Chapter 27
The private jet touched down at Heathrow Airport under a gray,
overcast sky that was typical of a London afternoon,
the rain light but persistent against the windows.
Marcus stepped out of the aircraft,
dressed in a flawless,
dark charcoal suit that screamed power and authority,
his long coat flapping slightly in the wind.
Julian followed him down the metal steps,
holding a large black umbrella to shield his boss from the damp air,
while a sleek black limousine waited on the tarmac.
Marcus entered the vehicle without a word,
his mind already shifting gears into the ruthless environment of international business,
where any sign of weakness could be fatal.
The city of London rushed past the tinted windows,
a blur of historic buildings,
red buses,
and hurried pedestrians carrying umbrellas.
Marcus pulled out his phone,
checking his messages,
and found a video sent by Khloe just a few minutes prior.
He clicked play,
and the sound of Liam’s giggles filled the quiet luxury of the car,
instantly bringing a genuine smile to Marcus’s stern face.
In the video,
Liam was trying to chase a golden retriever across the lawn,
his tiny legs moving fast before he tumbled into the soft grass,
laughing all the way.
Marcus watched the video three times,
feeling a sudden pang of homesickness that he had never experienced in his life before,
realizing how much his priorities had shifted.
The limousine pulled up to the towering glass skyscraper that housed his European headquarters,
where a line of executives was already waiting to greet him.
The driver opened the door,
and Marcus stepped out,
shoving his phone into his pocket,
his expression hardening into stone as he prepared for battle.
He walked through the grand lobby,
the executives falling into line behind him like soldiers following their general into war,
ready to face the regulators.
The boardroom on the top floor was cold and sterile,
filled with sharp-eyed lawyers and strict officials who thought they could intimidate him,
but they did not know the man they were dealing with.
Marcus sat at the head of the long mahogany table,
leaning back in his leather chair,
looking at them with a calm,
terrifying confidence.
"Let's begin,"
Marcus said,
his voice cutting through the tension like a razor blade,
May you like
"and let's make this quick,
because I have a family to return to."
