I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World-Chapter 86: Reality Check

Saimon adjusted his N95 mask as he stepped into the café in BGC, the glass door closing behind him with a soft chime. The air inside was crisp with the scent of freshly brewed coffee, but the atmosphere felt heavy—maybe it was just him.

The pandemic restrictions were still in place, but BGC had started to regain its life. People sat at socially distanced tables, their faces hidden behind surgical masks or KN95s, sipping coffee, checking their phones, or typing away on laptops. It was a new normal, but the world had adapted.

At the far end of the café, by the floor-to-ceiling windows, Leo was already waiting. His black hoodie was pulled up slightly over his head, his mask still covering his face, and his fingers idly tapping against his phone screen. The usual cocky, relaxed air he carried was gone.

Saimon sighed before heading over. This wasn't going to be a fun conversation.

"You're late," Leo muttered, not looking up.

Saimon pulled out a chair, dropping into it with a huff. "You texted me ten minutes ago."

Leo leaned back, exhaling sharply. He pulled down his mask just enough to take a sip of his cold brew, then set it down harder than necessary. "Felt longer."

Saimon rolled his eyes but didn't press further. He knew Leo well enough to recognize when he was brooding.

And right now? Leo was brooding hard.

A silence stretched between them. Not the usual comfortable silence between friends, but a heavy, unspoken tension that neither wanted to address.

Finally, Leo broke it.

"So… are we just supposed to pretend this is normal?"

Saimon sighed, rubbing his temple. "What? That we're now multi-millionaires instead of billionaires?"

Leo scoffed. "Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?"

Saimon shrugged. "It is what it is, man."

Leo let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "We lost more than half our shares, dude. Do you realize that? We used to own ten percent of Sentinel. Each. Now? We've got less than five percent."

Saimon stirred his coffee absentmindedly, his eyes focused on the swirling liquid. "Yeah. I know."

Leo sighed, tapping his fingers against the table. "And you're just… okay with that?"

Saimon glanced up at him. "What's the alternative? Throw a tantrum? Sue Matthew? We both know that won't work."

Leo exhaled sharply. "I don't know, man. It just feels wrong."

Saimon tilted his head. "Does it? Or does it just hurt your ego?"

Leo froze. His fingers stopped tapping. His jaw clenched.

Saimon held his gaze, letting the words sink in. "We didn't build Sentinel, Leo. Matthew did. We were just… there."

Leo exhaled through his nose, looking out the window. Outside, cars rolled through the clean streets of BGC, their tinted windows reflecting the bright neon lights of luxury stores. They used to dream of owning cars like that. Now, they had them.

And yet, it still felt like a loss.

After a moment, Leo leaned forward. "You really think we didn't contribute anything?"

Saimon shrugged. "Not enough to justify ten percent ownership of a billion-dollar company, that's for sure."

Leo frowned, but didn't argue. He knew it was true.

"We got lucky," Saimon continued. "We were in the right place at the right time. We supported Matthew, sure. But supporting someone isn't the same as building something with them."

Leo ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. "Man, I don't know. It just sucks."

Saimon chuckled. "Of course, it sucks. But let's put it into perspective. We still have 4.5% each. And you know how much that's worth?"

Leo didn't answer.

Saimon smirked. "Over 45 billion pesos."

Leo's eyebrows twitched. "What?"

Saimon leaned forward. "Sentinel's valuation after the new investors came in? One trillion pesos. Do the math."

Leo blinked, as if he was processing it for the first time. He had been so focused on the loss that he hadn't actually thought about the numbers.

Even 4.5% of Sentinel was stupidly rich money.

Leo leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "Damn."

Saimon chuckled. "Yeah. 'Damn.' That's the only response, really."

Leo exhaled. "So… we're still rich."

Saimon smirked. "Obscenely rich."

Leo sighed, rubbing his face. "Then why does it still feel like we got screwed?"

Saimon shrugged. "Because we got humbled."

Leo groaned. "Man, I hate that word."

Saimon laughed. "Me too."

There was another pause, but this time, it wasn't heavy.

It was acceptance.

Leo took another sip of his coffee. "So, what now?"

Saimon leaned back, stretching his arms. "We move on. We enjoy what we have. We make smart investments. And most importantly?"

Leo raised an eyebrow.

Saimon grinned. "We don't take this personally."

Leo chuckled. "Easier said than done."

Saimon smirked. "Yeah. But it's either that or we waste time being bitter."

Leo tapped his fingers on the table, thinking. "Guess you're right."

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"Damn right, I'm right."

Leo laughed. "So, what's the next move? Buy another car? Another condo?"

Saimon grinned. "Nah, let's do something stupid."

Leo smirked. "Like what?"

Saimon leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Ever wanted to own a private island?"

Leo blinked. Then grinned. "Shit. You might be onto something."

And just like that, the bitterness was gone.

They weren't as rich as Matthew.

But they were still damn rich.

And that was more than enough.

"A private island, huh?" He drummed his fingers on the table. "You know, that's actually not a bad idea."

Saimon grinned, pulling out his phone. "I'm telling you, man. We can get one near Palawan. The beaches there are insane. Plus, with this pandemic still dragging on, having our own secluded spot isn't the worst idea."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "How much are we talking?"

Saimon scrolled through listings, his eyes scanning the screen. "Depends. You want something small and cozy? We can get one for maybe… 300 million pesos. But if we go all out—private dock, mansion, helipad? We're looking at a billion easy."

Leo whistled. "Damn. A billion just for a private getaway."

Saimon smirked. "Come on, we're still filthy rich. What else are we gonna do with all this money?"

Leo took another sip of his coffee, the bitterness lingering on his tongue. He had spent the past few days sulking, feeling cheated. But now? He was starting to see things differently. They still had more money than they could ever spend. More than enough to live the kind of life most people could only dream about.

And if Matthew was moving forward, so would they.

"Alright," Leo said, leaning in. "Let's do it. But if we're buying an island, we're going all out."

Saimon grinned. "That's what I like to hear."