Marcus remained rooted to the spot long after the elevator doors closed. His jaw was tight. His fists hung at his sides, clenched so hard his knuckles ached.

"You can try."

Roman's dismissive voice echoed in his head. Like he was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. The stiff smile on his face disappeared bit by bit until nothing remained. Arrogant. Even now, Roman still looked down on him. Even after placing him on sabbatical, he still returned and effortlessly took control again.

Marcus face darkened. Ring. The sound of his ringing phone cut through his thoughts. His gaze dropped to the screen. The irritation on his face vanished. Something...