Being brought up in the Stern household meant there was always a certain level of etiquette expected, a rigid standard of manners to be upheld at all times. Every heir, from the youngest to the oldest, was reminded of it constantly. Even Max remembered the numerous times Aron had drilled those expectations into him, everything from how to walk into a room, to how to hold a glass, to how to speak and when to remain silent.
The irony was not lost on him. Dennis, their grandfather, had come from humble beginnings. He was not born into wealth, not raised with luxury. So how was it, Max wondered, that a man like that could demand such flawless behavior from his descendants? Had money really changed Dennis into someone who demanded perfection from those beneath him?
