King of Greed

Dominic Davenport is the male protagonist and romantic lead in the novel. With dark blond hair, blue eyes, and a chiseled face, he sports the typical good looks of most romance protagonists. Dominic’s life is a rags-to-riches story. After spending his childhood in foster care and struggling with his finances in early adulthood as he went through college at Thayer University, Dominic has since become “a legend to every bright-eyed Wall Street newcomer” (70). With the creation of his business, a financial conglomerate called Davenport Capital, Dominic has grown extremely wealthy. However, despite becoming a billionaire, nothing is ever enough to satiate Dominic’s need for wealth and security, or his need to feel accepted by others.

Dominic’s obsession with his work and wealth leads him to overlook many other important aspects of his life, such as his marriage to Alessandra, who observes that her husband does not “care about anything that didn’t make him money” (9). This problematic dynamic damages his relationship with Alessandra, whom he often places second to his work. Dominic’s work is “the world’s most demanding mistress” (11), and it completely dominates his time and his thoughts. This is a stark change to how their relationship first began.