He'd imagined the boss behind the scenes might be some low-key industry veteran or heir, but he never expected the person sitting in front of him would be this young, carrying such a light, almost campus-like energy.
This was far from the calm and composed leader he'd pictured.
Ethan smiled, keenly catching the fleeting surprise in the other man: "Marcus looks pretty young too, nothing like the thirty-five in the file."
Upon hearing this, Marcus showed a humble smile: "Ethan, you flatter me. Time waits for no one. At my age, I'm already middle-aged in this industry. But it's genuinely impressive, Ethan, that you can build and run something this strong at such a young age."
His tone was sincere, carrying just the right amount of respect, and he quickly adjusted his mindset.
"Have a seat first!" Ethan gestured to Marcus and sat down on the office sofa himself.
Marcus sat down on the sofa opposite Ethan, looking calm and composed, with his briefcase at his feet.
Mia brought over two cups of warm water at just the right moment and gently placed them on the coffee table in front of them.
"Ethan, Marcus, please help yourselves." Her voice was steady. After speaking, she quietly left the office and gently closed the door.
...
Ethan picked up his cup and took a calm sip, his clear gaze fixed on Marcus, carrying a sharp insight.
"Since we're both pretty young, there's no need to beat around the bush. Let's get straight to it." His voice was calm, creating a strange contrast with his youthful appearance.
"From your resume, you joined Vanguard right after finishing your master's at Oxford at 26, made department head in six years, then moved to Lionsgate for nearly three years until you recently resigned." Ethan looked at Marcus.
"That's right." Marcus nodded.
Ethan looked directly at him and said, "Can you tell me why you left? Especially since both times you chose to walk away from a major platform."
Upon hearing this, Marcus leaned forward slightly, folded his hands on his knees, and fell silent for a moment.
In this brief pause, countless thoughts seemed to surge.
He looked up, his eyes behind the glasses sincere, tinged with a trace of fatigue and unwillingness worn down by time: "You're right, I'm thirty-five this year. In this industry, being young means having the peak of energy and runway; not being young... it feels like there's less time left to take a real gamble."
A slightly self-mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "At Vanguard and Lionsgate, being a department head sounds pretty good. But honestly, to me, it's more like... accumulated frustration."
He took a deep breath and gazed out the window at the vast city, as if reminiscing about the past: "Back when I first stepped out of school, my head was full of stories about legendary investors — spotting uncut gems, backing them, watching them grow into towering trees. That sense of achievement and the joy of creating something was truly unmatched. That's also what pulled me into finance in the first place."
"But reality is harsh." Marcus turned his gaze back, his tone calm and objective. "At a giant like Vanguard, as a newcomer, even as a mid-level manager, I had no independent say over whether a project lived or died. I was more like a precision execution unit, analyzing, advising, and executing strategies that were already decided. Even the two billion-dollar deals I worked on were defined from above, while I was only responsible for the day-to-day operations and risk management. That feeling of actually discovering value and shaping the future — I never really got to hold it in my own hands."
Marcus took a deep breath: "I couldn't see a path to real influence at Vanguard, so I left finance and joined Lionsgate, focusing on film and TV financing and financial management. It was an extension of my professional skills. Over the years, I've genuinely developed a deeper understanding of how capital moves in the entertainment industry."
He changed the subject, speaking decisively: "But Lionsgate's pond is bigger, and the water's even murkier. The relationships inside are deeply tangled; moving up isn't just about ability, it's about connections, background, and even... which side you're on. I see myself as someone who wants to actually get things done, and I don't want to burn my energy on invisible politics. With a ceiling right over my head, rather than staying stuck in limbo, it seemed better to make a break for it while I still had the drive."
A grin like burning the boats appeared on Marcus's face, carrying a hint of an all-or-nothing gamble: "Ethan, everyone's got to fight for themselves. I'm not content to stay a great executor forever. So I left Lionsgate. In pure financial investing, I know I lack the foundation to command top-tier resources, so going back would most likely mean walking the same path all over again. But in entertainment, I've got real experience and I see huge potential and... real room for change. That's why, when I saw your up-and-coming, well-capitalized company, I felt like it was worth a real shot."
His gaze burned brightly, filled with a hunger for autonomy and a career breakthrough.
Upon hearing Marcus's answer, Ethan's face showed a thoughtful expression.
Ethan listened quietly, his knuckles tapping gently on the armrest of the sofa, lost in thought.
He knew Marcus had a solid foundation and unfinished ambitions in financial investing, and had accumulated real experience in the entertainment industry along the way. But the latter was more like a resigned choice of settling for second best. The hottest fire in his heart still seemed to burn in the field of finding value and running capital.
Ethan leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a blade, and threw out a bold question: "Marcus, setting this entertainment company aside for a second. Tell me, deep down, do you still want to get back into investing? Do you still want the kind of role where you're leading a deal, or even a whole fund, building something from nothing, trusting your own eye, and personally getting to feel that sense of power and accomplishment down the road?"
Ethan's question left Marcus stunned. He asked in confusion, "Ethan, isn't your company in entertainment?"
Ethan looked at his shocked expression, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of his mouth. His tone was calm but packed with information: "This is just one of my companies. I've also got a dedicated investment firm called Redwood Capital in Midtown. Not long ago, we put $2 billion into a major tech company. So, what do you think? Interested in that side of things?"
"Bang!" Marcus almost dropped his water cup. He grabbed it tightly, splashing a few drops of water.
Even with years of composure, he couldn't control the turmoil in his heart and blurted out, "Two billion... leading that deal? Ethan, you're... you're not joking, are you?"
His voice rose, his pupils behind his glasses dilating in shock as he stared intently at Ethan, as if trying to find even the slightest trace of mockery on his youthful face.
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