He achieves success early in his career, landing a job at Dominique Francon’s father’s firm. He uses blackmail on one man to climb the corporate ladder, but he accidentally causes that man to have a heart attack. This is similar to when Salieri, as a child, asks God to make him a great composer and soon his father chokes to death, giving Salieri the means and freedom to fulfill his dream for a time. Keating both hates and loves Roark, fighting against him and feeding off him.