I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World

Sentinel BioTech HQ, ManilaTuesday – 10:00 AM

The second day of the week came with its own rhythm—a little quicker, a little louder. The calm efficiency of Monday had given way to a more accelerated pace inside Sentinel BioTech. Teams were moving faster, phones were ringing more frequently, and emails were stacking up faster than anyone could respond.

But in the executive office, things remained composed.

Matthew sat at his desk, scrolling through an internal report from the Titan Mk-II integration team. His coffee, barely touched, sat beside him. The update was promising—firmware optimization had shaved latency by another 3.2 milliseconds, and new magnetic dampeners showed signs of reducing limb vibration at peak speed.

He should've been impressed.

Instead, his thoughts drifted—back to the Sy family's party, to Angel's teasing, to the soft tension he always felt when standing among other titans of industry. These people played long games. Alliances formed quietly, power shifted behind smiles, and words carried consequences.

He looked up as the soft chime of his door announced Angel's arrival.

She walked in with a bundle of folders and her ever-present tablet. "Morning updates, sir. I prioritized the briefs based on urgency."

"Thank you," he said, gesturing for her to take the seat across from him. "Anything surprising?"

She slid the top folder forward. "A bit. The Department of National Defense just sent us a formal request for localized production. They want a feasibility study on setting up a manufacturing line for the Titan suits—here in the Philippines."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. That was fast.

"Did they give a location?" he asked, flipping the folder open.

Angel nodded. "They're suggesting the Subic Bay area. There's a dormant facility the government's looking to repurpose. Originally a shipyard, but they say it can be retrofitted."

Matthew scanned the brief quickly. The numbers were rough but reasonable—plenty of space, basic infrastructure in place, and the added benefit of proximity to naval forces.

"This is political," he said aloud.

Angel nodded. "Likely. With all the international attention on the Titan program, the DND probably wants to show they're not just tagging along—they're contributing."

He closed the folder and tapped his knuckles on the table softly. "Start drafting a proposal. We'll need to weigh costs, supply chain logistics, workforce readiness. Bring in logistics and compliance."

"Already ahead of you," Angel said, suppressing a smile. "I scheduled a preliminary cross-departmental meeting for this afternoon."

He looked up, narrowing his eyes with mock suspicion. "Do you actually read my mind?"

"Only on Tuesdays," she replied smoothly, then shifted slightly in her seat. "Also… there's another item you should know about."

Matthew tilted his head. "Let me guess—more matchmaking?"

She laughed. "No, thankfully. But it is another invitation."

"From?"

"The Gokongweis this time," she said, placing another envelope on the desk. This one was navy blue, thick and formal. "Private dinner. Only eight attendees. They're calling it a 'strategic discussion over economic alignment.'"

"Which basically means…?" Matthew asked.

Angel shrugged, amused. "Which basically means they want to talk shop, but with wine and wagyu."

He opened the envelope slowly, pulling out the hand-written card inside. It was short, elegant. A personal note from Lance Gokongwei invited him to their home in Greenhills, three nights from now.

"That's the third invitation in two weeks," he muttered.

Angel nodded. "You're officially on everyone's radar. Welcome to the circle, sir."

Matthew leaned back in his chair, fingers laced together as he stared up at the ceiling for a moment. "This is all moving faster than expected. It used to be that I knocked on doors. Now they're all swinging open at once."

Angel watched him closely. "You knew it would happen. You just didn't expect it to happen this soon."

He didn't answer right away, just gave a faint nod. "And each door comes with its own expectations."

There was a short silence before Angel spoke again. "What do you want to do about the Gokongwei dinner?"

He tapped the edge of the invitation lightly. "Accept. But I want a complete profile on all the other guests. I don't like surprises."

"Already compiling it," Angel said, standing up. "And I'll prep briefing folders on Subic Bay by this afternoon."

Matthew gave her a small smile. "Have I told you lately that I'd be absolutely lost without you?"

She grinned. "You mentioned it yesterday. But feel free to say it again."

He chuckled. "Then I will. I'd be absolutely lost without you."

"Flattery noted," she said with a wink before heading to the door.

As she stepped out, Matthew turned his gaze to the window once again, his view stretching across the Manila skyline. He could feel it—everything shifting. Not just in business or politics, but in how people saw him. He was no longer the young genius or the billionaire innovator. He was becoming something else—an anchor, a force people gathered around when it was time to make real decisions.

And that came with its own weight.

Subic Bay, 16:45 PM – Same Day

Later that afternoon, Matthew stood with his logistics director, compliance officers, and Angel in tow, surveying the Subic Bay shipyard site. A sleek black helicopter rested nearby, its rotors still spinning slowly.

The old shipyard was massive. Empty hangars lined the docks like sleeping giants. Some were rusted, others stood tall and solid, awaiting purpose. It smelled of salt and steel, a place once brimming with labor and life.

Angel walked beside him as the team dispersed to inspect the grounds.

"You think it can work?" she asked, looking around at the wide expanse.

Matthew nodded slowly. "With the right funding and manpower? Absolutely. This place could handle Titan-scale production. Maybe even for our civilian variants later down the line."

Angel looked impressed. "Civilian Titans? That's bold."

"Not full suits," he clarified. "Just mobility support, industrial lifting units, maybe disaster relief applications. The technology has legs outside of war."

She smiled faintly. "You really do think beyond everyone else."

He turned to her, voice a little softer now. "Only because I have people around me who keep me grounded."

Angel met his eyes for a moment, then looked away, a small smile forming. "Well, someone has to make sure you don't build an empire and forget to sleep."

Matthew chuckled. "Too late. I already forgot what a weekend looks like."

They walked a little more, stepping into one of the hangars. Dust floated in golden beams of light. Matthew looked around at the structure, his mind already drawing blueprints in the air.

"This is it," he said quietly. "This could be the legacy move. Bringing advanced manufacturing to Philippine soil. Real jobs, real influence. A new backbone for local tech."

Angel stood beside him, quiet for a moment. "So… when do we start?"

Matthew smiled.

"Tomorrow."