COLIN VERUS, A MAN REBORN

Chapter 9

Colin stepped into the luxury villa’s sales office, his confidence unshaken by Decimus Brunus, who leaned casually against a wall. Decimus eyed Colin’s tailored suit and branded watch with a smirk, his disdain barely concealed.

“Colin,” Decimus said, his voice dripping with mockery, “I see you’re playing dress-up now. What’s next? Renting a fancy car for the day to complete the look?”

Colin adjusted his cuffs calmly. “I see you’re still stuck in the same mindset, Decimus.”

Decimus chuckled, his voice loud enough to draw attention. “Oh, come on. Let’s not pretend. You might fool these salespeople, but I know who you are. A poor country boy trying to play in a league way above your level.”

Colin’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out, dialing a number. “Nina,” he said as soon as the call connected, “cancel the Marquis Group’s cooperation with Decimus Brunus’ company.”

Decimus raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Cancel? Marquis Group? Now you’re just embarrassing yourself, Colin. Everyone knows you don’t have that kind of pull.”

Colin ended the call without acknowledging Decimus’ taunt. “We’ll see.”

Decimus let out a booming laugh. “Sure, go ahead. Tell your imaginary assistant to cancel whatever you like. Maybe next, you’ll buy the moon.”

Later that afternoon, Decimus strutted into the Marquis Group offices for a scheduled meeting, his confidence unshaken. He was greeted by the manager, who led him to the conference room with his usual politeness.

Decimus leaned back in his chair, his tone smug. “So, about the cooperation agreement. When can we finalize the terms?”

The manager hesitated, his expression tight. “Actually, Mr. Brunus, I regret to inform you that Marquis Group has decided to withdraw from the deal.”

Decimus blinked, caught off guard. “Withdraw? What do you mean?”

“It’s an order from above,” the manager said carefully. “Effective immediately, all discussions with your company are terminated.”

Decimus’ smugness faltered, replaced by disbelief. “From above? Who? The chairman?”

The manager nodded. “Yes. I believe the directive came through his assistant, Nina.”

A cold chill ran down Decimus’ spine. “Nina? The same Nina Colin called earlier?” He clenched his fists, his mind racing. “No… it can’t be. There’s no way Colin has anything to do with this.”

But the evidence gnawed at him. How could Colin, of all people, have the power to disrupt his business with a single call?

Meanwhile, Colin returned to the villa’s sales office to finalize the purchase. The agent handed him the keys with a beaming smile. “Congratulations, Mr. Verus. The property is officially yours.”

Colin nodded, satisfaction flickering across his face. The villa wasn’t just a place to live—it was a step toward building a better future for Livia.

Back at the modest apartment, Colin found Livia in the kitchen preparing dinner. He rolled up his sleeves and joined her, chopping vegetables while she stirred a pot on the stove.

“You don’t have to help, you know,” Livia said, glancing at him.

“I want to,” Colin replied simply. “It’s the least I can do.”

After dinner, Colin cleared the table and began washing the dishes. Livia watched him from the corner of her eye, her heart softening. He didn’t seem like the man her family constantly ridiculed. He was thoughtful, kind, and reliable in ways they would never understand.

As they sat together on the couch, Livia’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Mia, asking if she could come over.

When Mia arrived, she immediately launched into her story. “Livia, you won’t believe what happened at work. The chairman of Marquis Group—he’s incredible. He fired my horrible manager on the spot and had HR handle everything. Honestly, he’s a hero.”

Livia smiled. “That’s great. I’m glad someone stepped in.”

Mia laughed. “The funny thing is, his voice reminded me of Colin’s. Can you imagine Colin as the chairman of Marquis Group?” She dissolved into laughter at the absurdity.

Livia chuckled, shaking her head. “Impossible. Colin is many things, but the chairman of a billion-dollar corporation? That’s a bit far-fetched.”

Colin, who was quietly sipping tea, hid a small smile behind his cup.

The next day, the Aurelius family gathered for another meeting. Vulpes, as usual, took center stage, his tone grandiose as he addressed the room.

“As you all know, our family business needs a significant boost to stay competitive,” Vulpes began. “That’s why I’ve organized a financing project. Each of you will be responsible for negotiating with different companies to secure funding.”

The family murmured in agreement, though some faces looked less enthusiastic.

Vulpes continued, his gaze landing on Livia. “Livia, you’ll be approaching the Martin Group. I’m sure Barius will be more than happy to accommodate your request.”

Livia’s stomach twisted at the mention of Barius. Memories of his arrogant persistence and his blatant disregard for her marriage flooded her mind. She clenched her fists under the table, keeping her expression neutral.

“Is that really necessary?” she asked, her voice steady but strained.

“Of course,” Vulpes said with a smirk. “You’ve always had a way with people, haven’t you? And since Barius seems… fond of you, it should be an easy task.”

Laughter rippled through the room, but Livia remained composed. “I’ll handle it,” she said curtly.

Vulpes leaned back, his grin widening. “Good. Don’t disappoint us. Or should I say, don’t let Colin disappoint us again?”

More laughter erupted, but Livia ignored it, her mind already focused on the challenge ahead.

As the meeting ended, Livia stepped outside to clear her head. Colin was waiting for her, leaning casually against their car.

“Everything okay?” he asked, noticing the tension in her shoulders.

“Vulpes assigned me to negotiate with the Martin Group,” she said, her voice tight. “That means dealing with Barius.”

Colin’s expression darkened slightly, but he nodded. “You’ll do fine.”

Livia sighed. “I just hate that they think so little of you. Of us.”

“They can think whatever they want,” Colin said, his tone calm but firm. “What matters is what we do. And we’ll show them.”