Chapter 7 - The Master at the Desk
At 6:00 AM, the lobby of the Aldridge Grand was bustling with anxious executives trying to catch early flights. Standing behind the marble counter, wearing a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, was the billionaire owner of the company.
Marcus handled the check-outs himself. He didn't use the automated systems; he used the old, flawed software he had designed years ago, bypassing the glitches with a speed that left the remaining staff in awe.
When Dr. Harrison, the arrogant keynote speaker from the night before, approached the desk with his luggage, he went completely pale upon seeing Marcus behind the counter.
"Mr. Whitfield..." Harrison stammered. "I wanted to apologize for my comments last night. I didn't realize—"
"Your company’s corporate account has been settled, Dr. Harrison," Marcus said, not looking up from the screen as he printed the receipt. "But your corporate group is permanently blacklisted from all Whitfield properties globally. Have a safe flight."
As Harrison dragged his luggage away in defeated silence, a small, warm hand reached up to grab Marcus’s belt loop.
Marcus looked down. Sophie was standing beside him, wearing her wrinkled pink jacket, clutching her stuffed bear. Her dark hair was still a bit messy, but her eyes were bright and clear.
May you like
"Daddy," she whispered. "The lady at the juice bar gave me an apple. She said you own the whole world."
Marcus smiled, lifting her up to sit securely on the marble counter beside his keyboard. "Not the whole world, sweetie. Just the parts that need to be cleaned up."
