I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World-Chapter 80: Marco’s First Day

November 1, 2020.

The world was still trying to claw its way back from the depths of the pandemic. The streets of Manila were slowly coming back to life, but the reminders of the crisis were everywhere. Pedestrians still wore N95 and surgical masks, signs outside businesses reminded people to sanitize their hands, and temperature scanners stood at the entrance of every building. Even inside Sentinel Systems, employees maintained social distancing protocols, desks spaced apart, and conference rooms only allowed limited personnel at a time.

Matthew sat in his office, staring at the financial reports on his curved ultra-wide monitor. Sentinel was thriving despite the pandemic, but every move had to be calculated. The economic instability meant that businesses that once seemed invincible were vulnerable. This was the perfect time to acquire, expand, and consolidate power.

Yet, despite all of that, his thoughts kept drifting back to his family.

The visit to their old apartment. The confrontation with his father. The relief in his mother's eyes when she realized she would never have to worry about rent again.

And then there was Marco.

Matthew had expected resistance. He had expected pride to get in the way. But Marco had accepted the job. That was something.

A knock on his office door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in."

Angel walked in, her own surgical mask still looped around her ears, though she had pulled it down below her chin. Her eyes were sharp as usual, and she carried a tablet in one hand, a disinfectant spray in the other.

"Your brother's paperwork is finalized," she said, tapping the screen. "He starts today. Are you planning to check in on him?"

Matthew leaned back in his chair. "No. Richard can handle it. I don't want Marco to think he's getting special treatment."

Angel smirked. "That's probably for the best. Richard's a hard-ass, but he's good at spotting talent."

Matthew only nodded. He knew that Marco wouldn't have an easy time. Sentinel's cybersecurity division wasn't some glorified IT department fixing broken printers. They were in charge of protecting high-value corporate data, managing firewalls, and developing security protocols that kept Sentinel's intellectual property safe. If Marco wanted to keep this job, he'd have to prove himself.

"Speaking of business," Angel continued, swiping on her tablet, "San Miguel Corporation is holding a private shareholder meeting next week. Ramon Ang is pushing forward with their infrastructure expansion, and they want Sentinel's involvement in cybersecurity for their toll systems."

Matthew smirked. "That didn't take long."

"It was inevitable," Angel said, sitting down across from him. "They know our stake in the company isn't just for show. They'll need us."

Matthew exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Schedule a call with Ang for later this week. For now, I want to focus on our internal operations."

Angel nodded but hesitated before speaking again. "And about your family…?"

Matthew's expression hardened slightly. "What about them?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering if you're actually going to check in or if this was just a one-time charity project."

Matthew gave her a flat look. "They're settled. Marco has a job. That's enough."

Angel raised an eyebrow but didn't push further.

"Well," she said, standing up, "good luck convincing yourself of that."

With that, she left the office.

Matthew sighed, shaking his head. He turned back to his screen, trying to drown himself in work.

But Angel's words stayed with him.

November 2, 2020.

Marco stood outside Sentinel Systems' towering glass building, gripping the strap of his messenger bag tightly. His N95 mask was snug over his nose and mouth, and the ID badge around his neck still felt foreign—like it belonged to someone else.

This was it.

His first real job in a company that actually mattered.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped toward the entrance, where a thermal scanner beeped as it checked his temperature. Security guards in face shields monitored every person coming in. Hand sanitizers lined the walls, and the floor had social distancing markers leading toward the elevator.

As he entered the main lobby, his phone buzzed.

Matthew: 5th floor. Cybersecurity Division. Richard Wong is expecting you.

Marco exhaled and made his way to the elevators, joining a small group of employees—everyone standing at least one meter apart, eyes locked on their phones.

When the doors opened on the 5th floor, he stepped into an entirely different world.

Massive monitors lined the walls, displaying real-time threat analyses. Employees sat at high-tech workstations, reviewing security breaches, firewalls, and encryption codes. There was a sense of urgency and precision, yet everything moved like a well-oiled machine.

Marco barely had time to take it all in before someone called his name.

"You must be Marco."

Turning, he found himself face-to-face with Richard Wong, Sentinel's Chief Information Security Officer. The man was tall, lean, and carried an aura of experience and authority.

"Yes, sir," Marco replied, adjusting his mask.

Richard gave him a once-over before nodding. "Come with me."

Marco followed him to a small conference room, where a laptop and several documents were waiting.

"This is your workstation," Richard said. "Before we throw you into the deep end, we'll start with internal systems training. Our security protocols are different from anything you've dealt with before."

Marco nodded, trying to push aside his nerves. "Understood."

Richard narrowed his eyes. "Good. Because if you mess up, it won't just be your job on the line—it could compromise the entire company."

Marco swallowed.

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No pressure.

November 3, 2020.

Matthew stayed late at the office, reviewing Sentinel's latest investment portfolio. The financial markets were still unstable, but his strategic acquisitions had positioned them for long-term dominance.

A knock on the door interrupted his work.

He glanced up to see Marco standing in the doorway, looking exhausted but… different.

There was something in his posture—not hesitation, not defiance, but focus.

Matthew leaned back. "Didn't expect you to still be here."

Marco shrugged. "Richard had me go over security logs. Didn't want to leave without finishing."

Matthew smirked. "So? How's your first two days?"

Marco let out a tired chuckle as he pulled down his N95 mask slightly, rubbing his face. "Harder than I thought. But… I like it."

Matthew studied him for a moment. "Good."

Marco hesitated before speaking again. "Look… I know we haven't exactly been close. And I know I probably wouldn't be here if I wasn't your brother."

Matthew stayed silent, letting him continue.

"But I also know you didn't just hand me this job," Marco added. "I'm not gonna waste it."

Matthew nodded slowly. "You better not."

A small smirk tugged at Marco's lips. "You really are an asshole, you know that?"

Matthew chuckled. "Took you long enough to figure that out."

For the first time in years, the tension between them wasn't hostile.

It was something else.

Something closer to understanding.

Marco exhaled, shaking his head. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Don't be late," Matthew called after him.

Marco just flipped him off as he walked away.

Matthew smirked.

Maybe, just maybe, things were changing.