I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World

November 14, 2025 — Sentinel HQ, BGC — Strategic Operations Room

The room was dimmed except for the massive wall screen cycling through project dashboards, media trackers, and risk assessments. Red, yellow, green. Alerts blinked in the lower corner—flagged mentions of "Sentinel Auto," "turbine car," and "non-EV propulsion."

Angel stood near the board with her arms crossed, hair tied back, a black turtleneck rolled at the sleeves. She tapped her stylus once against the glass.

"We now have three months to pull off the biggest mobility demo the country's seen since we launched the Pulse Line. But unlike that, this one's not on rails."

She gestured toward the calendar overlay.

"March 21st. That's our reveal. We go public on that date with a working, street-certified Aerus unit. Controlled environment. Live broadcast. But no pre-recorded edits. Real performance."

One of the PR leads raised a hand. "Venue locked?"

"Bonifacio Tech Strip," Matthew answered from across the table. "We're closing the western corridor and converting the strip into a half-urban, half-track layout. Partnering with the Department of Science and Tech for regulatory coverage."

"Media?"

"Already signing exclusivity offers with Globe Live and CNN PH," Angel replied. "But we want it clean—no overproduced glitz. The story is the silence. Let the car speak."

A few nods around the table.

Then came the harder question.

"What about the pushback?"

Everyone turned toward Niko, head of Risk.

"Be specific," Angel said.

Niko tapped his tablet. "We've detected coordinated activity from two local automotive conglomerates. Old guard players. They're planting stories on forums questioning turbine safety. On top of that, a global battery consortium just pulled a joint venture pitch from our energy division. Unofficial word is they see Aerus as a 'conflict of interest.'"

Matthew leaned forward. "Let them pull out. We don't need batteries. That's the point."

Angel didn't look surprised. "Anything else?"

"One more thing," Niko said. "Anonymous report came in to the DENR suggesting we're in violation of secondary emissions compliance due to 'non-electric propulsion prototypes.' No evidence attached. Pure sabotage attempt."

Carina, who'd just entered the room with an access badge still clipped to her jumpsuit, snorted. "They're scared."

Matthew nodded. "Good. Means we're ahead."

Angel's eyes didn't move from the timeline.

"They're trying to paint us as unsafe. Dirty tech. A step backward from electrification. We counter with transparency. Show every stage. Every audit. Every safety stat."

She turned to the group.

"We don't flinch. We outpace."

—

November 17, 2025 — Sentinel Subic — Chassis Integration Wing

Inside the vast integration wing, engineers worked around the clock. Four chassis frames were now mounted on precision risers, each representing a different Aerus configuration: Urban, Tourer, Cargo Variant, and Performance.

Matthew walked beside Carina, eyeing the new carbon-fiber hybrid wheel hub assemblies.

"These modular?"

"Yup. Fast-swap systems in under six minutes. Torque-tested at over 12,000 NM capacity. You could tow a plane."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "We won't be doing that, but noted."

Carina handed him a tablet. "Also, we've switched to a smart-shield insulation coating on the heat recirculation chamber. Cuts exterior temps by 12%. Better for pedestrian safety and underbody component longevity."

Matthew glanced over the data, then stopped in front of a half-built Tourer model. "This one's going to the government fleet?"

"Yup. DOST will field it after the demo—assuming no one tries to blow us off the road first."

Matthew gave her a sideways look. "You think someone will try?"

"I think when you threaten a trillion-dollar global industry with a shoebox-sized jet engine, some people will get twitchy."

—

November 21, 2025 — Rockwell, Their Apartment

Late night.

Angel sat on the floor, a thick folder of contract drafts sprawled out around her, while Aurora slept beside her in a soft bassinet. The glow from the table lamp cast soft shadows on the carpet.

Matthew walked in from the balcony with two cups of tea.

"You're not sleeping again," he said.

Angel sighed. "Every time I close my eyes, I think about the launch. About someone throwing a wrench in it."

He handed her the tea and sat beside her. "You know what my dad used to say?"

Angel looked up, curious.

"He said, 'If people are throwing rocks at your glass house, you're either making noise or making change.'"

Angel leaned her head on his shoulder. "You think we can actually pull it off?"

He looked at the bassinet. At their sleeping daughter. Then at the open blueprint still clipped to her lap.

"We already did. Now we just have to show them."

Angel smiled.

Not wide.

But sure.

—

November 24, 2025 — Sentinel HQ, Mobility Division — Legal Briefing Room

"This is getting ridiculous," said Anton dela Cruz, Sentinel's General Counsel, as he dropped a new folder on the desk.

"Another lawsuit?" Matthew asked.

"Nope. This one's a 'petition to delay experimental vehicle demonstrations.' Filed by an industry-backed watchdog group we've never even heard of. Conveniently founded last week."

Angel flipped through the paperwork. "All baseless."

"Yes, but public. They'll be baiting us into overreaction."

Matthew leaned back. "Then we don't bite. We publish the full prototype audit online. No redactions."

Angel turned to Anton. "And file preemptive compliance with LTFRB and DENR under voluntary innovation status. Get ahead of them."

Anton sighed. "This car better be as good as the hype."

"It's better," Matthew said quietly.

—

November 30, 2025 — Subic Test Range — Pre-Event Rehearsal

The Aerus Performance Unit sat under spotlights in the test hangar, drone rigs circling slowly above. Final camera angles were being tested for the March event.

Inside, Matthew adjusted his headset and tapped into the direct media link.

Angel's voice came through the comms.

"Telemetry clean. Temp reading 581. Let's go."

Matthew took the wheel.

This wasn't a race. There was no audience.

But it felt like the world was already watching.

The car accelerated, silent as ever, slicing through the half-lit test lane like a whisper. No roar. No smoke.

Just forward.

Unstoppable.

This will revolutionize the automotive industry. The top automotive companies are fighting for EV. Meanwhile, Matthew will take control of the industry by introducing a futuristic one.