The city was already awake by the ti Matthew stepped into the Sentinel Systems headquarters, the hum of Manila's morning traffic a distant noise in the background. The holidays were officially over, and now, the real work began.
Dressed in a tailored navy suit, he adjusted his surgical mask as he walked through the lobby. Employees nodded in greeting as he passed, their movents sharp, efficient. Sentinel wasn't just another tech company anymore—it was a powerhouse, and everyone in the building knew they were part of sothing bigger than themselves.
By the ti he stepped into the executive elevator, he had already skimd through half a dozen reports on his tablet. The numbers from the Singapore expansion were better than expected, and the recruitnt pipeline was filling fast with so of the best cybersecurity experts in the region.
But that wasn't his primary concern today.
Today, he was preparing for his next big move.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing the executive floor. Angel was already waiting for him outside his office, dressed in her usual sharp black blazer, tablet in hand. Her mask was pulled down just enough to sip from a steaming cup of coffee.
"Morning, boss," she greeted. "How's 2021 treating you so far?"
Matthew smirked. "Ask after today."
Angel exhaled. "That bad?"
"Not bad. Just… busy." He pushed open his office door. "Co in. Let's get started."
The massive glass windows behind Matthew's desk frad the Manila skyline, the sunlight casting long shadows across the room. Angel took a seat across from him, sliding her tablet onto the desk.
"Alright, here's what we've got." She swiped across the screen, bringing up the first set of reports. "First, let's talk about the investors."
Matthew leaned back, folding his arms. "Go on."
Angel tapped on the screen. "We have three serious groups interested in buying equity in Sentinel. First, there's Aquila Ventures, a Singaporean private equity firm that specializes in tech acquisitions. They want a 15% stake."
Matthew frowned slightly. "That's a big chunk."
Angel nodded. "They're willing to pay top dollar, though. Then we have Gideon Capital, a U.S.-based investnt firm with strong governnt ties. They're offering less—around 8% equity—but they bring influence. And last, there's Eurus Group, a European hedge fund that's heavily invested in AI and cybersecurity."
Matthew tapped his fingers against the desk. Three different offers, three different angles.
"What's your take?" he asked.
Angel exhaled. "Aquila has the deepest pockets, but they'd want control. Gideon is smaller, but their connections with the U.S. governnt could open doors for international expansion. Eurus? They're the safest bet—pure investnt, no corporate politics."
Matthew nodded slowly. "I'll think about it. What else?"
Angel swiped again, bringing up another report. "Leo and Saimon."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "They already making moves?"
Angel smirked. "More than you'd expect. Their venture capital firm has already started funding two promising Filipino startups—one in AI-driven logistics and another in renewable energy solutions. They're not wasting ti."
Matthew chuckled. "Good. I want them to succeed."
Angel tilted her head. "You really an that, huh?"
Matthew nodded. "Of course. They're family."
Angel leaned back. "They're also positioning themselves as the biggest early-stage tech investors in the country. If they keep this up, they'll beco Sentinel's biggest allies—or competitors."
Matthew smirked. "Then we'll just have to stay ahead."
"Now, about Sentinel's global strategy."
Angel pulled up the expansion roadmap. "We've already secured our foothold in Singapore. That's going smoothly. But for our U.S. entry, we have a problem—red tape. The U.S. cybersecurity market is highly regulated, and if we don't play our cards right, we'll be stuck in bureaucratic hell for years."
Matthew exhaled. "We need a way in."
Angel nodded. "We have two options. One: We acquire a smaller U.S. cybersecurity firm, giving us a backdoor entry into the market. Two: We partner with a major defense contractor—sothing like Raytheon or Lockheed Martin."
Matthew frowned. "Partnering with a defense giant would an losing independence."
Angel smirked. "Which is why I prefer the acquisition route. There's a small firm in Silicon Valley that's struggling but has governnt contracts. If we buy them, we can use their existing licenses to enter the market without restrictions."
Matthew's smirk returned. "I like that. Find out what it'll take to acquire them."
Angel nodded. "Already on it."
Angel hesitated for a mont, then placed another file on the desk.
"There's one more thing."
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
Angel sighed. "We're on the governnt's radar."
Matthew didn't look surprised. "Which governnt?"
Angel smirked. "All of them."
She leaned forward. "The Philippine governnt is keeping an eye on us because of how quickly we're taking over the cybersecurity sector. The U.S. governnt has us on a watchlist because of our AI research. And China?"
Matthew exhaled. "Let guess—they're trying to figure out if we're a threat or an opportunity."
Angel nodded. "Pretty much. We're getting too big, too fast. The world is noticing."
Matthew tapped his fingers against the desk. "Good."
Angel narrowed her eyes. "You say that like it's a good thing."
Matthew smirked. "It ans we're doing sothing right."
After covering the reports, Angel stood up, stretching slightly.
"That's everything for now," she said. "What's next on your agenda?"
Matthew leaned back, staring out the window.
"I need to finalize the investor decision."
Angel nodded. "I'll set up the etings."
Matthew tapped his temple. "And then… I have sothing new in mind."
Angel groaned. "Not again."
Matthew smirked. "Co on, Angel. When have I ever not had another move planned?"
Angel sighed. "You love keeping in the dark, don't you?"
Matthew chuckled. "Not this ti. I'll fill you in soon."
Angel studied him for a mont, then nodded.
"Alright. Just don't start another global revolution without telling ."
Matthew smirked. "No promises."
As Angel walked out, Matthew turned back to his screen.
There was one last file he hadn't ntioned.
A new project.
One that would change the ga again.
2021 had just begun.
And Matthew wasn't slowing down.
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