Harper gave a sad laugh. "There’s that political cynicism again. You assume I want money for money’s sake, but I didn’t, and I don’t. Look around you. I don’t live a life of luxury—no Blade Tower penthouse for me, no remote island. I could live as a queen of old, command my surroundings. Instead, I go to work in cramped, hot offices with old, disagreeable people because I believe someone has to make the hard decisions, someone who can see the future. Believe me, there are many times when I regret my drive, when I wish the easy life was something that appealed."