Ed and Chris first met in 2008 at a business gathering. Ed was thirty years old, and Chris was twenty-nine at the time. Over drinks, they exchanged their ideas about the lead generation advertising industry. Ed’s expertise was in sales and marketing, and Chris worked as a skilled computer programmer.

They kept in touch after that first encounter and, before long, were discussing advertising campaign strategies. As their relationship developed, it became clear that they shared some things in common: they both wanted to succeed in the lucrative world of advertising, they wanted to do it together, and they wanted to reap its monetary rewards. 

Although money was their goal, they valued it differently. To Ed, money meant success. A way to fund his materialistic desires. A way to feed his demons. To Chris, money meant freedom—to live a boundless, carefree, unfettered life and spend time in the company of his family and friends. 

Ed and Chris were both young and exceedingly handsome.

Ed was a 1980s yuppie throwback—designer suits, expensive shoes, an impressive family car, and a well-paying upper-management job. He was well-groomed, and he kept his straight jet-black hair high and tight, topped with a versatile faux-hawk hairstyle—one that he could comb to the side if he wanted to appear less cocksure. His mere presence, at 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, was enough to deter anyone from crossing his path.

Chris was the epitome of a surfer dude. Depending on which police report you read, he stood between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall and weighed 185 pounds. He was evenly tanned and a standout. His full head of chestnut-brown hair—combed back in a pompadour style—and mesmerizing green eyes were hard not to notice. He was drop-dead gorgeous and could pass for Scott Eastwood, Clint’s son. Even without a surfboard, anyone could tell he could duck dive (a technique surfers use to get under an oncoming breaking wave), as his body was muscular and lean, without an ounce of unneeded fat. He had a one-day unshaven look—every day. His fashion choice was surf-ready—boardshorts and flip-flops. He wore them everywhere and got away with it because he looked like a GQ magazine cover model. No one would ever stop him from entering a place of business and breaking dress codes, as he just looked too good.

Ed and Chris were polar opposites, yet the dichotomy between the two might be what drew them together. Ed was a husband with a growing family, while Chris was a single surfer who enjoyed partying with his buddies. They were like yin and yang, a Chinese philosophical concept that describes two interconnected, opposite forces as they counterbalance each other. 

The yin and yang symbols fit perfectly to form the Taiji, a symbol of “utmost extreme.” Determining whether one is yin or yang depends on the year one was born. The black side of the circle represents yin, and the white side represents yang. The two fish-like shapes appear to be swimming in the same direction, forming one never-ending flow. Different, yet the same—complementary rather than opposing. When Ed and Chris joined forces professionally, they were a dynamic duo. Ed recruited clients, and Chris designed the software programs that served them. 

However, the Chinese Zodiac best describes the disjointed relationship between Ed and Chris. According to an ancient Chinese myth, the Jade Emperor announced a race to establish the Chinese calendar. He invited all of the animals to participate in the relay, which would take place on his birthday. The race course was challenging, and it concluded with the animals having to cross a river’s swift current before reaching the finish line on the shore. The top twelve winners were to be designated as zodiac animals, earning a permanent place in the Chinese Zodiac, and celebrated once every twelve years. Forever.

As anyone could imagine, the race was not easy, especially for those animals that had never seen a river or a swift current. Most that won—that is, finished the race in the top twelve­—displayed teamwork, creativity, kindness, and grace despite being pitted against one another. After all, their place in history was at stake, as their species risked extinction in the years to come. 

At the end of the race, these were the top twelve animals in finishing order: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar. Each animal, along with its own reputed attributes (its strengths, weaknesses, and compatibility), can be found on any website that shares this myth. 

One notable aspect of this mythical race was the altercation between the Horse and the Snake. As the galloping Horse approached the finish line, the sneaky Snake frightened it, making the Horse fall back. The Snake slithered ahead and finished one place ahead of the Horse. The Snake took sixth place, and the Horse placed seventh. Although they both finished mid-pack and among the top twelve, the Snake had sabotaged the Horse to ensure its place.

Ed was born on November 22, 1977, the Year of the Snake. In terms of strengths, the Snake is wise, enigmatic, intuitive, sympathetic, mesmerizing, sensual, and beautiful but can also be hedonistic, vain, malicious, overly materialistic, and duplicitous. Ed’s dream was to be successful. He had a beautiful wife, a thriving family, and all the accouterments to prove his success. He also enjoyed gambling and making a show of it. The Snake, born in 1977, is yin.

Chris was born on December 3, 1978, the Year of the Horse. The Horse is known for being virile, easygoing, witty, honest, and outspoken. Regarding weaknesses, the Horse is impatient, impulsive, and self-centered. Chris had wanderlust in his veins. He thrived on travel, and he loved the ocean and his freedom. He told his friends he was itching to escape “The Moo,” a metaphorical term he used to refer to cattle all herded in one direction—following the crowd. The Horse, born in 1978, is yang.

Ed and Chris’s ethos was: Make money, then make more money. They both had their reasons to prosper.

Chris wanted to be successful and make enough money to wander the world.

Ed was materialistic. He needed to show that he was successful by wining, dining, and entertaining his clients. What better place to do this than in Las Vegas.