Marcus answered.
"Hello?"
Victor said nothing.
Marcus spoke first.
"You know now."
"Who are you?"
"You already know."
"Where are you?"
"Not far."
"Come back."
"Why?"
"We need to talk."
"We already did."
"No."
Victor's voice became desperate.
"We need to talk as business partners."
Marcus laughed softly.
"That's interesting."
"What?"
"You didn't think I was a business partner thirty minutes ago."
Victor closed his eyes.
"Marcus..."
"Yes?"
"I apologize."
Silence.
"For what?"
Victor struggled.
"For how I treated you."
"Why?"
"Because I was wrong."
"About what?"
Victor didn't answer.
Marcus continued.
"You weren't wrong because I was the owner."
Victor remained silent.
"You were wrong because you thought ownership was the only reason I deserved respect."
Victor felt the words hit harder than any accusation.
Marcus continued.
"My father taught me something."
"What?"
"Never judge a man's value by his clothes."
Victor looked at his tuxedo.
"And you?"
"I forgot that lesson tonight."
Victor was surprised.
"You?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Because I wanted to see whether you had changed."
Victor frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"My father knew you."
Victor froze.
"What?"
"You worked together."
"Years ago."
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"Because I read his letters."
Victor felt his stomach tighten.
"What letters?"
"The ones he wrote before he died."
Victor sat down.
Marcus continued.
"He wrote about Luxe."
"What did he say?"
"He said you built something beautiful."
Victor smiled faintly.
Then Marcus added,
"But he worried you were becoming the kind of man who forgot why he built it."
Victor's smile disappeared.
Marcus said,
"He was right."
Victor looked at the building.
"Why did you come tonight?"
"I wanted to know."
"Know what?"
"Whether the company I inherited was still worth saving."
Victor's voice became quiet.
"And?"
Marcus answered.
"I haven't decided."
Victor stood.
"Please."
"Please what?"
"Give me a chance."
Marcus was silent.
Then he said,
"Come to the office tomorrow."
Victor nodded.
"I will."
"Alone."
"Yes."
"And don't bring your lawyers."
"Fine."
"Or your security."
"Fine."
Marcus paused.
"And wear whatever you want."
The call ended.
Victor stood in the rain.
For the first time in decades, he felt powerless.