I'm not the Son-in-law

Chapter 7: "Turning into William'"

Marcus, attired in the golf gear provided by Philip Cheng, sat in the passenger seat of the car, prepared to receive Philip's instructions.

"Anything else?" Marcus murmured, toying with the mask in his hands as Philip settled into the driver's seat.

"Familiarize yourself with this," Philip directed, handing a document to Marcus.

"No ‘staying still’ today?" Marcus quipped, glancing through the detailed script before him. The script is a document that outlines what he is supposed to say in response to specific scenarios. This assignment felt like a test of his skills as an aspiring actor.

"Why? Can't you handle the role?" Philip inquired.

"This is a piece of cake. I'm excellent at memorizing lines," Marcus confidently asserted. "But according to this, Gregory William comes across with pride and dominance here."

"Gregory only shows deference in front of the William family, but he exudes superiority around everyone else," Philip clarified, scratching the back of his head.

"Does he have a split personality?" Marcus mused, curious why Gregory appeared weak and submissive in front of the William’s but projected strength in public. "Or is he some sort of puppet?"

"Don't get involved in the William family's affairs," Philip cautioned.

"Whatever, it's not my concern," Marcus shrugged. "So what's my reward after this?"

"I'll help you secure a leading role," Philip reluctantly promised.

Marcus grinned, satisfied that they had finally aligned their needs and rewards.

"Is Gregory William still missing?" Marcus inquired, his eyes scanning the script.

"Just focus on your job," Philip responded.

"Yes, sir," Marcus affirmed, delving back into the script. “Who am I meeting again?”

"Greg is supposed to play golf with business partners and real estate developers involved with William Constructions on a major project. They have no specific business to discuss, but it’s crucial to maintain social connections and convey a sense of stability," Philip explained.

"One of the reasons is to cover up for the absence of the real Gregory William, right?" Marcus inquired.

"Yes. We can't afford to undermine the trust they have in us," Philip sighed.

"Wouldn't it be better to present another representative? His wife seems very capable and charismatic, plus she's the chairman's daughter," Marcus suggested.

"Introducing a woman as a representative is perceived as a weakness. It might cause investors and developers to hesitate," Philip explained, exasperated.

"Why the bias against women? Honestly, I found the chairman's daughters more intimidating than his sons," Marcus remarked.

"It's what the chairman believes,” Philip groaned.

“What a boomer.”

“Just focus on familiarizing yourself with the key topics the business partners will discuss. You don't need to actively participate in their conversation, but at least know how to respond when asked,” Philip instructed. “Oh well, just be there and play golf, that's all."

"Yes, sir." Marcus nodded with a smile. "Well, that's not my concern. I just need to excel here so I can finally debut as the lead role," he said aloud, excited about his new chapter.

After 30 minutes of briefing and memorization, Marcus stepped out of the sleek black car, showcasing the perfect fit of his newly branded golf attire. It was a far cry from his usual wardrobe, but it projected the authority he was determined to embody.

"Don't forget your mask," Philip reminded him as he led the way.

Marcus nodded, reaching for the mask and sliding it onto his face. It felt unfamiliar—a barrier between him and the world, yet essential for the role he was about to undertake.

Soon, on the manicured green of the golf course, a group of well-dressed men—real estate developers and investors—strolled leisurely along the fairway, chatting and swinging their clubs with practiced ease.

“I should walk with pride, right?” Marcus asked, trying to confirm if he understood the role correctly.

“Yes. Walk with confidence. We are late, but don't apologize and don't rush to approach them,” Philip instructed.

“Okay.” Marcus nodded. He rolled his shoulders one last time before slipping into character. “I am Gregory William,” he mouthed.

As Marcus approached, Gregory’s business partners glanced up from their game; their expressions shifted from concentration to surprise as they recognized him.

“Ah, there he is! The man of the hour finally graces us with his presence,” Geral Marvo, the CEO of HGG Builders, said enthusiastically.

“Are you already starting?” Marcus, impersonating Gregory William, casually responded.

“Not really, Gregory. We were just warming up our swings. Join us!” Engr. Mario Zanduco, a real estate developer, said.

Marcus waited for Philip to set down his bag. He selected a club and took his place alongside the others. He was confident that everything would go smoothly until he recognized one of the people standing among the businessmen around him.

“You!” Marcus inadvertently exclaimed, his face contorting with fury. Reyster Sebastian, the cause of his slow progress in his career, was right in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. Thanks to the mask he was wearing, it hid his expression.

“Why can't I be here?” Reyster replied, confused. “Is this your way of saying you don't need Jaypark Steel Co. anymore?”

Philip panicked, as Marcus’s reaction wasn't part of the script he had given. He lightly nudged Marcus, immediately snapping him out of the urge to punch Reyster in the face.

“Oh, sorry. So you're from Jaypark Steel Co.? I didn't know. You don't look like someone important,” Marcus condescendingly remarked.

Knowing he graduated ahead of Reyster, he assumed Reyster was not an executive. Despite being a king in school, Reyster was still starting out in the real world. Marcus smiled under his mask, feeling satisfied after talking down to him.

“Oh, it must be your first time meeting him. CEO Jeyster is abroad right now. Reyster is his oldest son,” CEO Geral said.

"Oh, okay. Shall we start?” Marcus said bluntly. He made sure to express his disinterest, which only forced a smile from Reyster. Reyster seemed like he had a lot to say but lost the chance to speak.

“What are you doing?” Philip Cheng whispered to him.

“I got confused, sorry,” Marcus reasoned.

“Just don't initiate a conversation,” Philip sighed.

“Yes, sir.” Marcus nodded.

“So, Gregory, I hear congratulations are in order. The grapevine says you've clinched that major government project we've been eyeing,” CEO Busan said.

“Indeed, it's official. We've secured the deal for the new Magrao Town development,” Marcus responded smoothly, finally returning to the right track of the script.

“That's fantastic news! I knew you had it in the bag,” Engineer Mario said.

“Tell us more. What's the scope of the project?” said one of the developers.

“Well, it's ambitious, to say the least,” Marcus began. He looked at Philip with confidence, trying to show off how well he remembered things. “We're looking at a complete overhaul of the area—residential complexes, commercial spaces, parks, you name it. The government is keen on revitalizing the region, and we're going to make it happen.”

“Sounds like a massive undertaking. But knowing your track record, I have no doubt it'll be a resounding success,” another developer commented.

“You flatter me. But it's not just me—it's all of us working together that makes these things possible,” Marcus smoothly replied, eliciting laughter from those around him. Their eyes sparkled in anticipation of the profits to come.

“Well, here's to the future of Magrao Town. May our partnership continue to thrive as we build something truly remarkable,” CEO Busan said.

“Cheers to that!” Reyster chimed in, which made Marcus frown immediately. Under his mask, the detest towards Reyster returned. His expression turned even worse as Reyster gestured towards an employee in the distance.

“Miguel? Why is he here?” Marcus inwardly wondered. He looked at his brother’s hotel uniform and felt more confused about why Miguel was serving Reyster now instead of being at the hotel.

“I brought only the finest champagne money can buy, my friends. Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008. Let’s make a toast,” Reyster bragged. With a simple gesture, Miguel Xu showed off the champagne and helped pour it for each gentleman.

“Who is this man, though? I recognize his uniform,” Engineer Mario said.

“Don’t mind him. He’s a surplus employee at the hotel. I simply gave him an opportunity to do something extra,” Reyster sneered.

“Oh, surplus?” CEO Busan said. “Stop being generous. Lay him off; he's no longer needed.”

“You think so?” Reyster said, grinning. He glanced at Miguel, who was trembling at the side, scared of losing his job. “Should I fire him?”

“Please don't fire me. I am the breadwinner,” Miguel pleaded as he bowed.

Marcus clenched his fist, restraining himself from breaking his disguise. He dropped his jaw as he watched everyone look down and sneer at his brother. Their expressions made him believe that this wasn't the first time they treated someone like this.

“What's going on?” he asked Philip.

“Just let them be. They occasionally do this,” Philip replied.

“Do what?” Marcus asked, getting a bad feeling about this.

“They love to look down on someone below them. It's like a stress reliever or whatever. Don't worry too much about that employee. They always pay them enough afterwards,” Philip explained.

“They will pay enough?” Marcus muttered. He narrowed his gaze towards Reyster and wondered, “How much will he pay us then? A billion dollars?”