Ethan relaxed his body back against the sofa, his hands casually resting on the armrests. His face showed no emotion, only his deep eyes calmly gazing back at Marcus, as if describing something perfectly ordinary: "You think I'm joking with you?"
The air in the entire office seemed to freeze because of those words.
Marcus took a deep breath, placed the cup steadily on the coffee table, straightened his body, and stared straight at Ethan with a piercing gaze. His voice was calm and full of strength: "Ethan, if I could actually get an opportunity like that! My most genuine wish, deep down, would absolutely be going back into financial investing! That's not just the professional foundation I spent ten years building, it's also the original reason I got into this industry in the first place. Like a mentor spotting a promising company, personally injecting the capital it needs to grow, watching and being part of its transformation. That sense of accomplishment from shaping the future with my own hands has never faded for me."
Ethan nodded calmly, his fingertips silently tapping the armrest of the sofa.
He knew well that in this industry, there wasn't really such a thing as burning out from age. On the contrary, the longer you stayed in the field, the sharper your instincts and experience became.
The more time you'd put in, the more successful deals you'd accumulated, which only proved your seasoned judgment and depth of connections.
Someone like Marcus, with top-tier academic credentials, a solid resume, and clear ambition, must have a fire in him that refused to settle for average.
He'd gone from being a front-line "executor" to more of a "transformer" at Lionsgate, but his core drive had always been to earn the authority to shape what came next.
Ethan's gaze was sharp and he got straight to the point: "So, if you join Redwood Capital, what position are you expecting?"
"I'm wondering if you already have someone in mind for the general manager role?" Marcus asked.
Ethan replied calmly, "Not at the moment."
At Redwood Capital, there genuinely wasn't a general manager candidate right now. Diana was running the entire operation. Aside from the recent investment, Redwood Capital hadn't made any other moves, which was exactly why there was no urgency to find someone to head it up.
Without any hesitation, Marcus leaned forward slightly, his words full of confidence. He volunteered, "My personal wish is to take on the general manager role. I'm only thirty-five, at the peak of my energy. I believe I have the ability and the drive to do the job well."
Ethan picked up his glass and glanced at Marcus, then smiled and said, "General manager... but as you just said, at Vanguard you never actually made a call on a deal on your own. My biggest concern is your lack of hands-on experience at the top decision-making level. How could I confidently hand over the helm of Redwood Capital to someone who's never independently steered a ship before? We're talking about hundreds of millions, even billions, in capital flow and outcomes here."
That line landed like a sharp blade, striking straight to the core.
Marcus's breath instantly caught; he felt the weight and cold scrutiny in Ethan's words.
A brief silence filled the office, and the air seemed to freeze.
A few seconds later, instead of backing down, his eyes ignited even more fiercely: "Ethan, you're right. Independent decision-making experience is my weak spot! But experience isn't the same thing as judgment, and it isn't the same thing as nerve! I've put in six years, and on every deal I worked on at Vanguard, I was soaking up how top decision-makers think, right from the front lines! The success rate and returns on the deals I handled are among the best of anyone at my level. That's the strongest proof of my ability out there! My market instincts, my modeling skills, and my read on emerging industries hold up against any seasoned investor!"
Ethan shook his head: "That alone isn't enough."
"Isn't enough..." Marcus repeated softly, as if those two words carried enormous weight.
The hand resting on his knee quietly clenched into a fist, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He could clearly hear his own heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
A moment later.
He suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a resolute determination: "I'll sign a long-term contract with the company, at least five years. I won't resign during that time. Put that in writing, and I'll agree to no base salary. My entire compensation can be tied to the company's performance."
Ethan's gaze was as sharp as something tangible, locked tightly on Marcus's face, as if trying to see straight through him and gauge what was really behind this resolve.
For a full ten seconds, the office was filled with only silent tension.
Finally, a genuine appreciation curved at the corner of Ethan's mouth.
He put down his glass, stood up, and with a smile reached out his hand: "Welcome to Redwood Capital."
While reviewing the resumes of the five candidates, Ethan had already had it in mind to bring Marcus into Redwood Capital. After all, six years at Vanguard was genuinely rare. All he lacked was experience leading deals himself, but that didn't matter to Ethan.
Because Ethan already had a plan in mind; he just needed to follow it through.
Marcus's academic background and resume were nearly flawless. Talent that high-level was never going to be let go; the only question was where to place him.
Ethan had felt Marcus's initial case for wanting to be general manager wasn't quite enough — he'd wanted to see how far Marcus would go. In the end, tying his own salary to performance was the kind of move only someone genuinely confident and capable would make, and that was exactly what Ethan had been looking for.
He had both nerve and ability.
A tremendous shock struck Marcus like an electric current; he could almost hear the sound of blood surging.
He immediately stood up, tightly gripping Ethan's hand with both hands, his excitement written all over his face: "Thank you, Ethan, for trusting me! I... I will do everything I can to live up to it!"
Ethan let go and asked, "When can you start?"
"Anytime." Marcus felt a long-lost passion igniting inside him, wishing he could throw himself into the work right that second.
Ethan nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, I'll have Diana from Redwood Capital come by. We'll work out the contract details with you afterward, and you can officially start this afternoon. Sound good?"
"No problem at all." Marcus's answer was firm and forceful.
Afterwards, Mia led Marcus to a nearby lounge.
...
About ten minutes later.
The office door was gently knocked.
"Ethan, the next interviewees are here." Mia's voice came through, and then she pushed open the door and led two men inside.
It was none other than Ryan and Tyler, who'd already been in contact ahead of time.
Ethan stood up to greet them, his attitude warm yet composed.
After the small talk and sitting down, the conversation quickly got to the point.
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