173The next morning, Darius awoke in his spacious, modern bedroom. The sun’s first light filtered through the large windows, casting a soft glow over the room's minimalist decor. Rising from the king-sized bed, he stretched briefly before heading to the en-suite bathroom. A quick, invigorating show
174The gatekeeper, aiming to de-escalate the situation, quickly interjected, "It's him—" He gestured toward Darius, but at that moment, Darius had his back turned, distracted by the architectural marvel of the Apex Innovation building.As Darius turned around, drawn by the rising volume, the man’s
175Around them, a crowd of Apex Innovation employees had started to gather, drawn by the commotion. They whispered among themselves, shooting curious glances at Darius, their expressions a mix of amusement and anticipation."Isn’t that Chernin's spot? The new guy’s in trouble," one whispered to ano
176Darius took a step back, forcing himself to remain calm despite the escalating tension. He knew reacting with anger would only make matters worse. He tried to address Chernin's grievances with a composed demeanor."Mr. Chernin," Darius said, raising his hands slightly in a gesture of appeasement
177The gatekeeper's face fell, hurt flashing across his features. Darius's jaw clenched at the blatant disrespect. He could no longer stand by and watch."You have no right to insult him like that," Darius said, his voice trembling with anger. "He might be beneath you in this hierarchy, but he's st
178The crowd murmured with surprise and approval at Darius’s defense of the gatekeeper."Can you believe this guy? Standing up for the gatekeeper like that," one employee whispered."Looks like Chernin’s really overstepping now," another said, their eyes wide with excitement.Dorian looked momentar
179Albert burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as he laughed so hard. Through his fits of laughter, he managed to gasp out, "Ha! If you're the owner, then I must be Santa Claus!" His loud guffaws echoed through the crowd, igniting a wave of laughter and mocking jeers aimed at Darius.At first
180The two security guards, recognizing the urgency in Dorian Chernin’s tone, hurried over, their expressions serious and determined. They quickly assessed the situation, noting the tense standoff between Darius and Dorian.Dorian pointed a trembling finger at Darius. "This... this insolent man ref