Chapter 34 - The Declaration of War
Lord Marcus Sterling recovered his composure with the practiced ease of a man who had spent his entire life hiding his true emotions behind a mask of aristocratic politeness. He offered a tight, patronizing smile and extended a perfectly manicured hand. "Ah, yes. Rose & Wren. The American upstarts who recently purchased those... charmingly toxic industrial swamps by the river. A bold move, though perhaps a bit naive regarding the complexities of London zoning laws."
I didn't take his hand. I simply looked at it until he awkwardly lowered it back to his side. "They won't be swamps for long, Marcus," I replied, intentionally dropping his formal title to instantly establish dominance in the conversation. "Our New Footprints project will completely revitalize the district. And as for the zoning laws, I find that legislation tends to adapt very quickly when faced with a multi-billion-dollar injection of clean infrastructure and job creation."
The surrounding investors fell dead silent, their eyes darting between the two of us in absolute shock. Nobody spoke to Sterling with such blatant, unapologetic disrespect in his own city.
"You possess a remarkable amount of arrogance for someone operating so far outside their jurisdiction," Sterling said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, silken whisper. "London is not a playground for foreign disruptors. Vanguard controls the supply chains, the unions, and the municipal boards. We can ensure that your magnificent project never breaks ground."
May you like
"You are welcome to try," I smiled, stepping just a fraction closer, invading his personal space. "But I didn't cross the ocean to play politics or beg for permission. I came to build. Vanguard is bloated, inefficient, and reliant on an outdated monopoly. If you attempt to choke my supply chains, I will buy the suppliers. If you manipulate the unions, I will offer them equity. If you block me in the municipal boards, I will fund their political rivals."
I took a slow sip of my champagne, holding his furious gaze without blinking. "I am not here to politely share the market with you, Marcus. I am here to render you entirely obsolete." With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving the undisputed king of European real estate absolutely speechless and publicly humiliated.
