous with success and controversy. And to me, that's just a reflection of a life dedicated to achieving excellence, no matter the cost.

Despite being strict with my upbringing, my parents were always loving and present in my life, before I became so cold and calculating as to push people away from me. I was in love with a woman and was betrayed in the worst way by my best friend.

Daiara knew about my feelings for her; we were teenagers, still in high school. I confided in the one I considered my best friend, Pablo, and being shy, I asked for his help in winning Daiara over. But he betrayed me in the worst way possible: he made up lies about me, humiliated me in front of our class, and started a relationship with the girl I liked. And she chose to be with him.

When I was in college, I received a wedding invitation from Pablo and Daiara. That was enough for me to close myself off to these feelings that only make people suffer: love and friendship.

I don't trust anyone, I don't talk about my personal life, I don't go to many parties. Only for professional reasons; my biggest focus is solely on my work and my fortune.

I live in a mansion in a private condominium. Known as "The Reserve", only the biggest CEOs, true tycoons, own mansions in this condominium. I like my peace and quiet.

Sometimes I go out and hook up with someone I meet at night, taking them to some hotel downtown. After one night, we each go our separate ways. I'm 40 years old and haven't been interested in anyone since.

In recent years, loneliness has become my constant companion. Although I focus on my businesses and accumulate wealth, sometimes I wonder if this emptiness inside me will ever be filled. My employees respect and fear me, as my reputation for being ruthless in business is well known. But in moments of silence, I wonder if Pablo and Daiara's betrayal was worth the price I paid with my heart.

My hobbies are solitary, such as reading and collecting art. My house is filled with works by renowned artists, and I appreciate the silent beauty of these pieces. They are silent witnesses to my loneliness and the choices I have made.

Recently, I've begun to reflect on the meaning of happiness. Am I truly happy, or have I simply become accustomed to living in a cocoon of protection from further heartache? The life I've built is secure, but I feel that something essential is missing. Perhaps one day, I'll be able to find a balance between the security I value so much and the vulnerability I've always feared.

My name is Catarina Veigas, I am 23 years old, and I am a single mother to a wonderful daughter. Raising my daughter alone is, without a doubt, the biggest challenge and the greatest joy of my life. Every day is a new lesson, both for me and for her.

I was born and raised in a small town, Wells, in the southwest, where everyone knows each other and opportunities are scarce. I have always valued education, and despite financial difficulties, I managed to finish high school. From a young age, I learned the importance of being resilient and fighting for my goals, even when the path seemed difficult.

I come from a humble family, I learned to live with little, and be happy with what is available. No ambitions. Always keeping my feet on the ground.

When I was 19, I moved to London, in search of a better life, job opportunities. I wanted to provide for myself and help my family and it was here that I met Nalbert, I fell madly in love with him, we even shared a life together.

When I found out I was pregnant, my life changed completely. My daughter's father decided not to be a part of our lives, and I had to face this new reality alone. In the first few months, fear and uncertainty were my constant companions, but I realized that I needed to be strong for both of us.

I thought several times about going back to my hometown, I needed a support network. But I put it in my head that I could do it on my own, I still live in a studio apartment. And my neighbor Gisele, who is my best friend, I met her here in London, she was the one who helped me.

Gisele accompanied my pregnancy, she saw Lavinia being born, and took care of both of us. It was very difficult, but we managed. Lavinia had everything she needed when she was born, I was working in a supermarket, I worked the nine months of my pregnancy. And when my daughter was born I took care of her and myself during the day, at night when Gisele got off work, she would clean the house, take care of the laundry and the food.

Today Lavinia is two years old, every smile and every new learning experience my daughter has reminds me that all the effort is worth it.

I had to leave the supermarket, I wasn't able to balance the hours with my daughter's care, almost my entire salary was going to the babysitter. I started going into debt, falling behind on bills, I almost got evicted because I couldn't pay the rent, Gisele helped me.

I am looking for a job, trying to find an opportunity that allows me to support my daughter and be present in her life. I have experience in customer service and sales. In addition, I have developed basic administrative skills, which I believe would be useful in many roles.

While I'm at home, I take the opportunity to improve myself. I participate in online courses and workshops, always seeking to improve my qualifications. I know the job market is competitive, but I am determined to get a position that will allow us to live well, I don't want wealth, I just want to have the basics. To live well with my daughter.

The days are long and the nights are often short, but every challenge overcome gives me the certainty that I am on the right path. I have a strong work ethic and am willing to learn and adapt to new roles. I know that with dedication and perseverance, I will be able to overcome difficulties and provide a better future for my daughter.

Being a single mother is not easy, but it is also an inexhaustible source of love and motivation. Every little success, every new word my daughter speaks, gives me strength to keep fighting. I firmly believe that we can build a bright future, full of opportunities and happiness.

Since I don't have money to pay a babysitter, I go out with Lavinia in my arms, in the places I went, I only received no's, there are people who even offend me for looking for work with my daughter in my arms.

This hurts me a lot, we live within our reality. I have no money and no one to leave her with. Her father disappeared, I never saw him again, and he never looked for me to see if we needed anything. This makes my life even more difficult.

Today I am going to a company called Wall Street, they offer a nursery and daycare for employees' children, they have some open positions and I am confident. Any job they offer me, I will accept, I can't afford to be picky.

I got up and did my morning routine, I got ready; I put on a turtleneck and a coat. It's very cold. I got Lavinia ready, I bundled my daughter up well, made a strong coffee and a bottle for Lavinia. Even though she still breastfeeds, my daughter already eats and drinks from a bottle. Only at bedtime at night.

We left home early, I had to take two buses to get to Wall Street. They treated me well and I was able to leave Lavinia in the nursery, I did the interview, I did all the tests and finally I was hired, I got the cleaning lady position. I was so happy, while women who were by my side looked down on the job. I was happy. Now I'm going to be able to give my daughter a better life and we'll have what to eat and where to sleep. Without the threat of eviction and spending the night awake thinking about what tomorrow will be like.

I got my badge and got the authorization for my daughter to stay in the nursery. I received the uniform and got to know the floor where I will be working, I will be on the Marketing executive floor.

It's a multi-story building, there's no way a cleaning lady can handle it all alone, so they hire one per floor, we take care of the coffee and also the cleaning. It's great for me, I'm looking at the salary and benefits, health insurance for Lavinia, she's never had health insurance. Transportation vouchers and food vouchers, in addition to the salary, which is double what I earned at the supermarket.

I came home beaming, as soon as I arrived, I made some pasta and we ate. It had to be just the pasta, there was no protein to go with it.

"Daughter, today we have little, but soon we will have enough to live well."

ANDREW NARRATING

I wake up every day at 5:00 a.m. It's a habit I've developed over the years. I like to wake up early. The silence of the early morning hours gives me moments of peace, without agitation or problems to solve.

I got up and put on my workout clothes. I walked to the gym at home, where I spent about an hour exercising. I like to vary between running and weight training. This routine keeps me in shape. Physical exercise is crucial, not just for the body, but also for the mind.

I went back to my room, took a shower, got dressed, and gathered my work material. Yesterday, I signed the HR proposal to hire new employees, mainly for the cleaning area. The people who work directly with me know how much I value organization and cleanliness in the work environment. Any kind of mess slows down human thinking; the work environment has to be in order, as well as the body and mind, to get better results.

I had my breakfast. In my house, I have many employees, but I don't see them. Usually, the cook sets the table on time, as I have an organized routine, which makes her job easier too. She leaves everything tidy, already knowing what I like and don't like to eat. I'm not one for conversation, nor do I like to be interrupted during my meals.

Right after coffee, I went straight to the company. As soon as I arrived, I already saw a movement, as the selection process was taking place. I asked the driver to enter directly into the garage, where there is a private elevator. I rarely enter through the reception. Most of the people who work for me only know me from social media and newspaper articles, but they've never met me in person. Not everyone has access to me or to the president's office.

When I arrived on the eleventh floor, where my office is located, as soon as I set foot outside the elevator, my secretary stood up to greet me. Then, she brings me the day's appointments and everything I have to sign.

"Good morning, Mr. Castela. I'm going to read you your appointments for the day. At 9 o'clock, you have a meeting with the marketing team..." - I'm walking and she's following me, reading the agenda.

Even though I don't stop, I'm always listening carefully. I entered my office as she read the last appointment of the day, which will be a business dinner.

I thanked her and she withdrew. Mrs. Lola has been working with me for years, since the time I was vice president. She knows my ways and knows that she cannot open the doors of my office to just anyone. I don't attend to any employee except the directors. Each sector has a responsible director to solve the problems that fall within their competence. Only they are allowed to speak directly to me, bringing the problems and, together, the solution.

A little before nine o'clock, I organized all the documentation that Mrs. Lola left on my desk and walked to the meeting room, which is on the tenth floor. Only my office is on the top floor; I don't share space.

The meeting was very productive with the marketing team. The objective was to align our strategies for the next semester and discuss some campaigns that are under development.

We started the meeting with a detailed presentation of the performance of current campaigns. I was pleased to see that many of them are exceeding our expectations, especially on social media. The team presented data showing a significant increase in engagement and conversions, which is an excellent indication that we are on the right track.

Then we moved on to discussing new ideas. One of the proposals that most caught my attention was the creation of a series of webinars focused on our target audience. The marketing team did extensive research and identified that there is great interest in topics related to our products and services. I believe this initiative can further strengthen our brand and generate qualified leads.

We also discussed the importance of strengthening our presence at industry events. The team suggested that we participate as sponsors in some important conferences that will take place in the coming months. I agreed with the proposal, as these events are excellent opportunities for networking and to demonstrate our leadership in the market.

Finally, we talked about the need to invest in new data analysis tools. The marketing team pointed out that with these tools, we will be able to gain more accurate insights into our customers' behavior and thus optimize our campaigns. I have already authorized the acquisition of these tools, as I believe that investment in technology is crucial for our continued growth.

I signed the new projects and asked for urgency in this new market approach. We need to be the first, the pioneers. I like to always be ahead.

I went back to my office. The HR manager requested a meeting; I will see him after lunch.

I decided to leave through the reception when I saw a young woman running. She wasn't just walking fast, she was running towards the nursery. What caught my attention is that she was not in uniform.

I didn't have time to go after her because I had an appointment and I like to be punctual. But later I'm going to check the cameras to see who this woman is and why she was running inside my company.

Today I had lunch with the CFO; we talked business. I don't have friendships with my employees, I don't talk about my life, and I don't seek to know what they do after they leave the company. I always keep it professional with everyone, in any occasion and situation.

When I got back to the company, I received the HR manager and signed all the hires.

"I hope you did as you were told," I said, looking at the stack of papers.

"Yes, sir. We hired all the employees for each function, as you determined at the last meeting," he replied, and I agreed.

I handed over all the signed papers and asked him to leave. I opened my inbox and replied only to what I thought was necessary. I forwarded some to my secretary, who selects what she thinks is important and discards the rest.

I spent the afternoon with my face buried in the computer. I follow all kinds of markets, not just economics. I like to be well informed so as not to suffer unnecessary blows that could affect my company.

When I left the company, I went straight to the restaurant, where I had a business dinner that was a complete flop. None of the proposals made could generate me any kind of income.

"I don't go into business to do any kind of exchange. I am Andrew Castela, owner of the largest economic company in the country. I don't do favors," I said and got up to leave a meeting without focus and without purpose.